Hair Removal for Men

Hello, which hairs are permitted and which are forbidden for a man to shave?

Hello,

There are several details in this matter, and we will try to explain them:

• Hair of the armpits and pubic area is forbidden to be removed both with a razor and with scissors like a razor [but to shorten, according to the Shulchan Aruch, it is permitted to shorten with regular scissors, leaving noticeable hair, and according to the Rashba, it is forbidden even to shorten, and it is correct initially to be stringent according to his view and not to shorten at all].
• Nasal hairs are permitted to be removed only with scissors like a razor (kosher electric shaver), but with a razor it is forbidden.
• Hairs on the ears are permitted to be removed.
• Hair between the eyebrows is forbidden to be removed, but if it causes embarrassment and shame, it is permitted to remove it initially.
• Hair on the nape is permitted to be shaved.
• Facial hair [all that is not within the definition of the sideburns], there is no prohibition to remove with laser and wax, since it is customary among Jews who observe Torah and commandments to shave there, and likewise there is no prohibition to arrange the beard or other facial hair by laser or wax, since it is customary to do so also among Jews who observe Torah and commandments.
• Other body hair is permitted to be removed with scissors like a razor, but with wax and laser it is forbidden. However, in cases of distress and human dignity, it is permissible to be lenient and remove even with laser and wax.

Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah, Siman 182, סעיף א and Rema there, Darkei Teshuva there, סעיף קטן א', ד'.

[Regarding hair removal by laser, some wanted to say that in our times, when Jews remove body hair by laser, and after investigation, even those who observe Torah and commandments have been doing this for several years [not according to the instruction of a sage], and therefore there is no prohibition of 'not wearing'.

However, since the Perisha there is in doubt to say [brought in the glosses of R. Akiva Eiger there] that only if there are kosher Jewish men who remove, there is no 'not wearing', therefore it is not proper to remove body hair by laser and wax initially, and the lenient has what to rely on.

However, from the words of the Mordechai (Shabbat, Siman 327) who wrote - it appears that people who have an abundance of hair on their hands and are embarrassed to show among people, it is permitted to remove them, and there is no 'not wearing' because there is no greater distress than this, end quote (and this is brought in Darkei Moshe Yoreh De'ah, Siman 182), it is proven that initially, one should be stringent also in other places on the body, except in cases of distress and human dignity. However, the removal of facial hair by laser and wax, for a certain group observing Torah and commandments that considers it permissible, should not be permitted initially, and the lenient has what to rely on].