# Ask the Orthodox Jew/ Amateur theologian **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991 "2009-04-13T21:52:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/81 "2009-04-22T20:00:42Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > This is incorrect. The Sultan had SZ arrested in Smyrna. It was not SZ’s idea to go there. He was arrested in Istanbul, not in Smyrna. He left Smyrna for Istanbul at the end of 1665. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/82 "2009-04-22T20:05:28Z")
My apologies. In any event, it was not SZ’s idea to approach the Sultan. He was taken there from prison. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/83 "2009-04-22T21:53:26Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Along with the married woman hair thing…A Reform friend attended a funeral. Her Orthodox Aunt’s had stubble showing under their scarves. This may be TMI, but are they forbidden shaving their hair as a male relative could not shave? I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand what you’re asking. Some men feel it is forbidden to shave their beards. Women generally don’t have beards to shave. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/84 "2009-04-22T23:30:42Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand what you’re asking. Some men feel it is forbidden to shave their beards. Women generally don’t have beards to shave. Her aunts shaved their heads. Maybe the wigs fit better, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/85 "2009-04-23T06:50:05Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > A bit more frivolous a question- but still an honest one- I was surprised to learn ([from this clip from the Topol movie Sallah Shabati](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ5ZjGpksI4)) that Maschiach is used as a given name among some Jews. Is this common? Or are there any taboos against it by the more orthodox? Mashiach is a fairly common \*surname \*in certain Sephardi communities (Sallah, incidentally, was Iraqi, not Moroccan). In the song you brought they’re simply referring to him by his last name, as in “Old Man Mashiach.” I’ve never encountered it as a given name. (Incidentally, I’m surprised and pleased you’re familiar with _Sallah Shabbati_. While it’s considered a classic here, I had no idea anyone outside the country remembered it - even though it was written and directed by Israel’s greatest satirist, [Ephraim Kishon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_Kishon), and was nominated for a Best Foreign Picture Oscar.) ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/86 "2009-04-23T14:20:23Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Her aunts shaved their heads. Maybe the wigs fit better, I don’t know. In some ultra-ultra orthodox communities I’ve heard women shave their heads. I don’t really know so much about it. ---
**Author:** ![please921](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@please921](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/please921)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/87 "2009-04-23T23:45:24Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > In some ultra-ultra orthodox communities I’ve heard women shave their heads. I don’t really know so much about it. Some Hassidic women have a custom to shave their heads for practical purposes. Two weeks after her period has started, an Orthodox Jewish woman dips into a ritual bath called a mikvah, after which, she resumes relations with her husband. When dipping in the mikvah, the water needs to come in contact with every outer part of her body. That means she has to remove her nail polish, take off any bandages, and even floss (even though her mouth remains closed when she dips). She must also comb her hair thoroughly. There cannot be any knots, as that would constitute a separation between the water and parts of her hair. Certain Hassidic sects chose to go beyond the letter of the law and shave their heads or cut their hair very, very short to have absolute assurance that the mikvah water isn’t blocked. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991/88 "2009-04-24T04:04:58Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > In any event, it was not SZ’s idea to approach the Sultan. He was taken there from prison. Right, but he had probably gone to Constantinople in the first place so that he could overthrow the Sultan and become Sultan himself. Nathan of Gaza had predicted that if he went to Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire would convert to Judaism and he’d become Sultan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-orthodox-jew-amateur-theologian/492991.md?page=4)