While some women chose merely to cover their hair with a cloth or sheitel, or wig, the most zealous shave their heads beneath to ensure that their hair is never seen by others.
In one of the many pivotal scenes of the series, Esty shaves her head, which is a traditional practice followed by some newly married women within the Orthodox Jewish community to highlight their modesty.
Orthodox women do not show their hair in public after their wedding. With a headscarf or a wig – referred to in Yiddish as a sheitel – they signal to their surroundings that they are married and that they comply with traditional notions of propriety.
The Talmud prohibits men from shaving their body and pubic hair because such activity is considered feminine behavior, violating the prohibition of: "A man shall not put on a woman's garment." Male Ashkenazi Jews followed the Talmudic law as they lived in a European society in which such shaving was regarded as ...
Removal of axillary and pubic hair is a hygienic practice that was taught by the prophet Muhammad and which was espoused as having been part of practices conforming to man's premortal (ie, fitrah) nature. It was advised by Islamism to have the moustache cut, nails cut, and axillae and pubic shavings within 40 days.
The reason for the beard is as follows: there are regulations on how a man may shave his facial hair. Most Orthodox Jews will not use a razor to shave - instead they will use an electric shaving device. Other Hasidic Jews go further with this and they do not shave at all.
Reasons given for this washing vary: to remove an evil spirit from one's fingers, or in preparation for the morning prayer, or to make the hands physically clean before reciting blessings and studying Torah. This is performed when awaking from a full night's sleep, or even after a lengthy nap.
The Jewish Wedding Chuppah
It was customary to place the canopy under the open sky to be in direct contact with the stars. The chuppah harks back to the tent-dwelling nomadic days and symbolizes the new roof of the family that is about to be formed.
Shloshim – thirty days
Men do not shave or get haircuts during this time. Since Judaism teaches that a deceased person can still benefit from the merit of mitzvot (commandments) performed in their memory, it is considered a special privilege to bring merit to the departed by learning Torah in their name.
The reason for Ultra-Orthodox males' hair and curl rules is the following: the original basis is a Biblical scripture which states that a man should not "round the corner of his head." Authoritative talmudic scholars have determined that the meaning of this scripture is that there should be a hair cutting restriction.
Answer: The Torah forbids us from tattooing our bodies. Nonetheless, one who has had tattoos can still be buried in a Jewish cemetery. The source of this prohibition is Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not etch a tattoo on yourselves. I am the Lord.”
Jewish law and tradition consider cremation as destruction of property. Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah, also holds that the soul does not immediately depart the body. Rather, it slowly leaves the body as it decomposes; cremation therefore is considered to cause pain, even after death.
JEWISH CREMATION SERVICES
Over the years, an increasing number of Jews have chosen cremation over traditional burial. Cremation was once viewed by many as an act that defied Jewish law; however, today it is becoming more acceptable as families continue to request this type of funeral arrangement.
It is customary for religious Jews to touch the mezuzah every time they pass through a door with a mezuzah on it and kiss the fingers that touched it. They seek to connect with God, and kissing the mezuzah is an expression of this connection.
In reformed Jewish tradition, the bride and groom will kiss after he stomps on the glass. At Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride and groom hug each other after the stomp, and guests will form a gleeful mob around the newlyweds.
Jewish tradition requires men to cover the head as a sign of humility before God, and women, as evidence of modesty before men, although the Bible does not explicitly command either men or women to cover the head.
Almost all Jewish authorities would permit the use of condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections. Unlike some faith traditions which view abortion as murder, Jewish law does not consider abortion as such because the fetus is not considered a 'life' or a 'person' with independent rights.
Summary. Jewish laws dictate refraining from anything that's considered work on Saturday/Shabbat, even putting on deodorants!
There are also references to hand-washing: And whoever the zav touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.
The custom of religious Jews wearing beards is rooted in a passage in the Biblical book of Leviticus that forbids “destroying” beard edges and prohibits shaving with a blade. While Jewish law permits the use of electric razors or scissors to trim beards, some sects don't shave at all.
Sikhs. The Sikh religion forbids cutting or shaving any bodily hair. Orthodox Sikhs always carry a dagger with them, lest someone try to force them to do something against their religion.
According to the mystical text Zohar, a person's soul emanates from divine light. Every time a Jew engages with the Torah, the light of his or her soul ignites, which is why he or she moves like the flame of a candle.
According to Jewish law, circumcision is the physical representation of the covenant between God and Abraham described in the Old Testament and is required for the inclusion of males in the Jewish faith.
The shiva meaning is literally “seven” – a period of seven days when a Jewish family has a formal mourning time to honor their loved one. According to Jewish law, individuals should sit shiva after losing a parent, spouse, sibling, or child.
Shiva is derived from the word sheva, which means seven, signifying the seven days of mourning. It is a time referred to as – “sitting shiva” and its primary purpose is to provide a time for spiritual and emotional healing, where mourners join together. A person sits shiva for a parent, spouse, sibling or child.