Upsherin

For the first three years of life, children absorb their parents’ love. Then, their education takes a leap—they are ready to produce and share their unique gifts. For a Jewish boy, this transition is marked with a haircutting ceremony—an “upsherin” (also ...

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 traditionally marked with a haircutting ceremony.

On the third Jewish birthday of a Jewish boy, friends and community members are invited to a festive haircutting ceremony called an upshernish or chalakah.

When I got my haircut, it was an experience. But for Jacob, it was an event. I had a professional cut my hair. He had his family and friends contribute . . .

Then it was haircut time. I squeezed my eyes shut, half expecting the same cries I heard at his bris, which seems like it was just yesterday. But when I looked up, he was grinning.

The custom of celebrating a boy’s first haircut has been around for hundreds of years, at least.

The primary purpose of the hair cutting is for the intention of leaving and essentially revealing the Peyot/sidelocks.

This class explores the reasons and sources for the custom of celebrating a Jewish boy’s first haircut – an Upsherin.

An Upsherin is the traditional “first haircut” ceremony held on a boy’s third birthday. This ceremony marks the start of the child’s formal education, and is highlighted by leaving the child’s payot, and his starting to wear a kippah and tzitzit.

Education is, and always has been, the key to Jewish survival. But the essence of education is the imparting of values, not information.