Where are your Peyos?

Where are your Peyos?

“Lo sakifu pe’as roshchem” (do not round off the corners on your head [hair]), is an issur min HaTorah (a Biblical prohibition) enjoining a male not to shave off his peyos (sideburns). Some commentaries explain this issur, in the context of the source in Parashas Kedoshim, that we should remain distinct from non-Jews.

The parameters of the peyos is sometimes under-studied, so that it may occur that even very frum Jews, whose custom it is to grow long locks for peyos, may actually err in fulfilling the letter of the law by shaving their hair within the boundaries of the so-called “corners.” What are they?

The area of the peyos begins right above the apex of the ear at the hairline and across to the crown (the upper corner of the forehead), then back down to the bottom of the ear—these three lines creating the triangular area of the peyos.

The length of the peyos strands are measured at approximately six millimeters, which is the length at which, according to halachic authorities, each strand can be bent back towards its root. Practically speaking, in barber’s terms, this is accomplished if the hair is clipped with a #2 or higher number. Some authorities, namely the Tzemach Tzedek, are stringent that the hair in this area shouldn't be clipped at all.

#690

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Photo Credit: Pocket Halacha Series by Rabbi A Wiesenfeld (with permission).

https://halacha2go.com?number=690

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.