[Avodah] Henna parties (from areivim)

[T613K at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/11/2006 3:01:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
smash52 at netvision.net.il writes:

RTK wrote on areivm: 
>> 
The henna party has more to do with applying henna decorations to the hands  
(and hair?) than with anything else.  Henna is an Arabic word AFAIK and  the 
Arabs also have pre-wedding henna parties.  So do Indians (in  India).  Henna 
is believed to have something to do with fertility, and  it's also considered 
decorative and attractive.  It also has cooling  qualities.  **Apparently it 
stains the skin so that the color remains  until the outer skin exfoliates, 
which can take anywhere from a few days to a  few weeks.**   
>>> 
This, if true,  sounds like a serious problem of chatzitza b'tvila to  me 
(IIAMN, the henna party often preceeds the tvila by several days).  However, I do 
believe that a coloration which  remains over a period  of time may not be 
consiudered a chatzitza, although I don't know how long the  period of time must 
be. The problem may be more serious with hair, almost  all of which may be 
colored by henna. This last point is not restricted to  henna, of course, and 
may apply to commonly used hair dyes as well. I am not  very familiar with the 
halachic literature on this subject, and would  appreciate being directed to 
sources. 
Saul Mashbaum


.
I am not that familiar with the halachos either but have been a substitute  
mikva lady a few times and was told that we posken not to make a fuss if women  
show up at the mikva with fake (glued-on) fingernails, colorful polished  
manicures,  or dyed hair.  Bedieved, at least, it seems that if you  want the co
lor to be permanent, it is not a chatzitza.  The women who come  with false 
nails and dyed hair are usually Israeli/Sefardiyot, often not dati,  and I have 
been very impressed that these women still keep taharas  hamishpacha.  It's a 
tribute to the strength of the mother-to-daughter  transmission of mesorah in 
their community that they do so.  Ashkenazim who  are not observant will rarely 
use the mikva.
 
I will admit that I myself wondered about this henna thing vis-a-vis  tevila, 
when I first heard of it, years ago.  I was taught as a kallah that  there 
could be absolutely NOTHING on your skin -- you would go crazy, using  bleach, 
acetone, goo-gone and so on to get off ink stains or the slightest bit  of 
makeup residue -- and the mikva lady would insist that you cut your nails to  the 
quick -- and then to be told that actually, long nails, false nails, even  
polished nails, fake eyelashes -- none of that will invalidate the  tefila -- 
pretty strange.
 
Needless to say, I would not recommend that anyone rely on these  lenient 
opinions without first checking with her own LOR.  
 
Kesiva vechasima tova

--Toby  Katz
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