Sheitle pictures deemed untznius: ban of the month

By now anyone who has a n ear to the wonderful world of Jewish Blogging must have heard about the recent banning of a sheitle store by the rosh yeshiva of Chaim Berlin, due to its pictures in the window of the store of women with sheitles on. No, this not a joke, I know its hard to believe but its true, even sheitles are coming under attack these days, next thing we know everyone wil have to build a mikvah in their own home because that is untznius as well.

Anyway the story goes as follows, some bochrim of the yeshiva had asked the owner of the store to remove the pictures to which he responded “this isn’t Binei Brak”. I could only think of a few serious reasons why the pictures were deemed untznius. Interesting because according to Blog in D Minors post (located about halfway down the page) wig shops in Boro Park efature the same pictures which even show more skin- clothed of course.

I have to say that at first I could not figure out why this great rabbi was banning the store I received the following observation from a dear friend of mine. He said that my original observation that the pictures were like “frum porn” and that the rosh yeshiva was in fear of “shichva zera levatala” (wasted seed) was totally ridiculous and if anyone could get their rocks off by looking at someones head shot wearing a sheitle- he should be inducted into some kind of hall of fame. He made note of the fact that these guys who were probably in the dating market would think that a frum woman had to look like that, and yes the women in the pictures are hotties, hot chanis- we dont know since the rest of their bodies are not visible and they might as well be like the pictures on frumster which really never reveal anything at all.

I must say that after reading the comments on the yeshiva world news article on the subject, I am somewhat scared of the unquestioning of many orthodox Jews. Many folks of the older generations will tell me that Daas Torah died with Rav Moshe zt”l and that nowadays many folks including gedolei yisrol are susceptible to power and control, this is a scary thought, considering that most people might listen to anything that someone of the highest torah stature may say- without actually agreeing with it.

What I really want to know is this, at what point is it wrong to question the motives or lack of compromise of a great Rabbis decision. This is not only in regards to this sheitle store boycott, but in regards to lots of other chumras and bans that seem to come down the pipelines every other week or so.

It seems that if there is no questioning involved that tyranny may be the eventual result…

Why the sheitle store is really being boycotted? These ideas didn’t make the list

The women clearly do not have their heads shaved;

They are too good looking to represent the true diversity of looks within the frum community and have been repealed by the politically correct police;

I did notice a hint of makeup:

Are they smiling, having fun, ASSUR!

I hear the women aren’t even Jewish, but really just wig models;

The pictures are in color and as you know red has been banned, but their lips are red;

They just have this untznius look to them;

I hear they are Lubavitchers;