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From
<a href="http://revach.net/article.php?id=2654" eudora="autourl">
http://revach.net/article.php?id=2654</a><br><br>
<font size=3>If someone wears a toupee, must he take it off when putting
on Tefilin Shel Rosh? The Tshuvas HaRashba (1:30), which is not in
accordance with the other Rishonim, proves from the Yerushalmi that
having a Chatzitza, a separation between your head and your Tefilin Shel
Rosh, is not a problem. It is only a problem by Tefilin Shel
Yad. However, says Rav Menashe Klein (Mishneh Halachos 6:8), that
at best the Rashba only holds this B’Di’eved and even so he concedes that
the Rishonim before him disagreed. Furthermore, the Rashba says
that his opinion is L’Halacha but not L’Maaseh.<br><br>
Another possible heter says the Mishneh Halachos is a Pnei Aryeh (6) who
says that if you put white powder in your hair, it is not a Chatzitza
since it is for beauty, and anything put in the hair for aesthetic
purposes in not a chatzitza. Similarly, says Rav Menashe Klein,
maybe a toupee, which is meant to enhance your appearance, is also not a
chatzitza. However he dismisses this argument saying that you
cannot compare powder, which disappears and a toupee, which is very
thick.<br><br>
L’Maskana he says that the Shela HaKadosh holds that even if you put
ashes in your hair for aveilus Zecher L’Churban, you must wash it off
before putting on your tefilin. The Machatzis HaShekel (OC 27:4)
says that even excessively long hair is a Chatzitza. Although some
disagree with this Machazis HaShekel, says Rav Menashe Klein, certainly
when it comes to a toupee, all would agree that it is a chatzitza.
If after explaining to someone the problem with a toupee for Tefilin the
person insists on putting Tefilin on top of a toupee, he definitely
shouldn’t make a separate bracha on his tefilin shel rosh.
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