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This week's Jewish Press contains a letter to the editor by Rabbi Gil
Student in response to the woman who wrote that she felt it was not
appropriate for a married woman to wear a wig that was more beautiful
than her hair. See
<a href="http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/49986/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/49986/<br><br>
</a>In addition, the editor, Rachel, of the column in which her
letter appeared also write a response. See
<a href="http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/50008/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/50008/</a><br><br>
Rabbi Gil student writes in part<br><br>
<font size=3>R. Moshe Feinstein responds to the maris ayin argument in
multiple ways: (1) A woman covering her hair is not a prohibition but an
obligation, for which we are more lenient; (2) someone, even if not
everyone, can almost always tell when a woman is wearing a wig; and (3)
people in our community know that women often cover their hair with
wigs.<br><br>
On the other hand, Rachel points out " ... it may be of interest to
you and other young readers to know that many of us can still recall a
time in the not-too-distant (relatively speaking) past when human-hair
wigs were almost unheard of, when wigs were mostly made of a synthetic
fiber and were easily recognized as - well, wigs. That would partially
explain why renown and respected community leaders (some no longer with
us) sanctioned the wearing of wigs for married women. <br>
<br>
"It is highly unlikely that these rabbis, in their endorsement,
envisioned the knockout versions that many of today's young brides find
hard to resist. <br><br>
<Snip><br><br>
"Though the trend doesn't show any signs of diminishing, plenty of
rabbis have spoken out against it, with similar arguments to yours. To be
fair, mention must be made of the communities where women have heeded
their leader's call to dispense with the human hair wigs and wear only
the synthetic kind, and of the many married women sporting stylish
kerchiefs, hats or wide headbands on top of their wigs, meant to act as a
constant reminder (to the wearer) of her married status."<br><br>
I can only wonder what Rav Feinstein, zt"l, would say about
permitting a married woman to wear a human hair wig that is virtually
impossible to tell is a wig and that is more beautiful and attractive
than the woman's natural hair. <br><br>
YL<br>
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