Help with peyos | Imamother

Meema2Kids

Tue, Feb 28 2006, 5:24 am

I'm going to finish my son's haircut after his upsherin the other day (he does look so cute with short curls though!!). I'm not sure exactly what to leave for the peyos. Is it more than just the "sideburns?" Can anyone help me, or know of a picture on line that will show me?

TzenaRena

Tue, Feb 28 2006, 7:29 am

It very much depends on your minhag. There is a certain bone at the top of the side of the head, which below that the hair is peyos and a certain bone,(upper jaw?) at the side of the ear that is the minimum - till below this bone we don't cut. in Lubavitch we leave the peyos somewhat longer than that bone. Other minhagim are different in lengths. The entire peyah according to certain minhagim is left as is, according to the Halacha a certain amount of hairs have to be left that certain length, but the other hairs may be cut, but if they are cut, it's a bit differently, because minimally, one should be able to grasp even those hairs between thumb and forefinger..

According to some minhagim, those that are cut are not done with the clipper, but with the scissor, ensuring that technically they are still peyos, because one should be able to grasp those hairs with the thumb and forefinger, they should not be even with the rest of the hair. If cutting those hairs with a clipper, one should use a higher number than for the rest of the hair. I.e. if the haircut is done with a #2, that area should be done with at least a #3, or some say a #4, e.g. 2 numbers higher.

If using a scissor for this area, make sure to thin vertically, a few hairs at a time, not a chunk, so it doesn't come out choppy, with visible "steps", and not horizontally. similar to when your sheitel macher does some thinning on your sheitel, if you know what I mean.

There are also different minhagim, shitos as to where at the side of the head the peyos stop, or extend till. The line of demarcation is the ear, but exactly where?, ie. the round part of the top of the ear,the front, or middle - the highest part according to some. Really have to know what is the minhag you go by.

There is a picture-diagram somewhere in the Pesach Digest by Rabbi Blumenkrantz showing some of the different shitos. You probably would want to ask your Rav, which one you follow. ( What does your husband do? probably he will want your child to have similar peyos)

amother

Mon, Mar 20 2006, 11:41 am

Shira -

You asked for a picture...
It looks like you've got the perfect one... right next to your user-name...

(btw... is that your older son? then why do anything diff. with #2?

Just wondering...

TzenaRena

Mon, Mar 20 2006, 11:54 am

LOL, amother that is the "after" picture that you see. (You know, "before and after") LOL

amother

Mon, Mar 20 2006, 12:02 pm

Well then, I guess the picture was updated for the post.... which was posted B-4.... ????

In any case,,, Good Job!!!

chocolate moose

Mon, Mar 20 2006, 12:04 pm

It might be easier to take DS to a Jewish barber the first time, and then just keep it up.

Meema2Kids

Mon, Mar 20 2006, 12:05 pm

Yep, that's the after picture. (Thanks to SaraYehudis for her help!!) We actually cut the peyos shorter now, and he's trying to tuck them behind his ears.

And so much easier to keep the yarmulka on now!!!

This was the before picture:

shopaholic

Tue, Mar 21 2006, 12:17 pm

Wow! What a head of hair! Cute kid. Lots of nachas.