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We are at the end of siman 11, where the Chayei Adam says that sechita for hair is not assur mideoraysa, but is assur miderabanan. In siman 309:9, the Biur Halacha raises a question. The Gemara in Zevachim discusses washing out the blood of a korban which got absorbed into bigdei kehuna. The blood has the status of nosar, and has to be removed from the garment and burned with the rest of the leftover korban. The Gemara discusses kibus, washing out the blood, from a garment made of sackcloth (not to be confused with modern day sackcloth). This garment was made from more coarse and wiry fibers, such as from animal hair. It is clear from the Gemara that the concept of kibus applies to such a garment. However, if we hold that there is no sechita in regards to hair, we should apply it to the case in Zevachim as well and there should be no question of kibus?
To answer the question, we have to understand the logic behind the concept that sechita does not apply to hair. Rashi in Shabbos, 128a, says that hair is hard so it does not absorb. Thus, even though there may be liquid which gets trapped between hairs, it does not absorb into the hair itself, so it is not considered sechita to remove it.
In truth, there are two reasons why sechita is assur. There is sechita where it is assur to use the item, and there is sechita which is assur even though the liquid will be discarded. In the latter case, the issue is not sechita inasmuch as the cleansing process which takes place as the liquid leaves the garment.
Here, where we are discussing sechita in hair, the goal is not to use the liquid but to remove it from the hair. There is no issue of mefareik, because mefareik applies when the liquid is used. There is also no issue of melabein, since the liquid is not absorbed by the hairs, and only trapped in between them. If so, we return to the question that if hair does not absorb, how is it that it applies to the garment in Zevachim?
Due to this question, the Biur Halacha differentiates between hair on the body and within a garment. We will clarify this point and discuss some practical applications in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.
Summary
- Mideoraysa, there is no concern for sechita in hair, but there is an issur miderabanan.
- However, there is no issur of simply soaking hair.
- There is an issue squeezing and soaking a garment made of hair. We will discuss the details of this issur in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.
