Hair Removal for Women During the Nine Days

Greetings,

According to the custom of Sephardic women, it is permitted to cut hair as usual during the Nine Days. However, according to the custom of Ashkenazic women, it is forbidden to cut hair during the Three Weeks (including the mustache). Nevertheless, they are allowed to pluck hair from the eyelashes and eyebrows, and a married woman is permitted to shave anything necessary so that she does not become unattractive to her husband.

Sources: The custom of Sephardic women is explained in the book Chazon Ovadia on the Four Fast Days (pages 163-165). The custom of Ashkenazic women not to cut hair is discussed in the Mishnah Berurah (Orach Chaim 551:8) in the name of the Pri Megadim.

However, the opinion of Rabbi Shlomo Aviner zt"l in the book Hilchot Shlomo on the Festivals (Nisan-Av, chapter 14, section 9) states that women may pluck hair from the eyelashes and eyebrows since it is not considered a haircut.

The allowance for a married woman to shave so that she does not become unattractive to her husband is mentioned in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Bein HaMetzarim 5759, page 5, note 2) in the name of Rabbi Shimon Wozner zt"l. See also there for his view on plucking eyebrows and eyelashes.

Best regards,

Hillel Meirs