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Are there halachic concerns with using wax to remove a mustache off of someone's lip?

Does it make a difference if it is for aesthetic appeal or some other reason?

Could this be considered chukat goyim?

mbloch
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Ben Weissman
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  • A belated welcome to Mi Yodeya. Please note that we don’t accept questions asking for practical Halacha, and as such, this is likely to be closed. – DonielF Feb 20 '19 at 03:06
  • I allowed myself to edit to avoid this question being closed. You can [edit] further as you please or roll back my edits – mbloch Feb 20 '19 at 04:33
  • Mustache is meykar Hadin allowed to shave with a razor blade! – kouty Feb 20 '19 at 05:04
  • Old yekes had a beard and no mustache – kouty Feb 20 '19 at 05:05
  • @mbloch Please don’t. – DonielF Feb 20 '19 at 15:48
  • In Nazir 58b & 59a mustache is not mentioned at all, pubis and axillary hair only – kouty Feb 20 '19 at 15:50
  • @DonielF do you have an issue if I roll back my edits now - after 24 hours passed - which was the delay suggested at the top answer of your meta question ? – mbloch Feb 21 '19 at 16:14
  • @mbloch That's not what the top answer suggested. What he suggested was 24 hours after it was closed. I don't understand why this isn't closed yet, anyway. – DonielF Feb 21 '19 at 16:20
  • @DonielF even more reason to roll back then :-> My question to you is if you have an issue if I do this. Don't want to play a tag game of rollback with you nor do I want to do it if it annoys you. But I have improved my answer to the question and would like to undelete it. Generalizing the question makes it more interesting for all and less of a RfP – mbloch Feb 21 '19 at 16:22
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    @DonielF Seeing as you think the question should otherwise be closed, I think it should be edited (as mbloch did) to match your standards if that could salvage it. This meta post is more relevant than the one you linked, and the top two answers as I understand them are for editing in this case – b a Feb 21 '19 at 16:41
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    @DonielF, I don't read this question as a request for Psak, I read this as "are there Halachic issues" to make a more educated question to a Rabbi. Anyone can go pasken from anything written here. The question doesn't ask "can I" it just provides honest motivation. – Yishai Feb 21 '19 at 17:01

1 Answers1

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Waxing to shave is permitted in general, see e.g., here from R Zev Farber

According to the halacha [...] it is forbidden for a man to shave off the hair of his temples or to shave off the corners of his beard. Both of these rules apply only to shaving with a razor. Using a depilating cream, a waxing process, or just pulling the hair out by hand would not be forbidden. Trimming with scissors and most forms of electric shavers (where the razor does not touch the face) are not forbidden either.

In general, doing something that other Jews do is not chukat goyim (see here on MY).

There is no issue of lo yilbash gever simlat isha (to act in the way of women) either because this applies to beautifying oneself in the way of women or wearing women garments.

I checked the above with R Binyamin Tabady who concurs that waxing to remove a mustache is permitted.

For further reading and sources see also here and there.

mbloch
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