Does minhag Ashkenaz include Upsherin?
- Altgold
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14 May 2009 13:19 #1018
by Altgold
Does minhag Ashkenaz include Upsherin? was created by Altgold
What are the Ashkenazic customs for a boy's first haircut?
Brian
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- Melech
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15 May 2009 01:35 #1022
by Melech
Replied by Melech on topic Does minhag Ashkenaz include Upsherin?
I believe that the upsherin came from the musta'rabim (the Jews in Eretz Yisroel who were there since the Churban, as opposed to later European immigrants), who likely took the idea from the Arabs. Originally, childrens' hair was cut at kivrei tzaddikim and the weight of the hair in gold or silver was then given to tzedaka. Later it was decided to make this haircut more special by making it the child's first haircut. Eventually the ceremony of the child's first haircut was merged with the ceremony of the child's first time to be taught torah, which meant that the child's hair ממילא wasn't cut until age three. Readers can see more on this from Rabbi Seth Mandel (head of OU shechita) here:
www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol11/v11n014.shtml#17
Melech
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- Michael
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15 May 2009 02:01 #1023
by Michael
Replied by Michael on topic Does minhag Ashkenaz include Upsherin?
In Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz (vol. 3, pages 251-267) R' Hamburger discusses the minhag of cutting the hair. In short he brings that this is a late custom the Sephardim in Eretz Yisroel adopted, and it later continued on to the Chassidim.
According to Minhag Ashkenaz "chalake" (upsherin) is not done, and the boys have their hair cut when it was necessary (the boys didn't have long hair).
Michael
According to Minhag Ashkenaz "chalake" (upsherin) is not done, and the boys have their hair cut when it was necessary (the boys didn't have long hair).
Michael
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