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Does anyone know what shomer mitzvot men working in business, law and other professions where facial hair was not acceptable as well as men in the military did regarding facial hair before kosher shavers?

Sidney76
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    Interesting question, thank you. I wonder if using those depilatory creams + pumice stones is allowed in halacha. – Rabbi Kaii Feb 21 '23 at 21:22
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    @RabbiKaii not related to this topic, but see: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/99303/27180 – Shmuel Feb 21 '23 at 21:34
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    Shaving wasn't always a requirement in the military – Dude Feb 22 '23 at 02:45
  • Definitely the cream. The Chazon Ish didn't like electric shavers and instead pushed the cream; if I recall from a teacher, some brand of cream featured a quote from him on an ad (or on the package itself)? – Shalom Feb 22 '23 at 11:02
  • Thank you, Rabbi Kaii, Shmuel, Dude, Shalom and LN6595. I appreciate the thoughts and information. That link IS interesting, Shmuel, and I think it is related to this topic. Man, I sure wouldn’t want to use those creams. I can imagine they really burn. Baruch Hashem for technology! Again, many thanks. Chodesh tov, Shabbat Shalom AND Purim Sameach! – Sidney76 Feb 23 '23 at 05:01
  • Yeah, my rebbi a"h told me they all used the cream in Telz (in Lita) and hated it. – MichoelR Feb 24 '23 at 12:47
  • I would have hated it, too. G-d bless those men who kept the mitzvah DESPITE the pain! Kol hakavod! Thanks, MichoelR. – Sidney76 Feb 25 '23 at 19:49
  • Of course, it wasn't just "business, law and other professions". In Lita, at least, basically no one grew a beard before marriage and maybe not till they became a Rav. See any picture of the old Litvishe yeshivos (Telz, Slabodka, Mir), with all the boys clean-shaven and a lot of the kollel. Seems they felt that beards were for the rabbonim. – MichoelR Feb 26 '23 at 13:45
  • That's very interesting, MichoelR. Hopefully, at their younger age, there would not be as much of the cream necessary and not as frequently for older men. At least, I HOPE that's how it was. Thank you, MIchoelR. Purim Sameach! – Sidney76 Feb 28 '23 at 16:04

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As per my grandfather, those in the military used the creams. They burn, so wasn’t much fun (but shaving never is…)

LN6595
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From what I heard from an older rabbi: Before Rav Moshe Feinstein permitted using some electric shavers, everyone used depilatory cream, despite the burn.

N.T.
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