Hair and Beards

[garrett]

Hi Everyone,

I know this topic isn't a sizzler but what's your take on the cutting of hair and the beard for men?

Being jewish, I started to take this topic seriously many years ago, as I became more involved with . And jew or non-jew, male believers are of the same tree these days, which is pretty cool.

When summer rolls around I cut my hair shorter and shorter because of the heat. I use clippers to cut it. But I'm mindful not to cut all my hair from the temple area, in front of my ears. And I have kept a clean, somewhat short beard for years. I can't imagine not having a beard anymore. I've had one for so long.

Guys, what is your take on this subject?

P.S. Do you wear tzitzit every single day? And a yarmulke every single day?

May G-d bless you - garrett

[alon]

Jun 16, 2019 16:17:25 GMT -8 garrett said:

Hi Everyone,

I know this topic isn't a sizzler but what's your take on the cutting of hair and the beard for men?

Being jewish, I started to take this topic seriously many years ago, as I became more involved with . And jew or non-jew, male believers are of the same tree these days, which is pretty cool.

When summer rolls around I cut my hair shorter and shorter because of the heat. I use clippers to cut it. But I'm mindful not to cut all my hair from the temple area, in front of my ears. And I have kept a clean, somewhat short beard for years. I can't imagine not having a beard anymore. I've had one for so long.

Guys, what is your take on this subject?

P.S. Do you wear tzitzit every single day? And a yarmulke every single day?

May G-d bless you - garrett

Yes, we cut or hair, and usually shorter in the heat. We also trim beards, and they are shorter as well as weather heats up. 

We do not however wear peyot (peyas). That practice comes from Zohar, which we hold to be Jewish mysticism- pagan. The commandment is from:

Leviticus 19:27 Young's Literal Translation (YLT) `Ye do not round the corner of your head, nor destroy the corner of thy beard.

נָקַף nâqaph; to strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of attack) to knock together, i.e. surround or circulate:—compass (about, -ing), cut down, destroy, go round (about), inclose, round.

שָׁחַת shâchath; to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively):—batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, × utterly, waste(-r).

פֵּאָה pêʼâh; properly, mouth in a figurative sense, i.e. direction, region, extremity:—corner, end, quarter, side.

The meaning is a little obscure there. Strictly speaking you could interpret that to mean just let it all grow. However we know men did cut their hair in biblical times. One taking a Nazarite vow had to let it grow out, an command that would be pointless if men were to have to do that anyhow. And Rav Shaul wrote:

1 Corinthians 11:14 (YLT)  doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man indeed have long hair, a dishonour it is to him?

So I'd say ut your hair short (I do), including sideburns and beard. Just don't shave your hair or beard unless for medical reasons:

Leviticus 21:5  (YLT)  they do not make baldness on their head, and the corner of their beard they do not shave, and in their flesh they do not make a cutting;

I wear tzitziyot every time I get dressed. And I wear them out except in a very few circumstances. I prefer a tallit katan, however when I am working and may be in close proximiy to power equipment I wear them on keepers on my belt which are designed to break away if one gets caught up in the machinery. And that has happened. 

I do not always wear a kippah. I do almost always have a hat on though. Wearing kippot is a custom, not a commandment, so I wear it for synagogue functions but not as a daily article of clothing.

That's my understanding; others may see it different.

Dan C

[jimmie]

2 Samuel 10:5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

Though we are not told, I suspect it didn't take years for the beards to get long enough.


2 Samuel 19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

Don't think Mephibosheth had to go to long without trimming his beard. The rebellion was short lived.


2 Samuel 14:26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

There is speculation that Absalom's long hair is how his head become in-tangled in the tree branches.

Ezekiel 44:20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.