Shalom Rabbi Schachter! Thank you very much for the great shiurim. I teach in Jerusalem and have been following the shiurim online for over 5 years now. I have listened to THOUSANDS of hours of shiurim and have learned so much from them. Thank you very much! Wishing you and your family a good summer! Netanel Frankenthal magid shiur at Machon Meir Jerusalem and Torah BeTzion Jerusalem p.s. the learning not only impacts me, but also all of my listeners on www.TorahForMe.org THANK YOU!

<p>Thank you for this informative presentation.</p> <p>Several clarifications:</p> <p>1) Rabbi Schachter states that he heard that the sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon quotes a story that leads one to believe that according to Rav Aharon Kotler z'l the use of electric shavers is prohibited and is halachically equivalent to a razor. Rabbi Schachter asserts that according to people learning in Lakewood, this is a lie.</p> <p>After pursuing the sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon itself, please note the following:</p> <p>a) It is true that sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon quotes a story related by Rav Menachem Perr, z'l, that Rav Aharon Kotler z'l instructed him not to distribute electric shavers to the members of his shul who were shaving with a razor, in order to save them from the transgression of shaving with a razor. Please note that this story can be confirmed by contacting his son, Rav Yechiel Yitzchok Perr (Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway). Rav Perr recently verified this story in a letter to Rav H.D. Litwak.</p> <p>b) Moreover, the sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon does not make this assertion based only on a story. In sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon part II chapter 1 (pages 352-354 and also pages 717-718 in the third edition of the sefer) <span style="text-decoration: underline;">written attestations are presented by prominent talmidim of Rav Aharon Kotler z'l</span> (who are today considered some of the most distinguished poskim and roshei yeshiva of our times) expressly confirming Rav Kotler's opinion that electric shavers are halachically equivalent to a razor. They include letters from Rav Moshe Sternbuch (Av Beis Din of the Eida Charedis - Batatz - of Yerushalayim and author of Moadim U'Zemanim 8 vol. and Response Teshuvos V'Hanhagos 5 vol.); Rav Moshe Heinemann (Rov of the Agudah in Baltimore and head of the Star K kashrus organization and world renowed posek); Rav Eliyahu Dov Wachtfogel (son of the late mashgiach of Lakewood and himself the beloved Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of South Fallsburg); Rav Yechiel Yitzchok Perr (Rosh Yeshiva Yeshiva of Far Rockaway) and others. It is also worthy to note that one of the haskamos printed in sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon is from Rav Kotler's own son, Rav Shneur Kotler z'l (see note there stating that Rav Shneur specifically reviewed and approved the section in the sefer presenting his father's z'l opinion regarding this matter). [In Rav Heinemann's letter to the author, he wrote that Rav Aharon Kotler stated that the Chofetz Chaim would be opposed to permitting even the "outliner" which does not give a clean shave and leaves a small length of facial hair uncut].</p> <p>2) Rav Schachter stated that sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon was written twenty years ago by a student of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Montreal. From the haskamos, it is clear that the author was a talmid of the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mirrer Yeshiva</span>. [Also, the sefer was published in 5738, thirty-three years ago and has since been reprinted twice with a third expanded edition of 1,014 pages].</p> <p>Thank you for considering these clarifications.</p> <p>P.S. Since there are many additional sources and considerations regarding the status of electric shavers quoted in sefer Hadras Ponim Zokon which are not included in Rav Schachter's shiur, it is respectfully recommended this sefer's content be reviewed before assuming a position regarding this matter.</p>

<p>In Elul 5771, R' Malkiel Kotler together with all the Roshei Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Gavoah in Lakewood signed a letter which was posted in the official yeshiva bulletin board confirming that R' Aharon Kotler held that shaving machines should not be used and they urged everyone not to use them in accordance with the recently publicized Psak Din or the Gedolim of Eretz Yisroel (R' Elyashiv, R' Chaim Kanievsky, R' Karelitz, R' Auerbach, R' Noson Tzvi Finkel, R' Wosner and over two litvishe Roshei Yeshiva) which stated that according to the Chofetz Chaim, the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, etc. all shaving machines have the halachic status of a razor.</p> <p>These seems to further contradict R' Schachter's statement in this shiur that the assertion that R' Aharon Kotler prohibited shaving machines is a lie.</p>