Thread: Fact or fiction?

The link below is from marktplaats, a Dutch auction site. For sale is a an ivory Jewish razor. The story is that Jews were not allowed to shave with steel razors and therefore had to resort to ivory razors that scraped the hairs off the skin after the face had been prepped with a depilatory cream!?


http://antiek-kunst.marktplaats.nl/a..._image=1#photo

Any comments?

BTW the person selling it wants at least 22.50 euros for it.

It seems to deal with the use of a single blade or razor. The use of scissors was allowed. See this link. http://www.myjewishlearning.com/dail...ot_Shaving.htm

Rick

Originally Posted by rickw

It seems to deal with the use of a single blade or razor. The use of scissors was allowed. See this link. http://www.myjewishlearning.com/dail...ot_Shaving.htm

Rick

Interesting. The article quotes Leviticus 19:27, KJV. Here is what it looks like in NIV:
Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

In ESV:
You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.

In NASB:
You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.

It does not look like any distinction can be argued between razor and scissors, at least from the biblical source. Later works and traditions mentioned in the article whose authority on religious matters many Jews accept seem to provide that claim. From a purely biblical, Old Testament perspective, it seems clear that shaving, in any form, is prohibited.

It is worthwhile to note that neither Christians nor Jews view all the OT laws as binding or applicable today.

I wore a full beard one summer, just to see what it would look like. I eventually shaved it off, as with it I stood a decent chance of being pulled over for speeding and ending up in Gitmo.

- Michael

Originally Posted by ohlookaneagle

It is worthwhile to note that neither Christians nor Jews view all the OT laws as binding or applicable today.

That is, unless they are orthodox. I've tried to keep my big mouth out of this debate, but I have to question the value of saying you're being strict to the law, only to exploit loopholes in it. Do they even have a reason why razors weren't supposed to touch their faces? I sure can't think of one.

- Scott

Originally Posted by ohlookaneagle

I wore a full beard one summer, just to see what it would look like. I eventually shaved it off, as with it I stood a decent chance of being pulled over for speeding and ending up in Gitmo.

- Michael

I could never grow a good beard in college and then I was an accountant for a long while and beards were frowned upon. I then started working in IT and decided to grow a beard well I waited too long as it had white streaks in it so I shaved it off. Guess I wasn't meant to have a beard. I must also admit with the beard I too looked like a terrorist, just an old one.

Originally Posted by ohlookaneagle

Interesting. The article quotes Leviticus 19:27, KJV. Here is what it looks like in NIV:
Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

In ESV:
You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.

In NASB:
You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard......

- Michael

I might be wrong on this but....if you shave your beard, you are not touching/harming/rounding/marring the end of the beard. You are more towards the begining! So, shouldn't you be able to shave the beard off? Just don't dye the ends, or tie little ribbons in it....that's how I would read it....



C utz