Question:
In the past, I have been very careful to make sure that my hair is completely knot free (as best as I can) and there is absolutely no vestige of makeup on my face area (again, as best as I can).
*Is this actually the halacha?*
I feel that it would be good to know because it takes a longer amount of time the way that I do it. Also, I feel that it is good while I am doing it to know if what I am doing is necessary or positive but not required (or silly and therefore should not do it).
1) I am guessing that bidieved if someone does have *some* of her hair knotted, it is not a chatzitza. Is that correct?
2) I am guessing that bidieved if someone does have *some* makeup somewhere on her but it isn’t glaring when looking at her face, it is not a chatziza. Is that correct?
3) If 1 & 2 are correct, does this change the proper way to go about chafifa lechatchila? Meaning, should the goal to be to get rid of *most* knots and *most* makeup? Or should it be to remove *everything* if possible and she has the time to make sure that it is done as such?
Thank you very much.
Answer:
Hello,
What you were doing until now is correct. A woman should l’chatchila get rid of all her makeup, and comb her hair of all knots before immersing in the mikva. Especially makeup that you will remove, you don’t want to be on you all the time, makeup that is faded or only partially on. However, while you should try to get off all the makeup. After trying to remove everything, and there is a little bit left, which is very difficult to remove and so small that you don’t care that it is there, then we can consider it a shas hadchak, and you don’t have to remove it. The same applies regarding the knots in your hair. When doing the chafifa the goal is to get out all the knots. After combing your hair well, there are some knots that you don’t care about, you don’t have to worry about them.
Sources:
ע’ פתחי דעת (פכ”ח סעי’ ט’ והע’ כה) בשם הגרי”ש אלישיב זצ”ל, ואוהל שרה (ח”ב פ”ג סעי’ ד, פ”ו סעי’ טז) וספר דעת טהרה (עמ’ כה) בשם הג “ר יצחק מרדכי הכהן רובין שליט”א כתבו שאיפור בדרך כלל יש לו ממשות ולכן לכתחילה אין לטבול בו שלכתחילה אין סומכים על טעם של נוי לבד.
ולענין לקה שנסקד או שיורד קצת ע’ פתחי דעת (פכ”ח) בשם הגריש”א, אוהל שרה (ח”ב פ”ח סעי’ ג והע’ ח).
ולנין כנים בשער ע’ בשו”ת תשובות והנהגות (ח”ג סי’ רעג) כתב שאם אחר רחיצה וסריקה היטב לדעתה אין עוד צורך ברחיצה וסריקה ואינה מקפדת על מה שנשאר שאינו מפריע לה (ולא משום שמתעצלת לרחוץ עוד), אי ן בזה חציצה דהו י כאינה מקפדת” .וה”ה בקשרים השערה, אחרי שהיא עשתה מה שהיא יכולה היא אינה מקפדת על המיעוט הזה.
