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Tznius hair covering?

Alright so when women (Orthodox Jewish) get married, when do they begin covering their hair? As soon as they leave the chuppah she is married, right, so does she have to stop and cover her hair? I don't think so but if not, then when? The next day? Then hasn't she spent a whole day with her hair uncovered? I know I should know.........but I don't :-(

Thanks

Update:

Trish, I hope you are being sarcastic when you say that Jews don't nitpick this way, lol.

11 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favourite answer

    Minhagim vary by community.

    Some cover the hair after yichud, others from the following day. Your best bet is to ask your local Rabbi what the corrcet Minhag for your community is.

    To answer the question where we learn the need for a hair covering fr women in the Torah: It is learnt from the passage about the Sotah (a woman who, after being told by her husband not to her, sequestered herself with a man and is now suspected of having committed adultery with the man). Its tates that before giving her the "bitter waters" to drink, the Kohen unbinds her hair. From this we see that the woman is required to have her hair covered (bound in this context means under a covering) when in public and only in an exceptional case susch as this would it be uncovered.

    edit 2: I read Trish's answer and had to make a comment on the fact that the marriage isn't binding until consumated. Its only half true that. Lets go back to how a marriage was done in the time of the Temple. Forst was Kiddushin (also called Erusin), normally translated as "betrothal". From that point onwards, the woman considered to be married b'kiddushin. they could not live together or have marital relations until nissuin and the chupah, but they were considered married and the woman could be required to undergo the procedure for a Sotah as from Kiddushin onwards any sexual contact with somebody besides their betrothed was considered adultery! So, form Kiddushin onwards the woman would have covered her hair.

    Now, in those days the gap between kiddushin and nisuin was between a year (for people that had never been married before) to as small as 30 days (some opinions in regards to a widow or divorcee marrtying a man that is a wiower or divorced). For various practical reasons, the cutom was changed and nowadays both Kiddushin and nisuin are done under the chupah (the glass of wine drank in the middle of the ceremony is for the purposes of Kiddushin.) So, the minhag of when the woman covers her hair- after the yichud or the next day is relevant regardles sof whether the marriage is consumated as either way Kiddushin has taken place and the woman needs to cover her hair. (note- in the case of a chupah niddah- their could be a delay of a week or more before consumation- but the woman would be required to cover her hair well before then.)

  • 5 years ago

    Jewish women are required to make sure they show none of THEIR hair in public. How they go about doing that could be several different ways. Some Like Satmar, shave their heads. Most others simply cover their hair, either with a wig or with some other covering such as a cloth or hat. Why would they cover hair with hair because a well made and properly worn, wig looks better then the other alternatives and while most people will claim they can spot a wig every time I do not believe they ALL can. But a bald head or one with a scarf will surely get noticed.

  • 1 decade ago

    I could think of a couple of yahoo groups that are perhaps better forums for this question.

    The Litvish custom is that the wife does not wear a Sheitel until the morning following her wedding and therefore may have her hair uncovered during the ceremony (when it is covered by a veil) and the meal (when it is usually uncovered).

    The Chassidic customs vary according by group, with some having the bride covered by a veil at the wedding and then putting a Sheitel or other covering on before leaving her Yichud room.

  • 1 decade ago

    It depends on the minhagim of the families. I know of a number of families that negotiated this before the wedding.

    Most commonly, it's after Yichud that the hair covering is needed, but there are multiple other valid opinions, including not requiring it for the whole of the wedding celebrations, or wearing something under the chuppah.

  • 1 decade ago

    Suri, my friends have worn a sheitl for the first time on their wedding days. That way, they're covered as soon as they're married--a little before, actually, but this way they don't go for a married minute without a covering.

  • ?
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    Honestly, I'm not aware of a specific time frame. My wife made the choice to wear a tichel several months after we got married. I'm not an expert, but I do think the choice should be the woman's, so she takes the responsibility for her own mitzvah. (If someone forces you to do something, are you doing it out of your desire to comply with G-d? No...)

  • 1 decade ago

    Presuming she has a veil, her hair IS covered :-) And she's not married until it's consummated anyway. More importantly, however, we Jews just don't nitpick this way - it's impractical, and we are nothing if not practical.

  • 1 decade ago

    wow usually only people ask about muslim headcoverings on R &S. I've seen some real fashionable Tznius here in NY. I know that dosent answer your question but...

  • kismet
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I asked myself the same question, so I decided to wear my shaitel under the chuppah:)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Yes. The next day.

    Don't you have a rabbi to ask this sort of question?

    .

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