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Shaitels

Question:

Is it mutar to wear a long shaitel? I mean, how could it be that so many of our noshim tzidkoniyos(even ones married to bnei torah) are doing this רחמנא ליצלן? If hashem wants a married woman to look more tzniusdig than an unmarried one than how could they go and wear something ten times more attractive than real hair? How can they just go around being machshil men left, right and center? Is she not being oiver on lifnei iver? I’ll add more. How can an older woman who already has white hair wear a shaitel that is much more attractive than her own hair? Isn’t that ridicalous? Why would hashem want her to do that? What’s the point? Once you are doing that maybe it would be better to not cover your hair altogether! Are shaitels just one big mistake? וכל העם בשגגה? Why isn’t anybody doing anything about this? Is everyone just too timid and shy?

Answer:

Thank you for your question.

You are bringing up a valid point. The gedolim have said numerous times, that long shaitels are not tzniusdik, and if they are going to be too attractive they are problematic. Exactly what is called long, for that speak to you Rov, however the overall idea is correct. Why is it done? There are a number of factors involved, including social pressure, embarrassment, etc.

Regarding an older woman wearing a black shaitel when her hair is already white, is incorrect. Women are allowed to dye their hair, and this is specifically why men don’t, because it is lo tilbash for a man to beatify himself in a womanly way. If they can do it to their hair, they can wear such a shaitel. See Oz Vhadar Levusha 28-16.

The minhag in Klal Yisroel, at least among many of the Ashkenazi woman is to wear a shaitel, in accordance with what the Mishna Berura 75-15, and this is not the forum to go into this debate.

Best wishes

 

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