HAIR CUTTING

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov Yosef on your opsherenish this evening, on your third birthday. Wishing you to have a happy year full of many new Mitzvos!

And Mazal Tov to Shmuly, exactly 1 week later, next Thursday. Wishing you an amazing year, and with lots of nachas for you and Devorah Leah, from Yosef, and all your children!

We have just come back from Yosef's opsherenish in shul, and what a celebration! It was like a little wedding BH!

It is a Jewish custom not to shave or cut a baby boys hair until his third birthday, and the Rebbe tells us in the Hayom Yom of 4th Iyar, that this custom is of great importance.

It is an educational act of leaving uncut the peyot (sidelocks), and accustoming the boy to wear a tallit katan, to recite the early morning brachot, birkat hamazon, and the bedtime shema.

And so now we know why it should be a big celebration!

Haircutting also came up this week in the Rambam 1-chapter-a-day, where we are learning the Laws of entry into the Bet HaMikdash (Temple)

It is a Torah Prohibition that a Kohen (including of course the Kohen Gadol) is not allowed to enter into the Mikdash (from the Altar and inwards) with long hair.

The Priests weren't always on duty in the Temple, and were therefore allowed to have long hair outside of the Temple. But before coming in, their hair had to be cut and neat, and their clothes laundered etc.

The definition of long hair, is hair left uncut for 30 days.

The Kohen Gadol has more strict rules because he is always in the Bet HaMikdash, and therefore his hair must always be cut.

Similarly, it is forbidden for anyone to enter the Mikdash (from the Courtyard of the Israelites) with unkempt long hair.

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos and continued simchos!