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The Beard

Practical Parshah—Kedoshim

By Mendel Kaplan

Topics: Parshah, Beard, Shaving, Kedoshim

A detailed explanation of how the commandment “Do not destroy the corners of your beard” (Lev. 19:27) is understood in various communities.

	By Mendel Kaplan More articles... \|
	Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the founder and spiritual leader of Chabad @ Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, he also serves as a Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:

Posted: May 5, 2012

Beards and the Israeli Defense Forces

Are Jewish warriors allowed to shave beards, to prevent the enemy from grasping at the facial hair? For some Jewish people, to be clean shaven could save a Jewish life from anti-semites.

How about ancient Jewish warriors? My understanding is that the Roman soldiers were ordered to always be clean shaven, and part of the way the Romans defeated the Jewish people 2,000 years ago was by grasping the Jewish warriors'/resistors' beards.

Jewish people living in Nazi occupied Europe surely would be encouraged to shave their beards in order to blend in instead of being captured, and also to escape from Nazism and to fight against Nazism.

Posted By Anonymous, Paterson, NJ

Posted: May 1, 2012

shave thehead

see Metzorah, Lev. 14.9 -- after getting clean from leprosy, "shave the head," as advised by Torah.

Posted By David Malekum, Charlottesville, Va

Posted: Apr 18, 2012

the beard

Rabbi Kaplan
i listened to your teaching on the beard. i cannot grow hair on the sides of my face. will peyos be sufficient?

Posted By Aharon, indio, CA

Posted: Apr 16, 2012

the beard

What about surgeons?Should they shave beard or not?

Posted By Simon, Brisbane, AUS

Posted: Feb 6, 2012

The Beard

A comprehensive (but brief) English language work on this topic was published by KTAV under the title: "The Beard in Jewish Law: Kabbalistic Stringency or Halachic Imperative?"

See also the Hebrew language book entitled Hadras Ponim Zokon (1,024 pages).

Posted By Anonymous, Brooklyn, NY

Posted: June 9, 2011

the beard

what about those of us in the military and health care and food service?

Posted By Anonymous, cincinnati