Kiddush in the Presence of Women's Hair

A Married Woman’s Hair-covering and Kiddush 

 

The halachah is that a man may not make a brachah, recite Kriy’as Shema, daven, or learn Torah in the presence of a married Jewish woman whose hair is not entirely covered. (The halachah is the same if the woman is a widow or a divorcee, but not if she has never been married, or if she is not Jewish.) Even in communities where people are lenient and are mezalzel (treat lightly) the mitzvah of fully covering a married woman’s hair, nevertheless, a man may not say brachos, tefilos, or learn Torah in such a situation. So how is a man to make Kiddush if there is a female guest at the Shabbos or Yom Tov table whose hair is not completely covered? The halachah is that he should either face a different direction, hold up his siddur to block his view, or close his eyes—the last of these options being the least preferred. #335⁠

https://halacha2go.com?number=335

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.