Getting a haircut from a non-Jewish barber
הרב מנדי נחשון | הרב חיים אליעזר חיטריק
29 Adar 5786
Article #49
שונה הלכה
תספורת
haircut
גוי
non-Jew
שפיכת דמים
bloodshed
מראית עין
maris ayin
יורה דעה
Yoreh Deah
סכנה
danger
ספר
barber
שולחן ערוך
Shulchan Aruch
safety
pikuach nefesh
פיקוח נפש
[1] (halacha 10)
Question: Is it permitted to get a haircut from a non-Jewish barber?
Answer: Chazal forbade getting a haircut from a non-Jew, since non-Jews are suspected of bloodshed, and therefore there is a concern that he might kill him — unless he is in a place where people are passing back and forth. Or in a case where the non-Jew thinks the one getting the haircut is an important person, and likewise if there is a mirror in front of the barber and the one getting the haircut such that the one getting the haircut sees everything (Shulchan Aruch YD siman 156, se'if 1). Nowadays there are those who are more lenient in ordinary countries that have law and order and there is no concern that the non-Jew will kill him — unless it concerns antisemitic countries and the like.
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