It is commonly known, just by physical appearance (you don’t even have to ask! hehe), that not everyone agrees with others on head-veils, but it is non-debatable in the Scriptures that it is shameful to have short hair as a woman. A woman who has short hair brings shame upon her head, both on top of her shoulders and her husband. We are told in the Scriptures that having long hair enhances one’s appearance. In most cases short hair is not considered feminine nor is it.
“For if a woman is not veiled, let her also have her hair cut short; but if it is shameful for a woman to wear her hair cut short or to have her head shaved, then let her be veiled.”
1 Corinthians 11:6
It seems now that the argument is “what is short?” as everyone has their own views points on this, but I personally don’t think it’s very difficult to decide. Even by looking at the world’s standards of long and short you can see what is so. You can flip through hair and fashion magazines to see examples of short and long hair. You can walk into a beauty-salon and say “cut it short” and they will. I see all the time ladies who chop their hair off and know it’s now considered “short”, not just shorter. Some hair may be shorter than others but when asked if this or that length is short it doesn’t take one to be a an expert on hair to know the answer.
Some people may consider short hair “not very short at all”, but that is not the question. The question is: is it long? If you have long hair you know it. Long hair is… well… long, and many times is considered to be to the shoulder blades. If women just didn’t worry about having a certain style or having to change here and there, but let their hair grow out there will be no need to debate “how long is long”. Vanity and the world’s definition of beauty and youth have caused us to worry about ‘the style and fashion’ of everything. As I wrote this I researched to see what the definition of long hair actually was, and was surprised to find that it is defined as “a style of hair that is not cut”. So if you have long hair you have hair that isn’t cut [note: not talking about trimmings].
I personally love to have curly hair via a perm, but Yah has been convicting me of taking better care of my body with the products I use. Having a perm done every 6 months by applying chemicals directly on my scalp is not properly caring for my body, which is the temple of the Ruach HaKodesh. I must forgo having to have my own style so that I can honour Yah. Each time I try talk myself out of it I am reminded that I am fully trusting in Yahweh and not putting the value of beauty in physical appearance.
As ladies striving for spiritual goals, rather than material ones, having to have a certain style or cut should not be something that concerns us when we consider the Scriptures. It shouldn’t be a concern if we think we wouldn’t look good with longer hair or if it would take more to care for it or you wouldn’t be able to style it the way you want to. We should be focused on obeying the Scriptures and pleasing Yahweh.
How beautiful you are, my love! How beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gil’ad. {Song of Solomon 4:1}
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Post topics: beauty, curly hair, hair, hairstyles, health, natural, photos, questions, scripture, spiritually, YHWH-God
That was a very neat, interesting article. I have begun thinking on veils myself. This helped very much! Personally, I LOVE long hair, therefore, mine is long. At one time, though, I did have very short hair and hated it. That experience taught me a very good lesson.
Blessings and Shalom,
Miss Hannah
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Very good! I totally agree. I myself consider my hair “medium length” but it’s my idea of medium length, not the standard medium length. Mine hangs a bit below the shoulder blade, not near waist length or something of the sort which I would really consider “long”.
Really…I’m sure you look lovely with straight hair Jocelyn! If the Lord wanted you to always have curly hair I’m positive he would’ve given you naturally curly hair. :) I believe that people should just let their hair be the way it was created to be. If God gave you naturally curly hair, let it be curly! Stop trying to make it straight and take care of it. If He gave you straight hair, then let it be! I don’t have anything against changing things up a bit and doing something different so long as you’re not trying to change your hair to make it permanent. That said I’m sure there are more natural and healthy alternatives for perms. :)
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Miss Jocelyn's reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 12:58 am
I would too consider my hair medium length – it seems to be the same length as yours.
hehe it will get longer as my hair straightens.
Yes, I do believe your right and though such a trifle in the grand scheme of things something about me having straight hair is going to be for his glory.
hmm… i wonder if coconut oil has any natural hair curling properties. lol JK. ;)
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MacKenzie's reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Actually, it does! About a year ago I started really growing out my hair (it has always been medium or longer but I got a shorter cut than I wanted accidentally so I decided to grow it long-long and see how it looked) but found it was getting very dry with lots of split ends. So I starting following a noo-shampoo routine where I cleaned my scalp with baking soda, rinsed well and they conditioned with apple cider vinegar. I found my once stick-straight hair getting some lovely wave to it and if I then used a bit of coconut oil as a gel, I could get a nice curl to stick. Both my husband and I thought it was nice and feminine, and it allowed me to get by without blow drying which is a plus for time-saving. I kept up with it for about a year, but now I’m pregnant and my hair is all crazy so I had to start shampooing again but there is a lot of information out there on the web, I would recommend checking it out. You might be able to get a bit of a curl after all!
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Amen! I love how simply you state our responsibility to obey Scripture literally. Although some may view this as a bondage, it really is quite liberating. Besides, if you stop and think about it, all the prettiest women have long hair. :D
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I would have to say that that “long” or an appropriate length for a woman’s hair would be to the shoulders or beyond. The common understanding of a man’s hair being long would be to the collar or to the shoulders. So where a man’s hair is considered long is where a woman’s long hair begins. Does that make sense?
My friend says that your hair is long if you can manage to get it into a pony tail.
I have over the years had very short hair and now have very long hair and everything in between. I cut my hair for Locks of Love 2.5 years ago and my husband was OK with that because my hair was still past my shoulders afterward. I personally find long hair to be more convenient and time efficient as a HS mom of three. Now on a personal note, my husband will say that he would not have my hair any other way but very long. HE never complains bout it getting in his face when we cuddle. Same as I don’t complain about his very long beard getting in my face.
One thing that needs to be said is that for some of us our hair stops growing after a certain length. So for each of us “long” can have a completely different meaning.
Blessings,
Teresa/Navah
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That’s is an interesting article.
I love long hair, i am trying to grow it to my lower back.
I cut my hair to my shoulders before and now regret it. But with my curly hair, it makes my hair look shorter.
Thanks for righting that.
Love
Rachel.
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I enjoyed reading this article. I myself have long hair and am thankful for it. I also love seeing other ladies with long hair. My main issue is with trimming of the hair. I have trimmed my hair in the past. (About an inch every six months) However, the teaching of my home congregation is that long hair is hair that is not cut. A lot of their reasoning comes from I Corinthians 11:6.
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
I am interested to hear your point of view why trimming may or may not be acceptable according to the scriptures.
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Miss Jocelyn's reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Thank for your comment and question. I would have to do more research on the trimming-part. As I read your comment it did remind me of Samson when he said no razor had ever touched his head, this would have included ‘trimmings”, I think.
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I know that femininity need not be unattractive, and my long hair left to itself really looks unlovely. I have fine, thin hair which likes to go flat and feather oddly at the ends when it grows any longer than shoulder length. I would love to have long hair, but dislike the “ratty” look (last time my hair was almost to my waist was when I was 13, and it looked quite awful :). Do you have any suggestions as to how to care for flat hair? I would love to have long hair again!
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Miss Jocelyn's reply:
January 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I have found that eating flaxseed in your foods (it can go in ANYTHING) will make your hair very healthy and cause it to grow. Also washing and conditioning your hair with eggs gives a ton of protein and healthy vitamins. Apple cider vinegar is wonderful for your hair too. Coconut oil may be another option. I can ask the ladies who write our health/beauty column if they have any suggestions!
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I have always had long hair, however, the last few years it has become extremely thin (you can see through the top!) I’m thinking of cutting it short to “hide” it a bit better, or maybe even get a wig. :( I’ve been on thyroid pills for a couple years but there is no improvement.
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