Sunday, December 31, 2006

"The Beard May Mislead Others Into Believing That I Am At A Certain Level"

Crawling To Uman: Good Beard, Bad Beard

posted by A Simple Jew @ 4:45 AM   4 comments

4 Comments:

At December 31, 2006 at 7:32:00 AM EST, Blogger A Simple Jew said...

I thought you might be interested in this .pdf document

 
At December 31, 2006 at 7:55:00 AM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Rather, for me, having my beard KEPT ME FRUM because there were so many things that I WANTED TO DO, (and in my earlier days, I would have done), but now that I have the beard, it is inappropriate because it might give the wrong message to all the other Jews that are there looking at me as a representation of G-d's law, and if I am there (e.g. at a bar, etc.,) then it must be permitted halachically.

If I didn't have a beard, I might not have abstained from these and other activities over the years.

 
At December 31, 2006 at 12:03:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The fact that some people judge by beard is funny, but isn't good. It used to be - all Jews had beard, from the most educated rabonim, to the simplest cobblers and water carrier. Beard and peyos was never a sign of education (like some tend to say today). It was simply a sing of a Jew.

Since maskilim together with non Jewish society adopted shaving as a standard, beard becaume much more apparent, so certain groups of observant Jews started to shave also (however wrongly). But it doesn't mean that Jews accepted on themselves to judge everyone by a beard :))

 
At December 31, 2006 at 7:11:00 PM EST, Blogger der ewige Jude said...

ASJ - Thanks for the repost and the document. I have actually read this before, prior to a previous bout of potential beard trimming, and was persuaded not to by reading it. It doesn't really address the subject directly, but since it mentions that some do not comb the beard for fear of pulling out some of the hairs, I gather that shortening, or shaping the beard is also discouraged?

a yid - Yes, we should hold each Jew like a close friend before making a judgement about them, but we generally don't and so make quick decisions about people's actions based upon their appearance, and the presence and quality of beard is one of those things we base our assumptions on, rightly or wrongly.

 

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