Kehillah in Corinth I 11:14

14 Does not teva (nature) itself give you the shiur (lesson) that if a ben Adam wears a long hair-do of a lady’s coiffure, it is a dishonor to him?

Kehillah in Corinth I 11:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:14

Doth not even nature itself teach you
By nature is either meant, the law and light of nature, reason in man, common sense, or rather custom, which is second nature; and which, in this case, must be restrained to the Greeks and Jews; for though among the Grecians the men cut their hair, and did not suffer it to grow long, as also did the Jews, yet there were many nations F11 who did not, even at that time, observe such a rule or custom; but as the Jews and Greeks were the persons chiefly, if not solely, known to the Corinthians, the apostle signifies, that the usages of these people might direct and inform them in this matter:

that if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him;
he looks unmanly and womanish, and exposes himself to ridicule and contempt.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Alex. ab. Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 5. c. 18. Servius in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 10. prope finem.

Kehillah in Corinth I 11:14 In-Context

12 For just as the Isha comes out of Adam (Man) [BERESHIS 2:21-23], so also the ben Adam (Man) comes through the Isha [Gn 3:15-16] but all things are of Hashem [BERESHIS 1:1; TEHILLIM 24:1; 50:12; 89:11].
13 You yourselves be the dayan (judge): is it fitting for an isha to offer tefillos to Hashem [in shul] begile rosh (with head uncovered)?
14 Does not teva (nature) itself give you the shiur (lesson) that if a ben Adam wears a long hair-do of a lady’s coiffure, it is a dishonor to him?
15 But if an isha wears a long hairdo of a lady’s coiffure, it is her kavod (SHIR HASHIRIM 4:1)? Because the long hair has been given to her instead of the sterntichel (kerchief) or kesut rosh (head covering).
16 But if anyone presumes in his thinking to be contentious, we have no such minhag, nor do the kehillot of Hashem [throughout the world].
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.