Orthodox Jewish women do not shave their heads as a religious requirement. However, some Hasidic women shave their heads entirely on the day after their weddings, and repeat the shaving monthly to ensure that not a single strand of hair would ever be allowed to show. This is the tradition observed by Hasidic women in Hungary, the Ukraine, and Galicia. The reason for this practice is to be extra-observant of the strict modesty rules. It is believed that hair on a woman is ervah, or nakedness and impropriety, that should be covered once a woman is married.
Most Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic women cover their hair in public after their wedding. They are required to wear a head-covering that hides all their hair from view, and it is proper to ensure that no hair protrudes from it. There are different ways of veiling, depending on a woman’s strict adherence to Jewish Laws. Some Jewish women wear a scarf (tikhl) over their hair, while others still wear a wig (sheytl) in order to cover up their real hair. This form of covering is considered less religious than the scarf because of the appearance of hair.
