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Although wearing a
sheitel nowadays is almost a foregone conclusion, in the early years of the Rebbe’s leadership this was not necessarily the case. During the early years of the Rebbe’s
Nesi’us, the Rebbe toiled long and hard to make wearing a
sheitel the norm that it has now become.
This is why most of the letters and Sichos in this compilation, where the Rebbe so strongly exhorts the wearing of a sheitel, were written or stated in the early years of the Rebbe’s Nesi’us.
To the Rebbe, proper kissui harosh, properly covering one’s hair, was synonymous with that of donning a sheitel. However, when a woman -- for whatever reason -- absolutely refused to wear a sheitel, the Rebbe would endeavor that she at least fully cover her hair with a kerchief or hat. Also, in some G-dfearing communities other means were employed to cover the hair, other than a sheitel.
Nevertheless, the Rebbe strongly felt that a sheitel was the most proper manner of observing kissui harosh in the greatest degree of tznius, and kissui harosh was to be nowadays observed by wearing a sheitel.
Bearing the above in mind, the excerpts from the Rebbe’s Igros Kedoshos and Sichos Kedoshos, etc., that follow, speak not only to wearing a sheitel, but also to kissui harosh in general.
Sholom B. Wineberg
Overland Park, Kansas
29 Sivan, 5763
