The Torah in parshat Kedoshim and parshat Emor records Hashem’s prohibition for men to destroy their facial hair and round the corners of their head—לֹא תַקִּפוּ, פְּאַת רֹאשְׁכֶם; וְלֹא תַשְׁחִית, אֵת פְּאַת זְקָנֶךָ. It is easy to implement this pasuk:
Question 1: How do we shave if the Torah forbids destroying facial hair?
Answer 1: The mishna in the third perek of Makkot states that the Torah only forbids using a razor to shave facial hair. By contrast, the Gemara permits cutting facial hair with scissors. All electric shavers operate like scissors and are, therefore, permissible, even though they leave a clean shave.
Question 2: Can we shave our peyot using an electric shaver?
Answer 2: The Torah forbids rounding the corners of our heads; therefore, we cannot leave any portion of the peyot completely cut. Since electric shavers leave a clean cut, they cannot be used on the peyot.
Question 3: How much hair must we leave on the peyot?
Answer 3: Baseline halacha requires leaving at least enough hair to be able to detect with your hand. A size half attachment is the lowest permitted. It is preferable to leave at least enough hair to fold over. Using a size two attachment achieves this goal.
Question 4: How low must the peyot extend?
Answer 4: Optimally, the peyot should extend to the bottom of “the bone” (the zygomatic arch). The peyot should at least reach on the bone. Some are strict and let their peyot go to the bottom of the ear cartilage or even to the bottom of the ear.
Question 5: How high must the peyot go?
The three main opinions appear in the diagram above—with the red lines being the halachic baseline, the yellow being more strict and the green being the most stringent.
Question 6: Why do chasidim have a full beard and do not cut the peyot?
Answer 6: These practices represent a higher level of observance (especially recommended in Kabbalistic sources) but are not required by baseline halacha.
Conclusion
In recent years, many barbers have not respected the halachot of peyot, leaving many boys and men with haircuts that violate the Torah law. We make extraordinary efforts to observe the Torah, and it is a shame to “blow it” regarding the very easy mitzvah of peyot. One should only patronize those barbers with a strong reputation for respecting the halachot of peyot. My son, Binyamin, maintains a list of such barbers on his website, www.koshercuts.org. He offers certifications for such barbers free of charge.
My son, Binyamin, and I explore these topics in-depth in our book, “The Halachic Haircutting Handbook.”
Rabbi Haim Jachter is the spiritual leader of Congregation Shaarei Orah, the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck. He also serves as a rebbe at Torah Academy of Bergen County and a get administrator with the Beth Din of Elizabeth. Rabbi Jachter has authored 15 books available on Amazon.
