4. The Haircut:

When the Rebbe was asked as to the details of the Upsherinish cutting hair ceremony, he replied that he did not receive any directives in this matter.[1] The following customs have been compiled from other sources.

Who cuts the hair?[2] Everyone in attendance, friends and family, is offered a turn to cut the hair.[3] A person of spiritual stature should be asked to be the first to snip off a lock of the child’s hair.[4] Men and women may cut the hair, especially the child’s mother.[5] Certainly the father is to cut his sons hair in order to educate him in Mitzvos which is an obligation upon him personally.[6]

Kohen, Levi, Yisrael: On one occasion, after the Rebbe cut the hair of the child, the Rebbe advised that the first person to cut the hair should be a Kohen.[7] Some are accustomed to have the hair cut by a Kohen, Levi and Yisrael.[8]

From which area of the head is the cutting of the hair to begin from:[9] The custom is to begin cutting the hair near the Peyos, close to the child’s ear. [Others begin from the area of the Tefillin.]

Avoiding cutting the Peyos:[10] Care must be taken upon cutting the hair of the child, not to cut the hair of the area of the Peyos [see next!], as leaving the Peyos intact and recognizable is the entire purpose of the ceremony.

What is one to do with the cut hair? The hair of the child that is cut is to be collected and buried, rather than thrown in the garbage.[11] It is not to be burned[12] [unless he burns it together with another item, such as wood.[13]] Some[14] weigh the hair and give an equivalent amount of gold or silver coins to charity. This serves as a Segula that the child grows up to be a Talmid Chacham and live a long and healthy life.

Scissors versus haircutting machine: It is customary to first use scissors to cut the locks of hair and honor others in the cutting. Some are even accustomed to using special gold scissors for this purpose, out of belovedness for the Mitzvah.[15] After the initial haircutting with the scissors, a haircutting machine is used to perform the full haircut.

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[1] Igros Kodesh 4:406; 21:174

[2] Shevach Habris 1:5-6; Nitei Gavriel 7:3

[3] See Shaareiy Yerushalayim 9; Minchas Omer 10:5; Shaar Hakavanos Inyan Sefiras Haomer Derush 12

[4] See Likkutei Dibburim 3:481 that the Baal Shem Tov cut the hair of the Alter Rebbe; Sefer Hasichos p. 40 that the Alter Rebbe cut the hair of the Tzemach Tzedek; Nitei Gavriel 7:2

[5] Nitei Gavriel 7:5

[6] Nitei Gavriel 7:8; See Kiddushin 29a and Admur 343:2

[7] Toras Menachem 5712 3:24

The reason: As the cutting of the hair is connected to the Mitzvah of Reishis Hageiz. [Rebbe ibid; See ]

[8] Yalkut Hatispores 6; Shevach Habris 1:6; Nitei Gavriel 7:4

[9] See Nitei Gavriel 5:1

[10] See Michaber Y.D. 181:9

[11] Sefer Eretz Yisrael Tukichinsky 18:13; Nitei Gavriel 14:1 footnote 2

[12] Ruach Chaim 260:2; Kaf Hachaim Falagi 27:13; Yifei Laleiv 3 Y.D. 116:23; Kaf Hachaim 260:12; Directive of Rebbe Rashab to Rav Yaakov Landau in Shemuos Visuppirim 1:325; See Tosafus Niddah 17a; Kaf Hachaim 116:154; Sefer Shemiras Haguf Vihanefesh [Lerner] 35:2

The reason: One is not to burn any item that derives from the human body as it causes damage to that person. [Poskim ibid]

Other customs: Some Poskim write that the custom of the world is not to be particular in this matter of burning hair, and G-d guards the fools [i.e. Shomer Pesaim Hashem]. [Kaf Hachaim 260:12]

[13] Hayom Yom 16 Iyar; See Darkei Chaim Veshalom 353; Sefer Shemiras Haguf Vihanefesh [Lerner] 68:16 footnote 19; Directive of Rebbe Rashab to Rav Yaakov Landau in Shemuos Visuppirim 1:325

[14] Radbaz 2:608; Shevach Habris 1:11; Nitei Gavriel 14:2 footnote 5; See Segulas Yisaarel Gimel 25; Sefer Matamim Saros 1; See story of Rav Yaakov Landau in Shemuos Visuppirim 1:325 regarding the Rebbitzin, that she wanted to sell her hair and donate it to charity

[15] Nitei Gavriel 9:4