By Yehuda Shurpin
There is a widespread custom that a boy’s hair is left uncut for the first three years of his life. When he reaches his third Jewish birthday, family and friends gather for a festive first haircut known as the upshernish (or chalakah). While the rest of his hair is cut short, the child’s peyot (biblically mandated sidelocks) are left intact—this is his initiation into the mitzvah of peyot.
More than a haircut, the upshernish marks a turning point: from this age, the child begins his formal Jewish education and starts observing basic mitzvot, such as wearing a kippah and tzitzit.
Rooted in longstanding custom and rich symbolism, the upshernish celebrates a child’s entry into a life shaped by Torah and Jewish values.
While the actual ceremony is straightforward and can be read about in What to Expect at an Upsherin, let’s address some of the questions commonly raised about an upshernish.
Art by Sefira Lightstone
Who Should Attend, and Where Should it Be Held?
Some have the custom to hold—or at least begin—the upshernish in a holy setting, such as a synagogue or house of study, but it’s perfectly acceptable to hold it at home or another neutral environment.
