the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Encyclopedias
Baldness
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or The Hebrews gave much care to the cultivation of their hair, which they kept long (compare Ezekiel 44:20) except on such occasions as are mentioned, Leviticus 13:45, 10:6, etc. (R.V.), and always well oiled; and accordingly considered Baldness as a still greater reproach than did the classical nations (compare 2 Kings 2:23, "bald head," as an abusive term). Nevertheless, Baldness could not have been very rare, if it be considered that the Egyptian wall-paintings figure the old princes and chiefs of the Semites, more often than not, as baldheaded. The same conclusion may be drawn from such passages as Leviticus 13:40,41, where Baldness on the crown is referred to, and Baldness in frontâeuphemistically designated as "high forehead," it would seem. Names like Kareaḥ and Koraḥ, which signify "bald," are also quite common.
Most of the passages of the Old Testament, however, in regard to Baldness refer to the total or partial shaving of the head as a sign of mourningâlike cutting the beard, wearing sackcloth, and other disfigurements. In Deuteronomy 14:1, "baldness between the eyes [that is, perhaps, on the forehead] for the dead" is forbidden; "to make baldness upon the head" is specially prohibited to priests (Leviticus 21:5; compare Ezekiel 44:20).
Numerous passages show that, in pre-exilic Israel, such shaving (or clipping) was general (compare Amos 8:10; Isaiah 15:2, 3:24 [of women], 22:12; Ezekiel 7:18; Job 1:20; Micah 1:16). A complete shaving, a "baldness as the eagle" (or rather "vulture"; compare R. V. margin), is mentioned. Partial shaving of the corners of the head and beard is referred to and prohibited (Leviticus 19:27). The long temple-locks of the Ashkenazim ("peies") can be traced back to this passage. Opposed to the custom of wearing temple-locks is that of the desert tribes, of always cutting the hair at the sides of the forehead and neck, compare Jeremiah 9:26, 25:23, 49:32; Herodotus, 3:8; Egyptian representations; and see BEARD.
The mourning custom of "shaving" the head is attributed to the Philistines (Jeremiah 47:5), to the Moabites (Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 48:37), to the Tyrians (Ezekiel 27:31). The customs of most ancient nations were analogous. If Herodotus is to be trusted, the Egyptians formed an exception, and shaved the head regularly (Her. 3:12), but allowed the hair to grow in mourning (idem, 2:36); see, however, Wiedemann, "Herodot's Zweites Buch," p. 157, on these statements of Herodotus, which are, to say the least, of too general a nature to warrant definite conclusions.
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Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Baldness'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/b/baldness.html. 1901.
