Don’t Be Weird Grow A Beard!!!

[Sefardic Panther]

The Torah says that all Jewish men must grow a beard and payoth. And of course all the greatest Rabbis have beards and payoth.

I don’t like the modern practice of some religious Jewish men using the electric shaver as a loophole for shaving.

The only people who do not have beards are boys and women.

In America do men with beards always get strip searched at airports? Is having a beard problematic for that reason?

[muman613]

Funny you should ask...

The only time I was hassled at the airport was about six years ago... I was pulled aside because I had shaven my beard and my driver license ID showed me wearing my beard... I have not flown since then and I prefer not to fly....

I have let my beard grow for many years, and started keeping my peyot for about four years now...

[Sefardic Panther]

Mazel tov for growing a beard and payoth!!

B’ezrath Hashem more baalei teshuva will follow your example and distance themselves from gentile style and culture.

With payoth its kind of hard to hide being Jewish. Have you ever faced discrimination in the workplace? Take legal action if you do. If the blacks and the homosexuals can do it so should we!!!

One of the best things about living in Israel is that it’s the only country in the world where you can be openly Jewish and people will not make you ashamed of it.

[muman613]

Mazel tov for growing a beard and payoth!!

B’ezrath Hashem more baalei teshuva will follow your example and distance themselves from gentile style and culture.

With payoth its kind of hard to hide being Jewish. Have you ever faced discrimination in the workplace? Take legal action if you do. If the blacks and the homosexuals can do it so should we!!!

One of the best things about living in Israel is that it’s the only country in the world where you can be openly Jewish and people will not make you ashamed of it.

Shalom SP,

I am not a Jew who is afraid of being called a Jew. To me it is a badge of honor and I am PROUD to be Jewish. I wear Kippah and Tzit-Tzits to work here and I have never seen any antisemitism here. We have an international work force including three Israelis and our company recently aquired a high-tech company in Tel Aviv.

I have heard it said that the goyim respect religious Jews more than they do self-haters... I think this may be a factor in why I have never seen anyone call me any derogatory name or prevent me from succeeding here at work. I am grateful to work with such a wide variety of people and they all seem to accept my Jewish image, and my Jewish neshamah.

[Sefardic Panther]

I’m happy that you are never discriminated against. I think this is evidence that when Jews do what Hashem wants antisemitism never arises. Antisemitism only occurs when Hashem punishes Jews for not following the Torah.

[muman613]

I’m happy that you are never discriminated against. I think this is evidence that when Jews do what Hashem wants antisemitism never arises. Antisemitism only occurs when Hashem punishes Jews for not following the Torah.

This has worked for me but it is not a universal rule. I believe there were Jews in Germany who were very, very Kadosh/Holy and they still suffered at the hands of the cruel Nazi monsters... But there is some truth to the idea that Hashem expects us to act like Jews, and when we do we get the rewards which he promised.... Of course when we dont we get the curses...

[Sefardic Panther]

An explanation I got for why religious Jews suffered in the Shoah was that when judgement strikes a city the good as well as the wicked suffer. If there is a war and the enemy city gets bombed some good people die too. Avraham Avinu wanted Sodom and Gomorrah to be spared for the sake of 10 righteous men.

We should not let the Shoah be an excuse for Jews to become hiloni.

[The One and Only Mo]

The Torah says that all Jewish men must grow a beard and payoth. And of course all the greatest Rabbis have beards and payoth.

I don’t like the modern practice of some religious Jewish men using the electric shaver as a loophole for shaving.

The only people who do not have beards are boys and women.

In America do men with beards always get strip searched at airports? Is having a beard problematic for that reason?

You know, some women have facial hair.

[Moshe92]

I'm 17, and I don't have enough facial hair to grow a full beard so I just shave. Maybe I'll grow a beard when I'm older and I have more facial hair.

[Sefardic Panther]

You know, some women have facial hair.

The only woman I know with facial hair is the bearded woman at the circus. I went out on a date with her. No I did’nt only joking.

[Sefardic Panther]

Payoth are most common with the Hasidim (particularly the Breslevers and Satmar) and the Temani. The fact that the Temani have payoth is evidence that this is a hairstyle that goes back to the time of the first Beith HaMiqdash. Remember the Temani have lived in isolation in the Arabian peninsula since those times.

Here is a recent picture of the guests at a Jewish wedding in Yemen -



The 2 fellows without payoth are muslims.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

The Torah says that all Jewish men must grow a beard and payoth. And of course all the greatest Rabbis have beards and payoth.

I don’t like the modern practice of some religious Jewish men using the electric shaver as a loophole for shaving.

The only people who do not have beards are boys and women.

In America do men with beards always get strip searched at airports? Is having a beard problematic for that reason?

Payoth?  It seems that halachically any small sideburns suffice for that.    Nowhere does it say you have to grow them like chassidim do, although those are good too.

As to beards and payoth, you need to realize what kind of site you are on, and it would be much more important to get some people here to experience a wonderful Shabbath and start to celebrate Shabbath and to eat kosher, and put on tefillin.    Something like a beard and payoth is external and is something that one cannot be expected to do or to even consider if they don't have foundations in Judaism first.   There are many Jews on this site who don't keep basic misswoth.   The "joy" of sporting a beard is not going to prompt them to love of Hashem, passion for Torah and keeping other misswoth.   The joy of a Shabbath experience can do that.    Being a Jew is not limited to dressing or appearing a certain way.

You don't like that modern orthodox and some haredim shave their beards with electric razors.   Kol HaKavod.  This seems like a silly thread to make.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Payoth are most common with the Hasidim (particularly the Breslevers and Satmar) and the Temani. The fact that the Temani have payoth is evidence that this is a hairstyle that goes back to the time of the first Beith HaMiqdash.

Not so fast.   There is documented evidence that gentile kings of Yemen forced Jews to wear sidelocks to outwardly distinguish them from Muslims and so everyone will know they are Jewish by looking at them.   That is why they called them "Simanim" (signs).    It is not necessarily something they got from the Torah.

The chassidish payoth were also not a custom in Europe, rather an innovation of the chassidim.    Not that I'm against long payoth, but let's keep to the facts.

[Sefardic Panther]

The "joy" of sporting a beard is not going to prompt them to love of Hashem, passion for Torah and keeping other misswoth.  

This seems like a silly thread to make.

My point is with a beard and payoth we can distance ourselves from goy culture and identify with Gedolim like the Ben Ish Hai and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Are there any clean shaven Gedolim we can identify with?

There is documented evidence that gentile kings of Yemen forced Jews to wear sidelocks to outwardly distinguish them from Muslims and so everyone will know they are Jewish by looking at them.   That is why they called them "Simanim" (signs).    It is not necessarily something they got from the Torah.

Are you sure about that?

The Torah says Samson had 7 locks of hair. I bet those locks were more like payoth than the dread locks sported by rasta masters.

[muman613]

As you may know, I associate with Breslov Chassidim because it is where my family came from...

[The One and Only Mo]

I have a beard, usually do, although I'm trying something Amish now, lol, where I shaved off my mustache.

[Sefardic Panther]

Rabbi Yosef Haim (the Ben Ish Hai) –



The Lubavitcher Rebbe –



The Rabbi in the movie Pi (I don’t know if that beard was real or not but I wish my beard was like that. I think the Midrashim said that Nimrod’s beard was 4 feet long) –



I would post a picture of my own beard but it is not much to boast about. Its frizzy and will only grow at the edge of my face and my moustache is thin and whispy.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

The "joy" of sporting a beard is not going to prompt them to love of Hashem, passion for Torah and keeping other misswoth.  

This seems like a silly thread to make.

My point is with a beard and payoth we can distance ourselves from goy culture and identify with Gedolim like the Ben Ish Hai and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Are there any clean shaven Gedolim we can identify with?

There is documented evidence that gentile kings of Yemen forced Jews to wear sidelocks to outwardly distinguish them from Muslims and so everyone will know they are Jewish by looking at them.   That is why they called them "Simanim" (signs).    It is not necessarily something they got from the Torah.

Are you sure about that? 

Yes.  I am sure that I read that, but I would have to look it up to bring a source, or at very least ask my Teymani friend, but the truth is, he himself may not know.

The Torah says Samson had 7 locks of hair. I bet those locks were more like payoth than the dread locks sported by rasta masters.

Last I checked, payoth are only in 2 places.  It is always just one pair of payoth.   That is really a weak way to bring proof as that is no proof at all.  Samson had long hair, and that refers to the hair on his head.    You cannot tell me that 3.2 locks were in the back, 1.8 locks in the front, plus 2 payoth.   This is just strange speculation.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Look, it's nice to have a beard but one can also be well groomed and trimmed.  That was the shita of the Slobodka yeshiva, to be presentable and professional looking, neat and trim, ironed shirt, etc.  And today's "Hevron yeshiva" is known for its talmidim being rather clean cut, as it is technically the continuation of Slobodka.   

And like I said there are far more important matters and more impactful Jewish things that Jewish people can experience to cultivate a love of God and Torah.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

"The Alter" Rabbi Nosson Zvi Finkel surrounded by students in Hevron Yeshiva.

Also note the stylish bow-ties and non-black hats.  Impressive indeed.   (I'm not a hat expert so it may be those are similar styles to today just in different colors).

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

ROTFLMAO at the title. 

[Sefardic Panther]

I'v been doing some research on Samson and Toranic hairstyles so that isn't my final word on the subject.

There is documented evidence that gentile kings of Yemen forced Jews to wear sidelocks to outwardly distinguish them from Muslims and so everyone will know they are Jewish by looking at them.   That is why they called them "Simanim" (signs).    It is not necessarily something they got from the Torah.

The chassidish payoth were also not a custom in Europe, rather an innovation of the chassidim.    Not that I'm against long payoth, but let's keep to the facts.

Do you think its a coincidence that the Temani always had payoth and then the Hasidim on the opposite side of the world who never seen a Temani had the exact same style of payoth?

[pinoyjew]

i ave a beard now and i am keeping it for about 2 years now..thanks hashem
in the philippines its very diffucult to ave a beard but thank hashem again for helping me fulfill this great mitzvah.. soon a payoth

[Sefardic Panther]

I think Yosef HaTsadiq and Eliyahu HaNavi had payoth because its said that they curled their hair. Payoth must be curled so that they don’t mix with the beard hair. The head hair is Gevurah and the beard hair is Hesed so the 2 types of hair must never mix.

Can anyone confirm if its true that Esaw grew payoth to fool his father into thinking he was pious?

I think Bereishith 27:3 implies that Esaw had payoth. When Yitshaq sent Esaw out hunting he told him to take his bow and his teliekha. The word “teli” implies curled or dangling. A reference to Esaw’s payoth?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I think Yosef HaTsadiq and Eliyahu HaNavi had payoth because its said that they curled their hair. 

People also curl their regular hair because it is stylish.  And likely it was stylish for men back then too.

Payoth must be curled

Not necessarily.  Only according to certain people's definition of payoth, which they invented.  Any type of sideburn that is long enough to grasp with the fingertips (go with a #2 or higher, a #1 or a buzz cut probably is too short) is sufficient to be called "payoth" or in reality, to fit with the negative commandment that a person should not shave the corners of his head.  That is what the Torah speaks about.  A prohibition to shave the corners of the head (in the area of the so-called "payoth" but it is not termed that way).   If you have thin trimmed sideburns (and they don't have to go below the ear, either), you have successfully avoided this transgression.   What you are speaking about is a custom that developed later in Jewish history and is not necessary for a Jew to keep in order to be a practicing and kosher Jew.

so that they don’t mix with the beard hair. The head hair is Gevurah and the beard hair is Hesed so the 2 types of hair must never mix.

Interesting Kaballah, but the Vilna Gaon was also a kabbalist and had his own take on these matters, and he never said a person must have chassidic style curly-q's in order to avoid the transgression against shaving the corners of the head.   And non-Chassidic Orthodox did not have the "payoth" you describe (those of the chassidim).  Not that there's anything wrong with having them, but don't try to claim that this goes back to Sinai and that all Jews "MUST" keep them.  Because it doesn't and they don't.  There are far more important things and things that Jews really DO need to keep that they are not keeping.   So why all this fuss over something not necessary?   Anyway, it reflects poorly to suggest such things without basis in fact and claim that it's Torah-true.

I think Bereishith 27:3 implies that Esaw had payoth.

Sounds like you just made that up.

When Yitshaq sent Esaw out hunting he told him to take his bow and his teliekha. The word “teli” implies curled or dangling. A reference to Esaw’s payoth?

What?!