Hair cutting for boys

[Dr. Dan]

At what minimum age can Jewish boys get their first haircut halakhically?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

At what minimum age can Jewish boys get their first haircut halakhically?

Is there a halachik restriction on this?   If anyone here claims so, please cite your source.  Thanks in advance.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

At what minimum age can Jewish boys get their first haircut halakhically?

 Don't think its a Halacha. Their are different customs though. Some (like I know Bukharians used to at least) do it at 1 years old. Others do it at 3 years of age. Or at 3 years old and on Lag BOmer (or Lad BOmer) (33rd or 34th).

[muman613]

At what minimum age can Jewish boys get their first haircut halakhically?

As others have said, it is not a Halacha, rather a custom of Chabad and other Chassidic Jewish groups to cut the boys hair at age 3...

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/710724/jewish/The-Basics-of-the-Upsherin.htm

The Basics of the Upsherin
A Boy's First Haircut


A child’s third birthday signals a major transition in his or her education. For the first three years of life, a child absorbs the surrounding sights and sounds and the parents’ loving care. The child is a receiver, not yet ready to give. At the age of three, children’s education takes a leap—they are now ready to produce and share their unique gifts.

For a Jewish boy, this transition is marked with a ceremony. It is an age-old custom to allow a boy’s hair to grow untouched until he’s three years old. On his third Jewish birthday, friends are invited to a haircutting ceremony—called an upsherin in Yiddish, and a chalakah by Sephardic Jews. The child’s peyot (biblically mandated side-locks) are left intact—the initiation into his first mitzvah.

From this point on, a child is taught to wear a kipah and tzitzit, and is slowly trained to recite blessings and the Shema. The world now begins to benefit from the Torah study and mitzvot of this young child.

The Venue:

An upsherin is traditionally a modest event, usually held at home or in a local synagogue. Light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres are the standard fare.

Many celebrate their child’s upsherin at the gravesite of a tzaddik (holy individual). In Israel, many make upsherins in Meron, at the burial site of Rabbi Shimon, author of the Zohar.

The Ceremony:

The lad is dressed in tzitzit and kipah, and all attending take their turn at cutting a snippet of hair. The honor of cutting the first lock is often reserved for the rabbi or a kohen (priest).

As always, a Jewish function is graced with some words of Torah.

Note:

There are many days on the calendar when haircutting is forbidden or discouraged. If the third birthday falls on one of these days, the upsherin is postponed until the first possible permitted opportunity. As such, speak to your rabbi before scheduling your son’s upsherin.

[ChabadKahanist]

Not only Chabad & other chasidim but some Eidot HaMizrach as well.
Skverer & other offshoots of Tchernobel chasidus do it at 2.

[Zelhar]

It's not halacha just customary and I don't think it is a good practice if you live in an area that is mostly non Jews and secular Jews.

[ChabadKahanist]

It's not halacha just customary and I don't think it is a good practice if you live in an area that is mostly non Jews and secular Jews.

IMHO,All the more reason to do it.

[Dr. Dan]

Thanks guys. So to sum it up, it is simply a custom and can be done anytime. However at the age of as long as it isn't on the omer, it's the most symbolic.

Don't care what non Jews think and if they think it's weird. Believe me, it's already a chilul Hashem to live in the galut and be comfortable there.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Thanks guys. So to sum it up, it is simply a custom and can be done anytime. However at the age of as long as it isn't on the omer, it's the most symbolic.

Don't care what non Jews think and if they think it's weird. Believe me, it's already a chilul Hashem to live in the galut and be comfortable there.

 Yea except IMO, their isn't really anything much to do with "the omer". By omer I understand what you mean. Really the omer is the korban and today at least its the counting of the omer. At the same time their are those who refrain from haircuts during this time (different customs as well- some till Shavuot, others till Lag or Lad Beomer (33rd or 34th) and other starting AFTER the joyous month of Nissan passes.

 Also about the 3 years. Its because and connected to trees and not eating the fruit from it during the first 3 years.

[Dr. Dan]

Yea except IMO, their isn't really anything much to do with "the omer". By omer I understand what you mean. Really the omer is the korban and today at least its the counting of the omer. At the same time their are those who refrain from haircuts during this time (different customs as well- some till Shavuot, others till Lag or Lad Beomer (33rd or 34th) and other starting AFTER the joyous month of Nissan passes.

 Also about the 3 years. Its because and connected to trees and not eating the fruit from it during the first 3 years.

Yes this is true too