[blue]Reprinted from The Hakhel Community Awareness Bulletin, Volume II, Number 2 (Teves/Shevat 5762) [/blue]
A poor man once came to R' Shmelke of Nikolsberg and begged for a donation. R' Shmelka could not find even a groshen to give him. Looking about frantically, he found his wife's gold ring and without hesitation, give it to the pauper.
When R' Shmelk's wife came home, he told her what had transpired. His wife exclaimed, 'Oh, no! That poor man has no idea how much that ring is worth. He may sell it for much less than its true worth.'
R' Shmelka and his wife chased after the man and finally, after a long search, located him and told him the price of the ring.
The following Friday night, R' Shmelke related the incident to his Chassidim. He continued, 'This is what Hashem meant when he told Moshe Rabbeinu to tell the Jews about the precious gift of Shabbos. Moshe Rabbeinu was to convey to them the fact that Shabbos is priceless, that it is a day of limitless spiritual potential. Otherwise, they might trade it away for nothing more than a piece of kugel.'
------- BRUSHING OR COMBING HAIR ON SHABBOS
In _The Shabbos Home_, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, Shlita is posek:
It is absolutely forbidden to brush or comb one's hair or beard on Shabbos with a brush or comb that has hard bristles. This applies equally to men and women. Since all people have some loose hair or some knotted hair, brushing or combing with a hard bristled implement inevitably pulls out some hair, in violation of the melacha of shearing. It is permitted, however, to straighten out hair with ones fingers.
Rabbi Cohen , Shlita, provides three conditions under which a specifically designated Shabbos brush with very soft bristles may be used in a limited manner on Shabbos (ibid, page 163). We urge you to study these conditions, and, if necessary, review them with your Rav.
Based upon the foregoing, hair brushes and combs are muktzeh and should be put away before Shabbos. Of course, all of the same prohibitions as to brushing and combing would apply to children, as well.
--------------- Reprinted from The Hakhel Community Awareness Bulletin, Volume II, Number 2 (Teves/Shevat 5762)
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