Halachot and Customs
Why is it forbidden to comb on Shabbat?
Question
According to the Sephardim, I would appreciate sources.
I saw in Yalkut Yosef a halacha that says: "It is rabbinically forbidden to comb with a comb on Shabbat. However, it is permitted to smooth the hair with a soft clothing brush, or by hand. (Shabbat 2, p. 106)".
1. I wanted to know why it is forbidden? (Because of pulling out hairs?)
2. Is the halacha the same for men?
3. And what about bangs on a man's head, may he comb them?
Answer
Greetings,
1. Yes, and as the Shulchan Aruch wrote (end of siman 303), it is forbidden to comb with a comb on Shabbat, even one made from boar bristles, since it is impossible that hairs will not be pulled out. The Mishnah Berurah there wrote that the prohibition against pulling out body hair is a derivative of the melacha of shearing. He also wrote that even if one does not intend to pull out hair, it is nevertheless forbidden because this is a pesik reisha, meaning that the matter will certainly happen.
2. Yes.
3. It is forbidden, as above. However, the Mishnah Berurah (seif katan 87) wrote that it is permitted to slightly arrange the hair of the head with a tool made from boar bristles, because only combing with it is forbidden, since it causes hair to fall out, but slight arranging is permitted; with a comb, however, even this is forbidden. It is customary that the tool made from boar bristles be designated for Shabbat so that it should not appear like weekday activity.
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
