Women Crying Over Jewish Rabbi's Wig Ruling

[matcom]

<snip>

Within hours after a revered Orthodox rabbi in Israel declared that human hair wigs from India might violate Jewish law, the phone at Alisa's Wigs and Hats in Miami Beach started jangling.

''Women were crying hysterically,'' said Alisa Weiss, longtime purveyor of headgear to religious women. ``They were panicking. They came here with their husbands!''

That an Orthodox man might penetrate this inner sanctum of femininity speaks to the stunning impact of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv's May 13 pronouncement.

The leader of the Lithuanian Torah Jewry faction declared that Indian hair could have been cut in a Hindu temple, part of a sacrificial rite that Jews would consider idolatrous. One strand in a human-hair wig would render it unfit, he ruled.

Jewish law requires married women to dress modestly, which includes a head covering in front of everyone except her husband. Some wear wigs -- sheitels, in Yiddish -- some wear hats, some wear both.

Women in the ultra-religious enclaves around the world began to jettison -- even publicly immolating -- hairpieces costing thousands of dollars, then stampeded the stores for $75 synthetic replacements.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/front/8823700.htm?1c

[BiggJawn]

1. I wish THAT was my biggest worry in life!

I heard a piece on the radio that said some of those wigs cost 50 kilobucks...

Amazing!

[Bronco69]

2. *sigh*

Oh those wacky fundies. Never a dull moment with those people around.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Fighting for freedom (religion), that limits your freedoms.

<sigh>

[LuLu550]

4. OYE!

I'm getting ferklempt! Talk amoungst yourselves! :cry:

[Loonman]

5. Ludicrous

Religion is the opiate of the masses.

[VelmaD]

6. I'm having a hard time...

responding to this in a calm, rational manner. I'm just really fucking tired of men telling women how to dress, particularly findy nutjob men. I would sincerely encourage my orthodox Jewish sisters to tell him to shove it where the sun don't shine.

[pansypoo53219]

7. as

backward as islamic head scarves.
IT IS THE 21st CENTURY. IT IS NOT THE HAIR, GUYS, ANYMORE.

[BiggJawn]

8. what do you expect from a rule book that hasn't had a major re-vamp...

..In almost 6,000 years. No Polyester back then, no Cotton-Poly, no wool blends, and the medical procedures! and how could Saul have POSSIBLY conceived of such things as REFRIGERATION??????

If your rule-book was written back in the Stone Age, then you'll LIVE in the Stone Age.