Tuesday, April 16, 2019

halacha - Cologne for men?


The Gemara brochois 43b and rambam daiot 5.9 quoted below writes that a Talmid Chacham should not wear cologne (a scent).
Does this apply nowadays?
I've personally smelled a Rosh Yeshiva's strong scent of cologne.




[Before going out] he smears it (the scented oil from havdolo) on the head of the attendant; and if the attendant is a man of learning, he smears it on the wall, since it is unbecoming for a scholar to go abroad scented (so that people should not suspect him of homosexual acts). Our Rabbis taught: Six things are unbecoming for a scholar. He should not go abroad scented; he should not go out by night alone; he should not go abroad in patched sandals; he should not converse with a woman in the street; he should not take a set meal in the company of ignorant persons; and he should not be the last to enter the Beth ha-Midrash. Some add that he should not take long strides nor carry himself stiffly.
'He should not go abroad scented'. R. Abba the son of R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: This applies only to a place where people are suspected of pederasty. R. Shesheth said: This applies only to [the scenting of] one's clothes; but [perfuming] the body removes the perspiration. R. Papa said: The hair is on the same footing as clothes; others, however, say: as the body.



Audio 18:00


Rambam



...He should not go out in the marketplace perfumed, or with perfumed clothes, nor should he put perfume on his hair. However, he is permitted to rub perfume on his body if he does so in order to remove filth...





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