Q&A: Two Halakhic Questions
Two Halakhic Questions
Question
1. Is it permitted to remove hair in the areas surrounding the beard with wax/tweezers (areas such as above the cheek, on the neck, in the area where there is some connection between the beard hair and the hair at the back of the head, and the like)? And what about hairs at eye level?
2. Does the permission to view content that includes women dressed immodestly, by virtue of lack of intent and the value contained in viewing it, also include purchasing a subscription to newspapers like Yedioth Ahronoth/Haaretz?
Answer
I’m not familiar with those techniques and what exactly they entail. If it uproots from the root, then it is forbidden because of the prohibition of rounding the head. You can find online overviews of where exactly this prohibition applies.
I don’t know those newspapers well enough, but my impression is that it is no different from walking in the street. Of course, there are also other ways to keep up with the news, and if there is no difference in quality but there is a difference in modesty, then there is an alternative route available, and there is no permission.
Discussion on Answer
Walking on Bialik Street is also different from walking on Havatzelet HaSharon Street. So what? I’m sketching the principle here. And regarding “there is an alternative route available,” I explained in my column there that the medieval authorities (Rishonim) determine that your distinctions are not relevant.
Why is that like walking in the street? You don’t have to bring them into your home; when it comes to walking in the street, there’s no choice.
True, we wouldn’t restrict a person to walk in the street only when absolutely necessary, but it seems to me that bringing in a newspaper is much more a case of “there is an alternative route available.”
And almost nobody reads a newspaper for the news, but rather for the op-eds, feature articles, and so on.