- News>
- Companies & Commodities
India faces a hair-raising ban
New Delhi, May 16: The huge demand for wigs made of hair from India is facing a unique trade barrier. Indian hair, considered the next best to East European hair in quality, is on the verge of being phased out of the huge Jewish market.
New Delhi, May 16: The huge demand for wigs made of hair from India is facing a unique trade barrier. Indian hair, considered the next best to East European hair in quality, is on the verge of being phased out of the huge Jewish market.
Rabbi Yosef Sholom Elyashiv, considered the top Halakhic [Jewish legal] authority in most religious Jewish circles, has issued a ban on the use and benefit of all human hair wigs originating in India .
The decision is based on confirmed reports that human hair in India is often shaved off for the purpose of idol worship practices, and is afterwards sold to companies that manufacture wigs.
This would be a serious problem, since Jewish law forbids the use of objects employed in idol worship (which in Judaism means all polytheistic religions) and echo strongly in homes where even portrait photographs are banned as graven images. The storm began four weeks ago, when someone told the rabbis that most natural wigs imported from Europe are actually made of Indian hair.
Two years ago, rumours had begun circulating that this hair was bought from Indian priests who gathered it up after the women cut it during a Hindu religious ceremony. Apparently many wig-sellers concealed the fact that their wigs, though made in Europe, used Indian hair. This ban has thrown into turmoil the life of many thousands of orthodox women who had made the wigs a routine make up as a part of the most fundamental practice of their daily life to adhere to the code of modesty that prohibits a public display of their hair after marriage.
The decision is based on confirmed reports that human hair in India is often shaved off for the purpose of idol worship practices, and is afterwards sold to companies that manufacture wigs.
This would be a serious problem, since Jewish law forbids the use of objects employed in idol worship (which in Judaism means all polytheistic religions) and echo strongly in homes where even portrait photographs are banned as graven images. The storm began four weeks ago, when someone told the rabbis that most natural wigs imported from Europe are actually made of Indian hair.
Two years ago, rumours had begun circulating that this hair was bought from Indian priests who gathered it up after the women cut it during a Hindu religious ceremony. Apparently many wig-sellers concealed the fact that their wigs, though made in Europe, used Indian hair. This ban has thrown into turmoil the life of many thousands of orthodox women who had made the wigs a routine make up as a part of the most fundamental practice of their daily life to adhere to the code of modesty that prohibits a public display of their hair after marriage.
The Jewish religious authorities are busy identifying the shops that sell wigs made of Indian hair. These shops will be facing possible ban if they continue stocking and selling these wigs.