Attention, Jews! Shave Off Your Beards!

כ"א לחודש תשע"ה

That is the message I get from this commercial from the Israeli SuperPharm chain, sellers of the Canadian "Life" brand products.

Israel usually has pretty good commercials. This is not one of them.



Esser Agaroth (2¢):
First off, no I am not writing this in criticism of those with the custom of being clean shaven, using a halakhicly (Torah legally) permissible device.

משנה תורה, הלכות עבודה זרה פרק יב,ח
...ואינו חייב עד שיגלחנו בתער--שנאמר "ולא תשחית, את פאת זקנך" (ויקרא יט,כז), גילוח שיש בו השחתה; לפיכך אם גילח זקנו במספריים, פטור...

Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foreign Worship 12:8...But, one is not culpable until he shaves with a razor--as it is said, "do not destroy the corners of your beard" (Lev. 19:27), shaving which entails destruction; therefore if one shaved his beard with scissors, he is exempt [from punishment]...

My criticism is of the secular/assimilationist message of this commercial.

Translation:
Jewish men, shave off your beards!
Your wife will love you more!
Your parents will love you more!
Your children will love you!
So, just do it! Let's look like the goyim!

'Nuff said.