Where can i go for a haircut?
Who would have thought there would be any issues with having a haircuts? However, when having haircuts many considerations need to be made – a Jewish or non-Jewish barber, what hairstyle and how close to the skin can the hair be cut and with what implement. The Torah tells us a negative commandment – Loi Sakifu Peas Roshaichem – you may not cut the corners of your head. What are the corners? As a general guideline it is the area on the side of the head from the corner where the hair starts going downwards on the side of the face until the top of the ear. Any hair below this line is considered the corners of the head. With regards to the sideburns another general guideline is until the bottom of the ear.
When having a non-Jewish hairdresser the problem is that he does not know the halacha and us such it is the responsibility of the person having the haircut to guide and direct him. Any mistakes by the barber will still be accredited to the customer and he will be punished. Another issue is that the haircut must take place in a public place with a mirror for the Jew’s safety – which is almost always the case nowadays.
Why do some Jews have a certain style of haircut?
Because of this mitzva we find certain Jews take extra precautions and this is the reason why chassidic Jews grow long sidelocks. The prohibition is to cut this area with a razor and very close to the skin. For exact precise amounts and areas one should consult one’s local Rabbi. In addition, there is a commandment of not following the outside world’s trends which would mean veering away from various hairstyles that stand out as being different from the norm.
There is a minhag to not give a boy a haircut, upsheiren, until they are three. Some people wait to do it for the day of Lag Biomer, especially in Meron by the burial of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai.
The reason for the mitzva
The Jew is meant to stand out as being different from the goyim. This is seen in both the way he acts as well as the way he dresses. This is for his benefit to prevent assimilation as well as annulling his desires to Hashem publicly symbolising his loyalty and subservience to His Creator.