Holy Magic Hair- Taught by Lee Stoneking
Driscoll's Fright over Twilight
The occult practices in the Church.
Pastor teaches Wiccan Doctrines.
A FATHER’S FRIGHT OF TWILIGHT
Mark Driscoll: Twilight is for teenage girls what porn is to teenage boys: sick, twisted, evil, dangerous, deceptive, and popular.
This weekend, millions will flock to movie theaters for the final installment of the teen vampire saga. Tragically, many will be driven by their parents, including some cougar moms encouraging and joining their daughters’ obsession with handsome young males.
Our family car won’t be driving to the theater for Twilight—or over a cliff for that matter. I have ranted on this garbage-tastic phenomenon before, and find the whole genre profoundly troubling. The popularity of supernatural soap operas has inspired some real-life demonic trends. Overreaction? Tell that to the kids biting, cutting, drinking blood—sometimes while having sex—and sinking deeper into the occult:
- NBC News: “Teenagers obsessed with the Twilightvampire saga, or those simply fascinated with fangs, reportedly have been biting each other—hard—and then licking or sucking the blood. ‘These are kids who think they are real vampires,’ said Dr. Orly Avitzur. [. . .] ‘Having that thick, warm copper-tasting blood in my mouth is the best thing I can think of!’ wrote a teenager identified as ‘GothicGirl10’ this year. ‘Sometimes my boyfriend lets me feed off him. I let him feed off me as well.’”
- ABC News: “Paola Hernandez, 15, said a boyfriend tried to pressure her to allow herself to be bitten. ‘He said, “I love you and that’s the way I want to show you,”’ she said. ‘I didn’t give in because it was kind of idiotic.’ She said some of her classmates, mimicking on-screen vampires, even cut their skin so they can taste one another’s blood. ‘That means you’re stuck with them, they have your blood inside of them and you have their blood and so you’re closer to each other,’ she said.”
- Sanguinarius is a popular website for “Real Vampires” that includes a special section for teens with “advice on the problems and issues teen vamps face: school, parents, coping with awakening, how to enter the vampiric community without looking like a fool, and more.” Other resources on the site include techniques for “safe bloodletting and feeding, dealing with bloodthirst, flavoring your donor’s blood, and cooking with blood.”
- Another support page for Real Vampires appeals to outsiders with “a few words for anyone who has ever been bullied, picked on, teased or harassed because you’re different. What you have suffered is wrong. It is wrong for anyone to hit you or harass you, or to make you hate yourself for being different, whether or not you consider yourself a vampire.”
- The Week: “Lyle Monroe Bensley, 19, was arrested in his boxer shorts after he allegedly broke into the Galveston, Texas, home of a randomly chosen single woman, growled and hissed at her, dragged her down the hall, and tried to bite her on her neck. . . . When the police arrested Bensley a short time later, he told them he was a 500-year-old vampire. ‘He was begging us to restrain him because he didn’t want to kill us,’ says Galveston officer Daniel Erickson. ‘He said he needed to feed.’”
- The UK’s Channel 4 produced a documentary about the growing vampire subculture. The chance to play vampire provides an opportunity to “be nasty and evil and let my darker side out for the evening,” says one subject. The film profiles a group of teenagers in Texas who consider themselves to be real vampires (and werewolves). One explains, “When I drink someone’s blood, I feel like I own them in a sense. Like they’re mine.”
- Twistianity Today Did you know that witches won't cut their hair because they try to tap into the power promised to us in 1Cor 11? Churches dabbling in the occult and Witchcraft claiming their women have the power of angels and power with God by having their hair grow long. "But is it worth losing the Power of Angels?" God compelled to pour out his gift of the Holy Spirit because of uncut hair. A popular occult practice finds roots in witchcraft. “If only Christians knew what the witches knew.” (emphasis added)
Please pray for these kids. If you know them, speak with them lovingly, honestly, biblically, and quickly. Satan is real, clever, and a deceiver who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). He’s not going to come at us with a pitchfork and horns. More likely, he’ll attempt to lure people towards darkness with methods like “harmless” entertainment, possibly in the form of bad acting and melodrama.
As a father to a teenage girl, I find it devastating to simply read the most popular web pages that come up when searching for “teen vampire.” There, girls the same age of my 15-year-old daughter are talking about “awakening,” which is their word for converting to paganism (like the Christian word “born again”). In a perverted twist on Communion, their sacraments include the giving of your own blood by becoming a “donor.” This is entirely pagan. These storylines offer eternality without God and salvation; in the place of Jesus’ shed blood, girls and boys shed their own blood to be awakened to their own salvation of a new spiritual way of life filled with sex and occult behavior.
I do not shelter my children from these sorts of things. Pop culture is too pervasive to hide from (on a recent trip to a Barnes & Noble with my daughter we noticed an entire section of books dedicated to “Teenage Vampire Romance”). My wife and I talk to my daughter about these things so that she can be discerning, informed, and safe.
However, we do not treat things like movies, books, and TV shows as harmless entertainment, but rather a potential threat to her well-being to be aware of so she can walk in wisdom by God’s grace. I rejoice that our oldest daughter (and all of our five children) loves Jesus, see right through this demonic deception, and speak freely with us about these sorts of things. I want that for all children and families.
As a pastor and a father, I am particularly concerned for Christian parents who are naively allowing this filth into their children’s lives, buying these books and driving kids to see these movies. To such parents, “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:9–11, emphasis added)." [sic]
Holy Magic Hair "the Power of Angels"
David K. Bernard, the recently elected General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, has seemingly put his stamp of approval on the increasingly popular practice of laying hair among Apostolic circles.?
Answer:..."The notion of hair as tied to religious belief is actually a pretty complex one. In some belief systems, hair is associated with magical power. Why is this? Well, it may be purely psychological. Take, for instance, a woman with long hair who wears it up in a neat bun, pulled back from her face, while she is at work. Her hair is kept tidily out of her way while she does her job, tends to her family, and so forth. And yet once this woman steps into a magical setting, she removes the pins and combs, setting her hair free – it’s a liberating feeling, to literally let your hair down. It brings a primitive sense of wildness and raw sexuality to the moment, and that in itself can be very powerful indeed." From: Does hair length impact our religious practice?
Question: Hair Length and Religion (Pagans View)
A reader asks, “I recently explored the option of joining a local Wiccan coven, and was floored when the High Priestess told me that if I became part of her group, I’d have to let my hair grow long. Because of my job, I have to keep my hair fairly short – it’s a safety issue – but she said that it was a tenet of “our religion” to let our hair grow long. She went on to tell me it was a way that Wiccans pay tribute to the goddess and embrace the sacred feminine. Is this true? Will I never be able to join a coven unless I grow my hair long? Help!”
Answer:..."The notion of hair as tied to religious belief is actually a pretty complex one. In some belief systems, hair is associated with magical power. Why is this? Well, it may be purely psychological. Take, for instance, a woman with long hair who wears it up in a neat bun, pulled back from her face, while she is at work. Her hair is kept tidily out of her way while she does her job, tends to her family, and so forth. And yet once this woman steps into a magical setting, she removes the pins and combs, setting her hair free – it’s a liberating feeling, to literally let your hair down. It brings a primitive sense of wildness and raw sexuality to the moment, and that in itself can be very powerful indeed." From: Does hair length impact our religious practice?
Holy Magic Hair - UPCI Stamp of Approval
Holy Magic Hair
As an introduction, we encourage you to listen to the following videos of a June 29, 2008 sermon by an evangelist named, Lee Stoneking, who teaches this doctrine.
Power of angels?
God compelled to pour out his gift of the Holy Spirit because of uncut hair?
Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost through the laying of hair?
A distinct anointing?
No results in prayer? Losing authority in prayer?
The devil knows we carry the glory of God in our hair?
A woman can gain power with God by having her hair grow long?
David K. Bernard, the recently elected General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, has seemingly put his stamp of approval on the increasingly popular practice of laying hair among Apostolic circles, in a recent 2009 UGST symposium paper.
Bernard’s symposium paper regarding hair doctrine
The
Bible’s Teaching about Hair Length:
Culture
or Command?
Presented by David K. Bernard
The New Testament
contains teaching about the respective hair lengths of men and women. Most
denominational churches consider it to be merely a cultural teaching that does
not apply today. Some interpret the passage in question to mean that women must
pray with a type of cloth on their heads. Most conservative churches at one
time taught women to have long hair, and some continue to do so today.
All Scripture is given
by the inspiration of God (II Timothy 3:16). We should not ignore any passage
of Scripture, for each is precious and important. [Note: The only Scripture Sha'ul (Paul) is referring is the TaNaCH, the Old Testament. There was no NT written, these letters were compiled much later.] We should especially heed
instructions to the New Testament church, for we are part of that church. Let
us analyze this passage of Scripture in that light.
I Corinthians 11:1-16
Verses
1-2. Paul
admonished believers to follow him and to keep the ordinances or teachings that
he had delivered to them. Among these ordinances is his teaching concerning
hair in the subsequent verses.
Verses
2-3. God is the
head of Christ. As a human, Jesus submitted to the eternal Spirit of God that
dwelt in Him, thereby setting an example for us. Christ subjected His flesh to
the plan and purpose of God, even to death (Philippians 2:8).
Similarly, Christ is
the head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman. God intends for the
man to be the leader of the family. He is to be the spiritual representative of
the home. A woman is to respect the leadership of her own husband (Ephesians
5:22; Colossians 3:18; I Peter 3:1).
Verse
4. A man should
not have his head covered when he prays or prophesies (which here includes
anointed preaching and testimony). If he does, he dishonors his head or leader,
namely, Christ.
Verse
5. A woman who
prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head or leader, which
is the man. In other words, the sexes should not try to change places. The
woman’s covering is sign of her role in God’s plan. According to verse 15, long
hair is the symbolic covering that God has given her.
Verse
6. If a woman is
not going to cover her head (by letting her hair grow long), then this is
equivalent to cutting off her hair. But this is a disgrace or a shame to her.
It signifies the taking away of her glory in God’s sight. Since it is a shame
for her hair to be shorn (cut) or shaved, she should be covered (let her hair
grow long). Verses 5-6 use the Greeks words xuraō, meaning to “have oneself shaved,” and
keirō, meaning to “cut
one’s hair or have one’s hair cut.”1
Verses
7-9. Adam was
created in the image of God and subsequently Eve was also (Genesis 1:26-27).
The man is the representative of the family before God, with the authority and
responsibility to provide for, protect, and lead his family. As a sign of his
position, his head should not be covered (with long hair, verse 14).
The woman originally
came from the man (Genesis 2:22). She is his partner, a helper comparable to
him (Genesis 2:20), who respects his position and follows his godly leadership.
Woman is the crowning glory of man. To demonstrate this relationship, her head
should be covered (verse 6) with her glory, which is her long hair (verse 15).
In short, male and
female are equally important in God’s plan, but their roles are distinct. God
wants this distinction to be displayed and preserved outwardly by their hair.
"In some religions, women choose to cover their hair. While this practice is often tied to modesty, in some traditions it relates to the restraint of power. Although not a specifically Wiccan or Pagan custom, there are some individual Pagans who have incorporated this into their belief system. Marisa, a California Pagan who follows an eclectic path rooted in Eastern traditions, says, “I cover my hair when I go out, because for me, it’s a matter of keeping the power of the crown chakra contained. I uncover it when doing ritual, because then the crown chakra is open and uninhibited, and allows me to commune directly with the Divine.”
In a number of traditions of folk magic, hair is strongly associated with the human spirit, and can be used as a way to control an individual. There are countless recipes found in hoodoo and rootwork that involve the use of human hair as part of a spell or “trick,” according to Jim Haskins in his book Voodoo and Hoodoo."
In addition, there are a number of superstitions and customs about hair, particularly when it comes to cutting. It is believed in many areas that if you cut your hair at the time of the full moon, it will grow much faster – but hair cut during the dark of the moon will grow thin and possibly even fall out! SeaChelle, a practicing witch whose family has roots in Appalachia, says, “When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to tell me that after she cut our hair, we had to bury the clippings in the ground. You couldn’t burn it, because it would make the hair you had left grow brittle, and you couldn’t just toss it outside, because birds would steal it to use in their nests, and that would give you a headache.”
Verse
10. The angels
are involved with this subject, as they observe the obedience or disobedience of
humans to God’s plan. A woman should have “power” on her head as an example to
the angels. The Greek word here is exousia,
meaning “authority,” and in this context it indicates a mark or sign of
authority. The angels look to see if women have the sign of consecration,
submission, and power with God, or if they are rebellious like Satan. Women’s
hair shows the angels whether or not the church is submissive to Christ, the
head of the church.
Verses
11-12. Women are
not inferior to men, and men are not complete without women. Both depend on
each other. This principle of complementarity and interdependence is especially
true in the church. The roles are different, however, and God has designated
the man to be the leader of the family.
Verse
13. Paul used a
question as a part of his teaching method. Is it proper for a woman to pray to
God uncovered? His answer is no; it is a shame for her to do so (verse 5).
Verse
14. Nature, not
just custom, teaches a man to have short hair but a woman to have long hair.
Since God is the Creator of nature, the teaching of nature in this situation
comes from God. God’s purpose is to make a distinction of the sexes in this
area.
Verse
15. A woman’s
hair is given for her glory and for a covering to satisfy the requirements of
the preceding verses.
The Greek word for
“have long hair” here is komaō, which
means to “wear long hair, let one’s hair grow long…. (Greek men do not do
this),”2 or to “wear tresses of hair.”3
The word for “covered” in verse 6 is katakaluptō,
meaning “to cover wholly, i.e., to veil.”4 The word for “covering”
in verse 15 is peribolaion, which is
“something thrown around one, i.e., a mantle, veil.”5 Thus, verses
5-6 teach that a woman’s head should be covered wholly or veiled. Verse 15 says
her hair is a mantle or veil; it is a symbolic article of apparel for the head.
Clearly, long hair is the covering that meets the requirements of verses 5, 6,
and 13.
Verse
16. The church
has no custom of being contentious over the teachings of God’s Word. It has no
custom regarding hair other than what Paul had just described. Some say this
verse means that if anyone disagrees with these teachings then obedience is not
required. If this were true, however, then Paul’s entire teaching in this
section would be in vain, and he would be condoning contention and disobedience
to God’s Word and the ordinances of the church. Reading verses 2 and 16
together, the message is that we should obey these teachings instead of being
contentious.
Contemporary Scholarship
Contemporary scholars, while
often rejecting the authority of Scripture, clearly explain what Paul taught.
Here are some examples.
Today’s English Version, I
Corinthians 11:5-6, 13-16: “And any woman who prays or speaks God’s message in
public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband; there is no
difference between her and a woman whose head has been shaved. If the woman
does not cover her head, she might as well cut her hair. And since it is a
shameful thing for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair, she should cover
her head…. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God in
public worship with nothing on her head? Why, nature itself teaches you that
long hair is a disgraceful thing for a man, but it is a woman’s pride. Her long
hair has been given her to serve as a covering. But if anyone wants to argue
about it, all I have to say is that neither we nor the churches of God have any
other custom in worship.”
Conservative scholar Robert
Gundry: “Paul’s instructions on the head-covering of women are traditionally
understood in terms of veiling (though not with the kind of veil that covers
the face as well as the head). On the other hand, he never uses the specific
Greek word for a veil; and he says that a woman’s long hair is given her for a
covering. In either case his concern is to maintain a visible distinction
between women and men with respect to long and short hair.”6
Social scientists Bruce Malina
and Jerome Neyrey: “It is impossible to overestimate the importance of honor
and shame in the socialization of males and females in the ancient
Mediterranean world…. To know the gender of someone was already to know a whole
set of norms to which they must conform if they were to be honorable in that
society. Such expectations formed clear cultural norms about what clothes
(Deut. 22:5), hairdos (1 Cor. 11:4-14), and sexual partners (Rom. 1:26-27) are
appropriate to males and females.”7
Liberal critic Bart Ehrman: “Paul
maintained that there was still to be a difference between men and women in
this world. To eradicate that difference, in Paul’s view, was unnatural and
wrong…. It is quite clear from Paul’s arguments that women could and did
participate openly in the church alongside men—but they were to do so as women,
not as men.”8
Feminist Edith Castelli: “Paul is
quite concerned with the careful maintenance of gender differences in
appearance (justified in part by the … argument that ‘nature’ affirms the
conventional practice of men wearing their hair short and women wearing their
hair long) not simply because he thinks it is a good idea, but because he
thinks that the created order demands it…. Like 1 Cor 11:2-16, Rom 1:18-32
interweaves its indictment of a particular human practice [homosexuality] with
theological propositions. Both texts argue that the human behavior in
question—whether it be abandoning conventionally gender-linked appearance and
dress (in general or in certain contexts) or engaging in certain apparently
non-normative sexual practices—is a violation of a worldly order that is
grounded in a cosmically, divinely willed order. Gender differences, according
to these texts, are not the mere fruits of social conventions, but are God
given and divinely warranted.”9
Wiccan Mabon Prayers for Gratitude
"One of the prayers will be for gratitude. Gratitude is an important element to have in our lives, because without gratitude, we can't allow abundance to float in our lives. Another reason for gratitude prayers is because Mabon is a time of harvest, and it's a time of thanksgiving.
And now, I will share with you one of my gratitude prayers: "Great Spirit, help me to know gratitude. I am grateful for all the blessings I have in my life." [sic]
http://video.about.com/paganwiccan/Learn-Mabon-Prayers.htm
As these comments reveal, if the
New Testament teaching on hair is an outmoded cultural relic, then the same
logic would indicate that the New Testament teaching on homosexual conduct is
similarly irrelevant. Instead, Apostolic principles of interpretation lead us
to accept both teachings as God’s Word for us today.
Symbolism of the Teaching
As Paul explained in
this passage of Scripture, hair symbolizes the relationship of husband and
wife, which in turn represents the Lord’s relationship with the church. A
woman’s long hair symbolizes that she submits to God’s plan and to the family
leadership of her husband. It is her glory. It is a sign to the angels of her
commitment to God and her power with God. It is a covering so that she can pray
and prophesy publicly without being ashamed. Similarly, a man’s short hair
symbolizes that he submits to God’s plan and accepts the family leadership
position. For both married and unmarried, this symbol indicates obedience to
God’s will.
Paul further
explained that even the nature of things teaches us on this matter. How so?
First, nature teaches that there should be a visible distinction between male
and female. Second, in almost all cultures, men have worn short hair in
comparison to women. Third, men are ten times more likely to grow bald than
women. It is natural for a man not to have any hair but unnatural for a woman
not to have hair. In addition, the Old Testament indicates that it is shameful
for a woman to cut or lose her hair (Isaiah 3:17, 24; Jeremiah 7:29).
When men and women
follow the biblical teaching on hair, they follow God’s plan as established in
creation. Hair length makes a distinction between the sexes, which God
considers to be important. (See Genesis 1:27; Deuteronomy 22:5.) Since to a
great extent the world has abandoned this divine symbolism, it is also a mark
of separation from the world (II Corinthians 6:16-17).
In our day, it has
become fashionable to reject God’s creative purpose, to state that gender
identity is socially constructed and that people can self-identify as male,
female, both, in between, neither, or transgender. Some anthropologists and
sociologists claim there are three, four, or many genders. In this social
context, it is even more important to uphold scriptural teachings concerning
male and female identity in outward appearance (hair and dress).
God always gives us a
choice to do His will or not. He never forces us to be what He wants us to be.
We did not choose to be male or female, however; that choice was determined for
us at conception. By our choice of dress and hairstyle, we show acceptance or
rejection of God’s plan for us as male or female, husband or wife, father or
mother. The roles are equally important in family, church, and society, but
they are different. God wants us to demonstrate our willingness to accept the
roles He has chosen for us.
The relationship
between husband and wife is like that between Christ and the church. The
husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church (Ephesians
5:22-23). Therefore, when Christian men and women demonstrate their acceptance
of God’s plan by their hair, they also demonstrate the church’s submission to
Christ.
Relation
to Salvation[?] and Christian Living
Some
have argued that I Corinthians 11 merely applies to first-century Corinthian
culture and so can be disregarded today. Verse 16 states, however, that none of
the churches of God had any other custom than what Paul taught. At that time,
there were Jewish, Greek, Roman, and various Asian churches. Despite their many
cultures, they all agreed on this practice.
Revelation
9:8 describes a demonic army as having “hair as the hair of women.” There is no
biological difference between the hair of men and of women. The difference is
the length it is allowed to grow. This fact was so evident in the late
first-century churches that John, writing forty years after Paul, knew all his
readers would understand his description.
Others
argue that the Bible does not say it is a “sin” for women to have short hair
but only a “shame” and a loss of “glory.” Thus, if they are willing to bear the
shame and forego the glory, then obedience is not necessary. This is a
legalistic play on words. The true issue is what pleases the Lord. The passage
clearly reveals that it is God’s will for women to let their hair grow long and
for men to cut their hair short. If we truly love the Lord, we will obey His
will. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
In
the very passage dealing with hair, Paul commanded believers to follow his
Christian example and to keep the “ordinances, as I delivered them to you” (I
Corinthians 11:1-2). The word for “ordinances” (paradosis) comes from the verb paradidōmi,
which means to yield up, entrust, or transmit. The plural noun here means
“traditions” (NKJV, ESV, NASB), teachings held in common and passed on to
future generations.
Some
ask, “Is obedience to this teaching essential to salvation?” Such a question
starts from a wrong premise. We must always remember that salvation is by grace
through faith based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, not by our works
(Romans 3:21-28; Ephesians 2:8-9). We cannot ignore the priority of faith.
"But is it worth losing the Power of Angels?" [added]
For
example, a woman with a shaved head could become born again, in which case she
is immediately saved. Another woman with long hair might not be born again, or
her life might be characterized by unrepented sins such as tale bearing or
adultery, and in these cases she would not be saved. Moreover, some women
cannot grow their hair very long because of genetic or medical reasons.
Salvation
is not based on hair length but on a continuing relationship of faith in Jesus
Christ. “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). In this saving
relationship, we will grow in grace and knowledge (II Peter 3:18), grace will
teach us how to live righteously (Titus 2:11-12), and we will partake of and
pursue God’s holiness (Hebrews 12:10, 14). If we deliberately and persistently
disobey God’s commands, our actions call into question the reality of our
relationship of faith in God. Obedience indicates faith, while disobedience
indicates lack of faith. (See Romans 1:5; 10:16-17; Hebrews 11:7-8.)
Relation to Prayer
If
obedience is a sign of faith, does this mean that obedience in this matter can
guarantee answers to prayer? Again, this question is based on a faulty premise.
When we pray, we are not rewarded for our works, but we depend upon God’s
grace. Moreover, God is sovereign; we cannot manipulate His actions.
At
the same time, God responds to faith. Whatever we ask for in prayer with faith,
we will receive (Matthew 21:22). Of course, all prayers must be subject to
God’s will. We will receive whatever we ask for, if it is according to God’s
will (I John 5:14-15).
If
we truly love God (which assumes a desire to please Him) and if we have been
called according to His purpose (which assumes cooperation with His will), then
we have the promise that all things will work together for good in our lives (Romans
8:28). If we are living by obedient faith, we can pray with confidence, knowing
that God’s way brings positive results and knowing that we have the benefits of
a relationship with Him. “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we
confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we
keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (I
John 3:21-22).
As
an example, if we develop lung cancer from smoking, it could be difficult to
expect God to heal us, because we knowingly brought the problem upon ourselves.
On the other hand, if we do not smoke and yet develop lung cancer, it is easier
to “come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). In both cases, we
depend upon God’s grace.
Likewise,
if we give tithes and offerings and exercise good stewardship, in time of
financial difficulty we can trust God to supply our needs. If we have
deliberately refused to pay our tithes and have not followed principles of
stewardship, we need to repent, seek forgiveness, and decide upon a new course
of action. Then we can pray with confident faith.
If
a woman is living by faith and following God’s will in her life, of which her
long hair is one symbol, she can pray with confidence: “Lord, I am cooperating
with Your plan for my life to the best of my understanding and ability, so I trust
You to help me in matters beyond my control.” However, there is no magic
formula in prayer that enables us to obtain whatever we want when we want it.
There
have been reports of women letting down their long hair as part of making a
specific, urgent prayer request. If the idea was to obligate God to answer
prayer or to create a new method of praying, then this action was misguided. If
instead it was a spontaneous act to confirm their consecration, then it could
have been a legitimate means of expressing and focusing faith. We can draw an
analogy to the positioning of the sick so that Peter’s shadow would fall on
them (Acts 5:15) and the use of handkerchiefs to pray for the sick (Acts
19:12). These practices were not mandatory and probably not even typical, but
with a right understanding and intent they were acceptable in certain contexts.
Conclusion
Obedience
to the teaching of I Corinthians 11:1-16 is a sign of consecration to God. It
reveals our approach to hermeneutics (interpretation of Scripture), namely,
that we regard all of the Bible as inspired by God and all of the instructions
to the New Testament church as applicable to us today. It also reveals our
approach to discipleship, namely, that we seek God’s will in all things. Of
course, a symbol is meaningful only if it accurately communicates the
underlying reality. Our hair is not meaningful if we have a rebellious attitude
or if we are persistently disobedient in other areas. Nevertheless, it is an
important part of our witness to the world around us. It signifies that God has
a plan for each of us—male and female—as members of our family, our church, and
our society, and that we desire to follow His plan.
While condemning the practice under certain conditions, the following quote is being termed as a “free pass” legitimizing HMH doctrine :
There have been reports of women letting down their long hair as part of making a specific, urgent prayer request. If the idea was to obligate God to answer prayer or to create a new method of praying, then this action was misguided. If instead it was a spontaneous act to confirm their consecration, then it could have been a legitimate means of expressing and focusing faith.
Oneness theologian, Daniel Segraves, responded to Bernard’s paper with his own. It can be found here:
Letting our hair down: another look at i corinthians 11:2-16
Another look at i corinthians 11:2-16. presented by daniel l. seagraves... it over an altar or over another person or by letting it blow in the wind. 1http://www.ugst.org/uploaded/Symposium%252F2009%252FPapers/3_Seagraves_-_Response_to_Bernard.dochttp://www.pdf-txt.com/doc/1-corinthians-2.html
Segraves, who wrote what is deemed as the first official response by a UPCI theologian denouncing this dangerous heresy in an November 2009, Pentecostal Herald, is adamant in his disapproval of this liturgical or prayer practice.
In Segrave’s 2009 UGST symposium paper, in response to Bernard and those who have taken license to teach this heresy, he writes :
I Corinthians 11:10 is interpreted by some to mean that if women have long hair it gives them some kind of power or authority in the spiritual realm. It has even been suggested that women should let down their long hair, laying it on the altar, on another person, or shaking it in the wind in order to evoke this power. Support for this view is found in anecdotal evidence and reference works related to witchcraft and occultism. To interpret Scripture by anecdotal evidence is dangerous; our final authority is Scripture, not experience. To interpret Scripture by reference to witchcraft and occultism is even more dangerous. Scripture warns us to avoid the influence of these ideas; we are to be simple concerning evil and wise concerning what is good. (See Romans 16:19.)Concerning the meaning of I Corinthians 11:10, we can say with certainty that it says nothing about evil spirits, it says nothing about how a woman’s hair is arranged, and the word “hair” does not appear in the verse. I will forego further discussion here in view of the fact that my article “Another Look at I Corinthians 11:10: A Plea for Caution” appeared in the November 2009 issue of the Pentecostal Herald just before this symposium. The article addresses this subject in detail, and I commend it to those who are interested in this text and/or concerned about this novel interpretation.In response to the idea that there is a “magic formula in prayer that enables us to obtain whatever we want when we want it,” David Bernard writes,Some women have let down their hair as part of making a specific, urgent prayer request. If the idea is to obligate God to answer prayer, then this action is misguided. If the purpose is to confirm their consecration, then it could be a legitimate means of expressing and focusing faith. We can draw an analogy to the positioning of the sick so that Peter’s shadow would fall on them . . . and the use of handkerchiefs to pray for the sick . . . . Such practices were not mandatory and probably not even typical, but they were legitimate expressions of faith in the apostolic church.I completely agree that we cannot obligate God to answer prayer and that there is no “magic formula” enabling us to obtain whatever we want when we want it. I can also appreciate the desire to acknowledge the genuineness of any act of faith, no matter how bizarre it may seem or whether or not there is any biblical warrant for it. But my concern is that the teaching that is currently circulating among us does not see the letting down of a woman’s long has as a simple confirmation of consecration. Rather, it is being presented as a technique guaranteeing all kinds of miraculous results from the salvation of lost loved ones to the healing of diseases to the protection of children from any harmful effects of immunization to the ability to win back lost romantic affections. This is in addition to the idea of power over evil spirits. It seems there is no end to this; in one meeting the speaker suggested that God only knows what would happen if all of the Pentecostal women in the world would let down their hair and allow it to blow in the wind.As my wife and I discussed this teaching, she reminded me of an episode in our life when our daughter was very young and contracted some kind of respiratory ailment. As we rushed to the hospital with our daughter gasping for breath (and with the brakes of our car going out on the way), my wife screamed at God, “You’ve got to heal our daughter! We’ve always paid our tithes!”We have biblical precedent for the use of prayer cloths, even though we probably don’t use them in the same way that the handkerchiefs and aprons taken from Paul’s body were used. We even have biblical precedent for the possibility that someone could be healed as the shadow of a person of faith passes over them. We have no biblical precedent for a woman letting down her hair as a confirmation of consecration or to express and focus her faith. I do believe that there are such things as “special miracles” (Acts 19:11), and I don’t think the biblical record exhausts the ways miracles may occur. If it were not for the current abuse of I Corinthians 11:10, I might agree to the legitimacy of a woman letting down her hair to confirm her consecration, although God certainly knows of her consecration no matter how her hair is arranged.But the current climate on this issue is so troubling, so divisive, and so potentially harmful that I do not wish to suggest any degree of legitimacy to a practice that is based on misinterpreting a text, that draws on the claims of the occult, and that promises the ability to control outcomes. Instead, I would rather point people to simple faith in God that requires no props and that avoids any appeal to non-biblical sources for insight. I am concerned that some women, thinking they have found new depth of meaning in Scripture, will be tempted to look further into the realm of the occult for new insights on spirituality.
This has drawn the attention, criticism and ire of those who believe this free pass may threaten Bernard’s vision of a return to “Apostolic Identity”.
Is it worth losing the Power of Angels?
Her son was trying so hard Sunday after Sunday to get the Holy Ghost. For some reason he could not pray through. Finally one Sunday she took her hair and laid it on her son. She began to remind God of the power that she had because her hair was uncut, and you know what happened almost instantly? Her son received the Holy Ghost!!!
What is that was your son? Does God come on the scene immediately for you? Do you want him to?
I know personally of apostolic women who gave in and cut their hair. As a result, they were miserable, depressed and regreted ever going it. You undergo a major spiritual catastrophe by cutting your hair. You will not receive the same results in prayer. You will not have the same anointing you once possessed. Uncut hair is serious business. OH GOD give us revelation and understanding!
Sister, DO NOT cut your hair, I repeat PLEASE don’t do it! [sic]
Sister, DO NOT cut your hair, I repeat PLEASE don’t do it! [sic]
Consider this: why is it that when a woman backslides, the first thing she does is cut her hair?? The devil knows that we carry the glory of God upon our uncut hair. The devil knows that there is POWER in our hair. We have a distinct anointing when we have uncut hair. I remember the first time I walked into a Pentecostal church where the ladies had uncut hair, you could FEEL the difference in anointing on the women! There was something about them that was so beautiful, holy and radiant. They almost looked like angels to me (that is no exaggeration). ”
Power of angels?
God compelled to pour out his gift of the Holy Spirit because of uncut hair?
Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost through the laying of hair?
A distinct anointing?
No results in prayer? Losing authority in prayer?
The devil knows we carry the glory of God in our hair?
They almost looked like angels?
The post encapsulates what effect the teachings of men, like Lee Stoneking, are having on some within the Oneness Apostolic movement. A woman by name of Harvelia testifies on Kendra’s site that it was Stoneking’s influenced her towards similar views:
“Just recently I attended a conference where Bro. Lee Stoneking was speaking. His message was coming from 1 Cor. 11:5 and he was speaking about how the woman’s uncut hair being their glory – I was not raised in Pentecost/Apostolic; however, about three years ago the Lord led me to leave my former church which was is a prodominately [sic][ black apostolic church which I was a part of for over fifteen years. I had never receive such teaching - and it just left me wondering why the black apostolic churches are not teaching this. I had to call my sister because she's been apostolic/pentecost longer than I have - but she's never receive the teaching. I currently wear my hair naturally and have done so off and on for years. I felt bad when Bro. Stoneking was teaching because I recall cutting my hair - but this was never taught in my former church.Then it also leaving me wondering why it is not being taught in the african/black churches. " (http://kendrathaler-hair.blogspot.com/p/hair-testimonies.html)
Error begets error. The pat answer given by some who tell the Body of Christ that these forms of consecrations and personal convictions are not salvific … may need to reexamine what is really being taught in their ranks. [sic]
Power of angels?
God compelled to pour out his gift of the Holy Spirit because of uncut hair?
Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost through the laying of hair?
A distinct anointing?
No results in prayer? Losing authority in prayer?
The devil knows we carry the glory of God in our hair?
A woman can gain power with God by having her hair grow long?
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| This picture was taken at the Alabama’s Ladies retreat. Sis Patty Twyman took down her hair to summon the power of the angels over the prayer requests. Many prayers were answered. |
One of the endearing points of HMH advocates is that the idea that there is power in uncut hair can be verified in the wicca religion where the witches believe there is power in uncut hair.
Such proof can be seen in the message that is pro-HMH that I posted under the HMH post....
Another HMH advocate posted in her blog:
Did you know that witches won't cut their hair because they try to tap into the power promised to us in 1Cor 11? Do you know why Indians used to scalp their enemies? Do you know why Nuns and Buddhist monks shave their hair? What does tar and feathering mean? Do you know who it was that first starting the hair cutting trend? What date was that? What about the hippie movement?
What significance is there when hair is found at the scene of a crime?
Daniel Alicea, the man who operates holymagichair.com, found in his research that...
"Most wiccan witches agree that there is no added or extra power in uncut hair while recognizing it is used in ritual magic...but so is eye newt, toe of frog...wool of bat and tongue of dog."
He even quotes one wiccan saying "Hair does not give you extra power and you don't lose power if it's cut."
Keeping in mind, believers on both sides are united against this magic hair heresy.
Some prevailing doctrines in certain circles that I believe have led to the extreme, present-day HMH doctrine can be traced to the teachings of men like of S.G. Norris and Murray Burr.
As early as the PAJC days in 1945, S.G. Norris, former president of Apostolic Bible Institute, General Presbyter and author, proposed elements now found in modern-day HMH doctrine.
On pages 3 and 12 of The Pentecostal Outlook, Volume 14, Number 9, September 1945, S.G Norris suggests that uncut hair results in a “special blessing” and power with God because of the angels. He also proposes that women have always been the leaders in prayer and power with God.
Here are a couple of the quotes from SG Norris’ Back to Holiness article :
Then Paul tells why a woman can either gain power with God by having her hair grow long or why she loses power with God if she cuts or bobs it (Verse 7 of this same chapter 1 Corinth. 11) (pg.3)But, you women say,why should I leave my hair grow when most all other women are having theirs cut? My answer to you is a wonderful promise of God found in this same chapter we are considering today. First Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 10. Don’t forget that God never asked any of us to pay a price of holiness without offering some grand reward for our obedience, Listen …“For this cause, or because of this allowing your hair to grow and using your hair as your covering when praying or worshipping at the house of God, then for this cause ought the woman to have power because of the angels.” Now maybe you never just considered this verse before, but God has angels on this earth not visible to the naked eye, but present just the same, around and near those who far the Lord … the angels encamp around them that fear Him.So there is a special blessing –a grand reward of power with God and the presence of holy angels around about a godly woman that does NOT cut her hair.Here is a promise that I wish every woman listening in today would remember. First of all Christ needs you! … the womanhood of any generation that knew God have always been the leaders in prayer and power with God … So women, here is a promise to every godly woman, that you will have power with God because of the presence of angels, providing you use your hair for a covering and not cut it or bob it off.
Burr, in a October 1954 Pentecostal Herald article entitled “The Hair Question” asserts the following views:
1. Cutting hair is a salvational matter.
“This a matter of life or of death, eternal salvation or eternal condemnation”.
2. Short hair affects spirituality.
“Mark these words, you will never find a really spiritual woman with short hair”
3. Cutting affects God’s favor over one’s life
” It is a shame for a woman to pray with short hair. You may not need God now; but one day you will need him more than anything else in this world. Perhaps in sickness, your baby, your husband, yourself. In death, in distress, how will you be able to kneel before him in sincerity with your short hair, a very banner of rebellion, mocking Him even as you try to lay hold of him in prayer’
Witchcraft (also called witchery), in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the use of alleged supernatural or magical powers or spells.
The following is from a thread, authored by by Pastor Poster, at Apostolic Friends Forumon 06-20-2007.
Quote:
“I decided to go directly to the public library to look in the witchcraft section. As I approached the occult section you could just feel the demonic spirits. First I prayed against the wickedness I sensed and anointed the area with oil where the occult books were so that I could think clearly to start my search. To my surprise, I found many references concerning hair. I was amazed; and at times dumbfounded!”
I thought to myself, “If only Christians knew what the witches knew.”
Those are the words of Juli Jasinski; a popular writer within our movement. They are lifted from page five of her book My Hair, My Glory under the Heading “Spiritual Findings in Pagan Significance”.
Juli provides forty references scattered across seven pages of the book detailing the spiritual emphasis pagan religions place on the power of uncut hair. Here is an abridged sampling.
Quote:
| “Hair has always been considered strong magic; witches casting an evil spell needed a piece of hair from their victims to make it truly efficacious.” The Power of Magic Secrets and Mysteries Ancient and Modern
“hair has physical powers that act as a protection from evil entities of the etheric world; cutting of the hair was done in a ritual to discontinue this protection; it is symbolic of strength.”
The Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary
“so widespread was the faith in the power of hair…that in Scotland it was ominous even to meet a woman with her hair uncovered…if a woman shook her hair at you, they believed anything could happen.”
Hair, Sex, Society and Symbolism
“St. Paul, Barbara Walker writes, greatly feared the ‘angels’ (spirits) that a woman could command by letting their hair flow loose, he insisted that women’s heads be covered in church lest the draw demons into the building.” In referring to 1 Corinthians 11:10, Walker interprets “because of the angels,” to mean the spirits were supposed to be attracted or controlled by unbound female hair.”
Barbara Walker Enc. of Myths and Secrets 367. Juli Jasinski My Hair, My Glory 12.
Jasinski goes on to say that “These are only forty of the many examples that show that hair holds great significance in the world of spiritualism, occultism, and paganism. I was surprised that almost all of these pagan references refer to Bible verses includingg the story of Samson and the verses in 1 Corinthians 11 concerning hair. This leads me to believe that the devil knows exactly what God intended for the woman and her hair. The devil, however, wanted to use it for his evil purposes but God wanted it to be used for our good.”
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I (Pastor Poster) remember attending church with Ruth Rieder Harvey’s sister in the late eighties and early nineties. Even then the wheels were turning toward a new codified doctrine regarding the power of a woman’s uncut hair. While many Apostolics have long believed that women should leave their hair uncut, the idea of a special “power” that accompanied this belief and practice is a fairly new teaching.
Harvey’s sister frequently warned the younger ladies in our church that they would lose spiritual power if they trimmed their hair, that they would invite rebellion and evil spirits in their homes if 1 Corinthians 11 wasn’t followed in the traditional Oneness Pentecostal understanding, and that the “special protection” that came with uncut hair would be lost forever if the hair was touched with scissors.
This idea was visualized on the cover of Jasinski’s book, which has a picture of what appears to be a demon hovering close to a woman with long hair, and also in the title of Rieder Harvey’s book, “Power Before the Throne” which became the handbook for this emerging doctrine.
It has taken almost two decades for this new teaching to infiltrate our ranks fully. The forward to “Power Before the Throne” is written by none other than Gwynn Oakes, the most powerful woman in Oneness Pentecostalism. The teaching is rapidly gaining acceptance in many corners within the movement.
The most troubling aspect regarding this teaching is its continuing evolution. Recently stories of ladies laying their hair over the sick have reached online forums, online websites, and most recently, the Pentecostal Herald. The Herald, as the official organ of the UPCI, seems to endorse the healing power of uncut hair.
This is dangerous. Jasinski herself intimates that much of her views concerning special “powers” stemming from uncut hair were verified at the library while in an occult section. Rieder Harvey’s divorce has led to a dilution of her conference speaking popularity, but as of this date she has sold almost 65,000 copies of “Power Before the Throne”.
Those of us that believe in the traditional Oneness Pentecostal application of 1 Corinthians 11 are drifting close to doctrinal quicksand. How long before a conference speaker asks all of the ladies to “lay their hair” on someone so that they may be healed? How long before a resolution that codifies a “power” benefit emanating from obedience to 1 Corinthians 11 is brought to a conference floor?
Let me show you two examples of written testimonials from ladies who have fallen hook, line and sinker for this doctrine. The first is from an article on ninetyandnine.com dated November 21, 2005 and submitted by Angela Martin.
Quote:
| “That Monday night at the hospital as they ran more tests to find the Listeria and Meningitis, what they found was that these problems had disappeared somewhere between that Saturday and the Monday that she was admitted to the hospital. They did many other tests on her because she still had a kidney infection and was in a lot of pain. They also found cysts on her kidneys which would require surgery and we were told that we’d have to keep a close eye on her blood pressure. The next day after our pastor prayed over Lily in the hospital, the doctors mysteriously found no cysts. One night Lily’s IV came out and between 10:00 P.M.-4:00 A.M. they poked my baby 13 times. That night I lay over Lily crying and said, “God, if the sacrifice of my uncut hair accounts for anything, let it be for my children. I command that You place Your healing hands upon her and free her.” God allowed her veins to close so they couldn’t poke her anymore, but Lily was healed.” |
The second is from the July 2007 issue of the Pentecostal Herald
Quote:
| “An entire hour had passed, but Andrew would not go back to sleep. We could not figure this out because we thought we had him on a reasonable schedule. Finally, Leslie suggested that I turn off all the lights in the house and go to bed. Ten minutes later, Andrew finally fell fast asleep and Leslie came to bed. When I asked her what she did to make him fall asleep, she said that the Lord told her to put her hair over Andrew’s head and pray in the Spirit. We believe that Leslie’s obedience in placing her long hair (her “glory” and her “covering”) over our son was rewarded that night.” |
And so the evolution and acceptance of this teaching has reached a new pinnacle. It is now promoted in the official organ of our movement.
And no one is saying anything.
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The actress who plays the witch in geico commercial... Jordana Oberman |
"There is only one Truth, HaShem Echad"
The Torah Source For Covering One’s Hair
We recently layned Parshas Naso which contains the Biblical source for the obligation of a married woman to cover her hair. An eesha sotah is a woman whose husband suspects her of having acted immorally. The Torah commands the Kohein to take various steps to demonstrate that the sotah has deviated from the modest and loyal path of most married Jewish women (Rashi 5:15-27). Among the procedures, the pasuk clearly states: “ufora es rosh haisha…” and he shall uncover the hair of the head of the woman (5:18). One can only uncover something that has previously been covered; in this case the Torah is referring to the married woman’s hair! There are those who translateufora as to undo which in this case simply adds a detail. Rashi clearly explains (ibid) that married women would braid their hair under the covering that they wore.
The Kohein needed to uncover and undo this braid. Why? “Soser es klias searah” he (the Kohein) undoes the braiding of her hair, “mekan liBnos Yisrael shegiluy harosh genay hu lahen,” from here we learn that for married Jewish women uncovered hair is a disgrace for them!’ There exists an assumed suspicion that the sotah has sinned grievously. She has, at the very least, secluded herself with another man for a long enough period of time to act inappropriately, after having been warned by her husband not to do so. Whether or not she has actually sinned will be determined by what happens after she drinks the special waters prepared by Kohein.
From the date given at the onset of parshas Bamidbar, we infer that the events in parshas Naso took place in the second year of Bnei Yisrael’s stay in the Midbar. It is safe to assume that all married women covered their hair. It is also possible that they may have been covering their hair for generations. Remember, they dressed differently then we do today.
There is a hint to this in parshas Korach in the way the wife of Ohn benPeles prevents him from joining Korach’s rebellion against Moshe. At the beginning of the parsha, the Torah lists the members of Korach’s group and Ohn ben Peles is mentioned. As many women know, the night before the rebellion, Ohn confided in his wife his regret for having agreed to join the group. How could he get out of this commitment? Ohn’s wife knew that as rebellious as this group was, they were all talmeidei chachomim and kept the mitzvos. The next morning, eishes Ohn sat herself right at the opening of her tent – on the inside, with her hair uncovered. Each member of Korah’s group who would come to pick up her husband would be faced with a moral dilemma. And that is what happened, the moment they saw Ohn’s wife sitting with her hair uncovered, they instinctively turned and walked away. Chazal praise Ohn’s wife whose actions saved his life.
Recently, someone asked me why women are not obligated to wear tefillin. The questioner seemed hurt by this exclusion. She was surprised to learn that in actuality women do wear a form of tefillin and they wear it way longer then men do. I was referring to this mitzvah – the obligation of married women to cover their hair. This idea is found in Rabbi Falk’s sefer Oz Vehadar Levusha. In it he says: “The head covering enables a woman to fulfill the mitzvah of kisuy sa’aros (covering her hair) minute by minute throughout the day thereby enabling her to earn great rewards both in this world and in the World to Come… While a man adorns his head with tefillin for about an hour day, a woman has the merit to adorn her head with an article of mitzvah throughout the length of the day”. Rabbi Falk adds that “Hagaon Rav Shimon Schwabzt”l, once said that women are not obligated in the mitzvah of tefillin because they wear “their tefillin” throughout all hours of the day. They therefore do not require the added sanctification of tefillin as in the case of men” (Oz Vehadar p.243).
Indeed, the Chofetz Chaim in Mishnah Berurah states that kisuy sa’aros of a married woman is a catalyst to give additional yiras Shamayim to her children.
Baruch Hashem, today, stylish and yet refined sheitels abound as well as nicely designed tichels. One can also find beautiful hats that cover the hair properly. There are many talented women who offer excellent service in styling and maintaining sheitels. We worry so much about the negative influences of society on our children. Let us make a recommitment to the Torah obligation to cover our hair properly, with the knowledge that we are doing the will of Hashem. At the same time we are adding to the arsenal another protective layer for our families to keep them safe from the moral depravity around us. With Hashem’s help we will succeed.
The author dedicates this article li’eluy nishmas her paternal grandfather Reb Moshe ben Eliezer Lieber Gelbtuch zt”l whose yahrtzeit is the 24th of Sivan and her paternal grandmother Breindel Yocheved bas Menachem Mendel Gelbtuch (nee Katz) Hy”d.
The Kohein needed to uncover and undo this braid. Why? “Soser es klias searah” he (the Kohein) undoes the braiding of her hair, “mekan liBnos Yisrael shegiluy harosh genay hu lahen,” from here we learn that for married Jewish women uncovered hair is a disgrace for them!’ There exists an assumed suspicion that the sotah has sinned grievously. She has, at the very least, secluded herself with another man for a long enough period of time to act inappropriately, after having been warned by her husband not to do so. Whether or not she has actually sinned will be determined by what happens after she drinks the special waters prepared by Kohein.
From the date given at the onset of parshas Bamidbar, we infer that the events in parshas Naso took place in the second year of Bnei Yisrael’s stay in the Midbar. It is safe to assume that all married women covered their hair. It is also possible that they may have been covering their hair for generations. Remember, they dressed differently then we do today.
There is a hint to this in parshas Korach in the way the wife of Ohn benPeles prevents him from joining Korach’s rebellion against Moshe. At the beginning of the parsha, the Torah lists the members of Korach’s group and Ohn ben Peles is mentioned. As many women know, the night before the rebellion, Ohn confided in his wife his regret for having agreed to join the group. How could he get out of this commitment? Ohn’s wife knew that as rebellious as this group was, they were all talmeidei chachomim and kept the mitzvos. The next morning, eishes Ohn sat herself right at the opening of her tent – on the inside, with her hair uncovered. Each member of Korah’s group who would come to pick up her husband would be faced with a moral dilemma. And that is what happened, the moment they saw Ohn’s wife sitting with her hair uncovered, they instinctively turned and walked away. Chazal praise Ohn’s wife whose actions saved his life.
Recently, someone asked me why women are not obligated to wear tefillin. The questioner seemed hurt by this exclusion. She was surprised to learn that in actuality women do wear a form of tefillin and they wear it way longer then men do. I was referring to this mitzvah – the obligation of married women to cover their hair. This idea is found in Rabbi Falk’s sefer Oz Vehadar Levusha. In it he says: “The head covering enables a woman to fulfill the mitzvah of kisuy sa’aros (covering her hair) minute by minute throughout the day thereby enabling her to earn great rewards both in this world and in the World to Come… While a man adorns his head with tefillin for about an hour day, a woman has the merit to adorn her head with an article of mitzvah throughout the length of the day”. Rabbi Falk adds that “Hagaon Rav Shimon Schwabzt”l, once said that women are not obligated in the mitzvah of tefillin because they wear “their tefillin” throughout all hours of the day. They therefore do not require the added sanctification of tefillin as in the case of men” (Oz Vehadar p.243).
Indeed, the Chofetz Chaim in Mishnah Berurah states that kisuy sa’aros of a married woman is a catalyst to give additional yiras Shamayim to her children.Baruch Hashem, today, stylish and yet refined sheitels abound as well as nicely designed tichels. One can also find beautiful hats that cover the hair properly. There are many talented women who offer excellent service in styling and maintaining sheitels. We worry so much about the negative influences of society on our children. Let us make a recommitment to the Torah obligation to cover our hair properly, with the knowledge that we are doing the will of Hashem. At the same time we are adding to the arsenal another protective layer for our families to keep them safe from the moral depravity around us. With Hashem’s help we will succeed.
The author dedicates this article li’eluy nishmas her paternal grandfather Reb Moshe ben Eliezer Lieber Gelbtuch zt”l whose yahrtzeit is the 24th of Sivan and her paternal grandmother Breindel Yocheved bas Menachem Mendel Gelbtuch (nee Katz) Hy”d.
Please Note: Direct Relationship:
You can enter into a deep, joyful and fulfilling relationship with the One Creator of heaven and earth without having anyone else involved in that relationship aside from the two of you: God and yourself.
Don’t let anyone tell you that your Creator is “unapproachable”. You don’t need anyone to stand between you and Him.He is close to all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18). - Rabbi Eli Cohen
Don’t let anyone tell you that your Creator is “unapproachable”. You don’t need anyone to stand between you and Him.He is close to all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18). - Rabbi Eli Cohen
sources:
Lee Stoneking preaching at POLR
You can also order DVDs and CDs at
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Pentecostal Hoedown Throwdown: "I'm A Pentecostal"
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