I heard and read in some places that there is an exception to lo yilbash; that being practical usage/practice. Shaving pubic hair helps lower sweating, risk of fungal infection, chafing, etc.; in other words, if it’s practical for a man to do so, may he?
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1sefaria.org/…– Salmononius2Commented Aug 10, 2022 at 1:52
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1This question would be more compelling if it would include a description of what "lo yilbash" means and why that may apply to the case at hand in the first place.– Isaac Moses ♦Commented Aug 14, 2022 at 13:41
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1 Answer
This shouldn't have anything to do with practicality (it is immensely practical for women to wear pants). In any case, because it is common for men to shave pubic hair this wouldn't be an issue (unless one wants to be a "chaver"). See שו"ע יו"ד סימן קפ"ב סעיף ב
דברים האסורים משום לא ילבש גבר שמלת אשה. ובו ו' סעיפים: המעביר שער אבית השחי ובית הערוה אפילו במספרים כעין תער היו מכין אותו מכת מרדות בד"א במקום שאין מעבירין אותו אלא נשים כדי שלא יתקן עצמו תיקון נשים אבל במקום שמעבירין אותו גם האנשים אם העביר אין מכין אותו: הגה ואפילו לכתחילה שרי (ר"ן פ"ב דעבודת כוכבים) רק החברים נמנעים בכ"מ (שם ובב"י בשם נ"י) (וע"ל סימן קנ"ו): ומותר להעביר שער ב(שאר) אברים במספרים בכל מקום :
One who removes the hair of the armpit or pubic area, even with scissors in a similar manner to a razor (i.e. close to the skin) receives lashes of rebellion. About what were these words said? In a place where only women remove it, so that he should not improve himself as women do. In a place where men, too, do so, however, if he does so they do not beat him. (Rama: Even initially this is permitted (Ran in Avodah Zarah). Only exceptionally scrupulous people refrain in all places (ibid and in Beis Yosef in the name of the Nimukei Yosef). See above Siman 156.) It is permitted to remove the hair of other limbs with scissors in any place.
The kitzur Shulchan Aruch (171:2) allows removal if one has צער, although it is not clear in which manner he allows the removal. (Thank you @salmononius2)
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3Indeed poskim write clearly that women can wear pants because it is practical. The classic example of practical is wearing an opposite gender raincoat in the rain– Double AA ♦Commented Aug 10, 2022 at 4:33
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@doubleAA i was unaware of that. Would you be able to share some sources so I can look it up?– YoreinuCommented Aug 10, 2022 at 16:33
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1If I remember correctly R Ovadia's teshuva about women and pants spends a lot of time on this issue. YD 6:14 if I'm not mistaken. Obviously he brings ALL the sources– Double AA ♦Commented Aug 10, 2022 at 18:05