Urgent Asifah of Boro Park Dayanim at Home of Rav Steinmetz

Yesterday (Monday) a call came into the offices of BoroPark24. On the phone was the Skverer Dayan, Rav Mechel Steinmetz, shlit”a—one of Boro Park’s most prominent poskim—requesting that we publicize the contents of a meeting that was held at his home, with the attendance of the Kossover Rebbe, and dayanim of nearly every major kehillah in Boro Park. 

“We must do everything we can to spread awareness,” he urged. “It is a matter of clear halachic issurim.”

He was referring to a relatively recent trend which the Rabbonim see as a major breach in tzniyus—to the point of being assur according to halacha; the sale of “Lace Top” wigs to people in our communities. Many have observed that these wigs are extremely difficult to discern from natural hair, and the only plausible reason for ehrliche Yiddishe daughters continuing to sell, and purchase, these wigs, must be a lack of awareness. 

“The Kossover Rebbe, Rav Shraga Hager, intoned that a brachah made in the presence of a woman wearing this is a bracha l’vatalah—akin to reciting a brachah in the presence of uncovered hair—while I have written that it is ‘quite possibly’ a brachah l’vatalah,” explained Rav Steinmetz.  

Bnos Melachim is an organization that has been bringing awareness in tzniyus issues to Jewish daughters for many years. Its founder, Rabbi Fischer, who is involved in this awareness effort, explained: Rav Chaim Favel Schneebalg, who is now leaving Monsey to assume the place of his father in Manchester, called me and implored me to take on this issue. The legendary Rav Falk, has dedicated the last year of his life to imploring Klal Yisroel to see that things have gone a bit too far with regard to this issue (wigs) in particular…and so the rabbonim in many cities have resolved to issue a kol korei making people aware of the halachic issues—and the breach of tzniyus— related to Lace Top wigs, asking the bnos Yisroel to think with clarity about their roles, about the kedushah of Klal Yisroel, and whether this is something that is fitting for us. 

A total of 70 sheitel machers throughout the world have taken the courageous step of resolving not to sell these wigs. It is hoped that spreading awareness will spread the kedusha, and the resolve of bnos Yisroel to conduct themselves in a manner befits Daughters of the King.