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Are there any types of acceptable tatoos in Judaism?

HiddenDjinn

HiddenDjinn

Well-Known Member
It's My Birthday!
JacobEzra said:
When I was younger (14), I hung out with old punk rockers. Well they got their hands on a tattoo gun and so when I was drubk they talked me into getting a tattoo. It looks horrible, but the worst part is that its an antiswaztika. Which brings shame upon me everyday.

I wish to get it off. And I don't have the money for the laser treatment, nor thhe tolerance to cut it off.

So would a tatoo to cover it up, be permissable?
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I know of a product called "wrecking balm" that fades out tattoos over a period of weeks, and it costs less than laser surgery. Maybe use that if you wish?
 
Y

yochai50

Member
Actually, medical tattooing is permissible in most cases. If it's a case of pikuach nefesh (saving a life), it would actually be a mitzvah to get a tattoo. Other than that, no. There are absolutely no forms of tattooing which are permitted. I think it says in the Talmud one of the reasons for the prohibition of tattoos is because it was an idolatrous practice of many. It's also chukas hagoyim (a way or custom of the non Jews), so we do not follow these practices in any form. That alone is reason to prohibit it considering tattoos are no longer (for the most part anyways) an idolatrous practice in and of itself anymore. Although regardless of it being chukas hagoyim, since it is an explicit prohibition mentioned clearly in the Torah it is forbidden - regardless of legalistic rationalization.
 
JacobEzra.

JacobEzra.

Dr. Greenthumb
Levite said:
Personally, I would think so. Better something minorly inconvenient than something that brings you discomfort and grief.
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That is what I was thinking. Ima look up the balm that Yosi mentioned. If it doesn't work, ill just get it covered up with black ink. Which will be good I guess until I have the money for the treatmentn
 
HiddenDjinn

HiddenDjinn

Well-Known Member
It's My Birthday!
Yeah, one could get creative covering it, if necessary. I personally doubt anyone would prepare your body further for a Jewish funeral if they found what appears to be a swastika.
 
Y

yochai50

Member
JacobEzra said:
When I was younger (14), I hung out with old punk rockers. Well they got their hands on a tattoo gun and so when I was drubk they talked me into getting a tattoo. It looks horrible, but the worst part is that its an antiswaztika. Which brings shame upon me everyday.

I wish to get it off. And I don't have the money for the laser treatment, nor thhe tolerance to cut it off.

So would a tatoo to cover it up, be permissable?
Click to expand...

Also, it might be a problem to remove it as well. I'm not 100% sure about that one. But I think it is a problem. I know a lot of holocaust survivors who kept yiddeshkeit would not get their tattoos removed. It is also a problem to hurt yourself regardless of visual implications. The prohibition of having a tattoo actually only applies when you are getting tattooed, not after you've done it. Once you've done it's just a mark on your skin. The prohibition is the act of tattooing itself.

In your situation though... I'll put it this way - I don't think anyonebody will hold it against you to get it removed lol. Even charedim. But that doesn't mean it's a hetter (permission to do it) in terms of what halacha says, lol. Seriously, you should ask a competent local orthodox rabbi. You probably could find some kind of hetter to remove it.
 
HiddenDjinn

HiddenDjinn

Well-Known Member
It's My Birthday!
yochai50 said:
Also, it might be a problem to remove it as well. I'm not 100% sure about that one. But I think it is a problem. I know a lot of holocaust survivors who kept yiddeshkeit would not get their tattoos removed. It is also a problem to hurt yourself regardless of visual implications. The prohibition of having a tattoo actually only applies when you are getting tattooed, not after you've done it. Once you've done it's just a mark on your skin. The prohibition is the act of tattooing itself.

In your situation though... I'll put it this way - I don't think anyonebody will hold it against you to get it removed lol. Even charedim. But that doesn't mean it's a hetter (permission to do it) in terms of what halacha says, lol. Seriously, you should ask a competent local orthodox rabbi. You probably could find some kind of hetter to remove it.
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That's kinda why I recommended the balm. It isn't a surgery, it doesn't wound, it only attacks the pigment in the skin.
 
JacobEzra.

JacobEzra.

Dr. Greenthumb
I am to ashamed. I absolutly fear a Rabbi or anyother Jew seeing it. It already pains me enough, I could do without the humiliation and magnified shame that would come with fellow jews outside my family seeing it.

Only reason I can admit having such a shameful image on myself here on the forum, is because I am pretty sure I will never meet any of you face to face
 
JacobEzra.

JacobEzra.

Dr. Greenthumb
Also Yochai, after admitting the amount of shame I feel, I don't think its a laughing matter. All your little "lol"s are not necessary, nor is your rubbing it in my face, with the burial snip. Its not a joke.
 
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HiddenDjinn

HiddenDjinn

Well-Known Member
It's My Birthday!
JacobEzra said:
I am to ashamed. I absolutly fear a Rabbi or anyother Jew seeing it. It already pains me enough, I could do without the humiliation and magnified shame that would come with fellow jews outside my family seeing it.

Only reason I can admit having such a shameful image on myself here on the forum, is because I am pretty sure I will never meet any of you face to face
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That's what YOU think...
sym56.gif
:D
 
Dena

Dena

Active Member
If it's something over top of a swastika I would assume people know what it means, if they saw it? Is it like a circle with a line through it on top of a swastika? It's just my personal opinion of course but I don't think you should feel shame about it. Cover it up if you'd like, I totally understand but I would not think bad things about you if I saw it.
 
JacobEzra.

JacobEzra.

Dr. Greenthumb
Dena said:
If it's something over top of a swastika I would assume people know what it means, if they saw it? Is it like a circle with a line through it on top of a swastika? It's just my personal opinion of course but I don't think you should feel shame about it. Cover it up if you'd like, I totally understand but I would not think bad things about you if I saw it.
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Yes its an anti swaztika. Like from the Dead Kenedys single, nazi punk **** off.

Its shameful because its still a swaztika.
 
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