African Beauty

[angryChineseKahanist]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2608843/Incredible-images-capture-Ethiopian-Suri-tribe-girls-lip-plates-implanted-puberty-sign-beauty.html

[Zelhar]

Do they want their women to be so repulsive that nobody out of the tribe would ever think of taking one?

[nessuno]

Yet, young people like to emulate this behavior.
(disturbing images!  At least they disturb me)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Young_woman_with_stretched_ear_piercing.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4R1YTsjaAnk/S65eiRvnvMI/AAAAAAAAFi4/YrcLds2HGcg/s1600/031403k.jpg
Huge tattoos, body piercings, studs stuck in faces, and big droopy ear lobes.
Next, I expect to see people with plates in their lips walking around.

[Rubystars]

It makes me feel sad/disgusted when I see people with their ears stretched out like that.

[IsraelForever]

This must prove the statement that "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." 

It also proves that people can be total idiots!

[Havok]

I have no problem with people having stretched earlobes just not like the size of a coke can.  The earlobes close slowly when it's not being stretched open

[Every Jew AK47]

I thought this thread was going to be about her... Miss Israel 2013



I find Ethiopian girls quite attractive, especially Ethiopian Jewish girls..  Some have a resemblance to Yemenite girls..

The girl you posted in the picture is clearly from a remote tribe in Southern Ethiopia. There are plenty of funky looking people from various continents who wear such strange attire or have bizarre modifications, including Asia.  A majority of Ethiopian women do not look like that or have giant lip plates inserted into their mouths, just like a majority of Asian women do not have stretched out necks.

[Zelhar]

True enough.

I thought this thread was going to be about her... Miss Israel 2013



I find Ethiopian girls quite attractive, especially Ethiopian Jewish girls..  Some have a resemblance to Yemenite girls..

The girl you posted in the picture is clearly from a remote tribe in Southern Ethiopia. There are plenty of funky looking people from various continents who wear such strange attire or have bizarre modifications, including Asia.  A majority of Ethiopian women do not look like that or have giant lip plates inserted into their mouths, just like a majority of Asian women do not have stretched out necks.

[nessuno]

I have no problem with people having stretched earlobes just not like the size of a coke can.  The earlobes close slowly when it's not being stretched open

I guess.  If you don't go too far or wear them too long.  I think it looks primitive.

[TruthSpreader]

Aren't their lips big enough already?

[drlmg]

Is it wrong to say that is ignorant?

However, the "lady" in the first picture had a pretty good idea. It appears she has placed an ashtray in her lip to catch ashes so as not to get her dirt/mud floor  dirty when they fall. It is hard enough sweeping up all the feces, lice, and chunks of excised genitals from the female genital mutilation. The five bumps there are actually notches to hold up to four cigarettes.

[drlmg]

Is it wrong to say that is ignorant?

However, the "lady" in the first picture had a pretty good idea. It appears she has placed an ashtray in her lip to catch ashes so as not to get her dirt/mud floor  dirty when they fall. It is hard enough sweeping up all the feces, lice, and chunks of excised genitals from the female genital mutilation. The five bumps there are actually notches to hold up to four cigarettes.

Did I go too far with the last post? Let me know if I should tone it down.

[Rubystars]

When people in these cultures do body modification, it is an expression of something very human. Humans are the ones that have the capacity to do art. One of the earliest forms of art was modification of the human body.

In some cases this can be very abusive as in FGM or scarification rituals of young children, but in a lot of cases what we may view as ugly is meant to beautify the body in these cultures and is an expression of growing up or reaching certain life stages. Many of these traditions exist in societies without literacy. Someone from a jungle tribe might receive a tattoo signifying that they have reached manhood, or achieved a goal such as killing a member of a rival tribe, or became the chief of the clan. There are no records or documents so these markings are the equivalent of wearing a uniform or having a job contract. In a society where people have darker skin raised bumps from scarification can serve the same purpose as a tattoo in a lighter skinned culture.

What makes these practices particularly disgusting in Western culture is not only are they redundant (we have writing and other more efficient means of communication). They are out of place. A person with stretched out ears or lip in our society isn't communicating anything except that they want to be rebellious whereas in the originating society it was the opposite of rebellion.

[Zelhar]

I see a pattern that runs along many human societies of crippling women for a supposed "beautification" procedure. Western women aren't completely excluded either but at least they have they choice if they want to enlarge their breasts or wear stiletto hills etc.

[muman613]

Jews are forbidden from this kind of thing.

We cannot tattoo (which is in this weeks portion), or cut our bodies (as many ancient people did). A man cannot pierce his nose or ears (but women can)...

Here a person asked a rabbi about this:

http://ohr.edu/1474

From: Steve in Boston, MA

Dear Rabbi,

I have a tattoo and I heard recently that the rabbis said it’s wrong and that I couldn’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery. I started asking around and heard it’s just as bad to have the tattoo removed because it damages the body. I’m confused about all this, please help.

Dear Steve,

Not only did the rabbis say it’s wrong to get tattooed, it’s explicitly forbidden in the Torah: "You shall not print any marks in your flesh, I am G-d" (Leviticus 19:28). Our Sages explained that this is referring to the scratching of the skin and applying ink so the writing is permanent. Even though today's methods of tatooing are more sophisticated than in days of old, the process remains basically the same. According to the Rambam (Maimonides), the reason for the prohibition is because it resembles the practices of idol worshippers.

However, even though getting a "decorative" tattoo is considered a sin for a Jew, it doesn't disqualify one from being buried in a Jewish cemetery. This seems to be a widespread misconception, and many people have asked us this question. Unfortunately, there are many things that Jews do against the Torah either willingly or unintentionally, but that doesn’t prevent them from a Jewish burial. Tattooing is one of them.

Regarding having the tattoo removed, the Torah prohibition of tattooing only forbids scratching one’s skin to fill it with ink, not scratching in order to remove the ink. There is, however, a separate Torah prohibition against inflicting a wound upon oneself (Deuteronomy 25:3). Would the "wounding" and painful skin-grafting involved in removing a tattoo forbid it?

Someone once asked Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, of blessed memory, about a young woman who wanted to increase her marriage prospects by undergoing cosmetic surgery. He permitted it for the following reasons:

The Rambam writes: "A person is forbidden to inflict a wound, whether upon himself or upon others. And even…hitting someone in a hostile or insulting way…transgresses a Torah prohibition." From here we learn that the prohibition applies only when intended to damage a person, but not when it’s for his benefit. Similarly, the Talmud relates how one of the Sages lifted up his cloak when walking through thorns. "Skin heals, clothes don't," explained the Sage. Even though he was scratching his skin, it wasn't done in a hostile or degrading manner, but rather in order to protect his belongings. In addition, the mitzvah to "Love your neighbor as yourself" would allow someone to wound another, with his consent and for his benefit, as in a medical procedure.

Since the cosmetic surgery is for the woman's benefit and is done with her consent, it’s permitted. Likewise, a person may remove a tattoo, providing that the procedure is done by a recognized and qualified expert.

Rabbi Chanoch Teller relates the story of a young man from a non-religious upbringing who returned to traditional observance of Judaism. Remaining from his former lifestyle was a not-so-modest tattoo that he carefully kept hidden under his shirtsleeves. Before Yom Kippur, this young man went to the mikveh, the ritual bath, as is the custom. He embarrassingly tried to hide his tattoo, but slipped on the wet floor, revealing his mark of embarrassment to all. Utter silence, everyone staring at the sight, he couldn’t find the strength to get up. Then, an elderly Jew approached him: "Don't be embarrassed," said the old man, lowering his arm to help him up. "I also have a tattoo," as he pointed to the numbers tattooed by the Nazis on his forearm.

Sources:

Maccot 21a
Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 180:1
Rambam, Idol Worship 12:11.Rashi in Maccot says the reason for the prohibition is a "gezerat hakatuv", simply because G-d said so.
Iggrot Moshe, Choshen Mishpat 2:66
Rambam, Hilchot Chovel U'Mazik 5:1
Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, shlita, was asked specifically about removing a tattoo and he permitted it.
Rabbi Chanoch Teller, It’s A Small Word After All

PS: I actually heard Rabbi Chanoch Teller tell that story in a video I saw last week.

[muman613]

Devarim/Leviticus 19

17. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a sin on his account.
.
.
.
28. You shall not make cuts in your flesh for a person [who died]. You shall not etch a tattoo on yourselves. I am the Lord.

[Binyamin Yisrael]

That body desecration is common in Kenya. I remember they brought in a Kenyan Masai warrior in high school and he had stretched out ears and he was saying "It's different but it's okay.".

[Havok]

That body desecration is common in Kenya. I remember they brought in a Kenyan Masai warrior in high school and he had stretched out ears and he was saying "It's different but it's okay.".

What you view as body desecration is viewed as being normal to them so who are we to judge them. They are not hurting us

[Binyamin Yisrael]

What you view as body desecration is viewed as being normal to them so who are we to judge them. They are not hurting us

I say the same about Indians and nose earrings. In their culture it's normal, but if Westerners have nose earrings, it's savagery.