The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-12-10

The custom OF cutting the hair by
Jewesses upon their marriage i one
cry strictly observed in those places
where the Hebrew community Is pres
ent IN large numbers. and where every
endeavor j. made 10 maintain tho re-
ligious customs and o~hservances Of the
people pure and undecided. This prac-
lice Is universally followed in Poland.
Southern Spain and Northern Africa.
The act OF removal Of The hair IN re-
Carsled a. an important ceremony. and
takes place on the evening Of the day
previous 70 the wedding. at the brides
house. and in the presence Of the rep
~rc>entative relatives OF both families.
The reason invariably assigned for the
shaving Of the head for nall orthodox
cases Il mount 10 this-has always
been the same. viz. that the brides
attractions may henceforth be lessened
in the sight OF men, and the danger of
her being lured away from the strictcsl
fidelity to her husband reduced to a
minimum AT present, however. this
observance is more or less limited 70
Europe and Northern Africa. for
throughout the East the shaving OF the
head in a woman indicates that she is a
widow, and is regarded as a reproach.
In India. indeed. the removal Of q
womaa's hair is viewed with such hor-
ror that il a married woman were TO
shave her head. the husband. by the
Hindu law. would have full authority
% put her away. Consequently. the
Hebrews in Armenia, Syria and
throughout the East have yielded
to popular prejudice. and it is
rare indeed 10 meet with young
married Jewesscs wearing wigs
in those countries. Still. the custom Is
not altogether forgotten or ignored. for
ut weddings il is usual for the bride TO
wear q small wig over the natural hair.
Doubtless, however, the march OF civil
ization has not been without its effect
on the richly born and daintilv bred
daughters of Israel. not only in London.
but in the other great capitals Of Eu-
rope And as many ahusband has been
willing to run all risks to retain As a Joy
forever the golden locks or sable trcsses
Tor which he sighed in his lover days,
& many a young wife has been too de-
lighted that she has been spared the
unwelcome attentions Of some ruthless
Eiraro Vvhan ~
krakan. Poland. some years ago, where
one-fourth OF the population j. Jews
(and 1.-THE rest beas'). we noticed q
pretty young girl with a most elaborate
wig. Ii was subsequently explained TO
Us " our Jewish guide, who. like all
his countrymen there. wore the tradi-
ti0naI gaberdine and side curls, that. as
- ~-aa sn1.noH.~a lssI.a urlenEf Aeol
nicht') for q married woman to show
her own hair, she invariably shaved the
head. As in such a climate q mass of
natural hair was unbearable If one has
20 wear a wig on the top of it. / asked
II il was after the law or traditional.
He said, ..Talmudic; and. anyhow. it
j. always done" The old women dis
pensed with the wig and merely tied q
gaudy handkerchief tightly round the
head in . most unbecoming fashion.
In travelling in coun-
tries where there are many Talmudic
Jews, such as Russia, Austria and
Roumania. and visiting such towns
a Warsaw, Cracow. Brody and Jassy, I
observed that the Jewesses cover
hair. This was explained to me
as required BY their Talmudic tradi-
This is justified by a reference to
the treatise ketuboth. CHAPTER z. Sec
ton 6, where ore violation Of Jewish
customs, sufficient TO cause divorce
and the loss to the wife Of the ketn-
OH, or dowry the husband has con-
tracted TO give. j. IF she go forth her
head bare exactly according 70 the
Hebrew. DE Sofa, q modern Rabbi. in
his translation Of a portion Of the Mish-
na- translates il, page 259. IF she goes
with her hair loose barehead-
lie does not understand the re-
moval Of the hair, but that il should be
covered.
There lately appeared the following pas
sage in a magazine article on South
European Folklore" from the learned
pen Of Mr. w. K ). Ralston: AT Intro
dacqua the women disfigure themselves
when they marry BY cutting of their
hair, obeying q custom more barbarous
than that which Of old cropped .
brides locks in Sparta or still hides
away a married woman's tresses in
Russia" The above gives a wider in
to the query. as il would appear
that the practice Of shaving brides is
not restricted to certain sections Of the
Jewish community. Is any further
clew or suggestion to be found in the
words Of ST. Paul? For II the woman
be not covered, let her also be shorn;
but il il be a sin for woman e be shorn
or shaver. let her be covered. "-Noscs
and Queries