Payot: Difference between revisions

Payot
Halakhic texts relating to this article
Torah:	Leviticus 19:27
Babylonian Talmud:	Makkoth 20a
Mishneh Torah:	Avodath Kokhavim 12:6
Shulchan Aruch:	Yoreh Deah 181

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File:RabbibeardS.jpg

Peyot tucked behind the ears

Payot (or payos, peiyoth, peyot, Template:Lang-he) is a Hebrew word, which literally translates into English as corners/sides/edges; in the context of Judaism, it is particularly used in relation to the head and face, denoting sidelocks, and sometimes also sideburns. Haredi, Yemenite, and Hasidic Jews often sport distinctive long curled payot, while those of Modern Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism wear more varyingly sized sideburns; the Yemenite Jews refer to their sidelocks as simanim, literally meaning signs, because the sidelocks were historically the only feature which differentiated them from Yemenite Muslims. The practice of wearing payot is one of the consequences of Jewish beliefs about shaving.

In the Bible

The Holiness Code of the Torah appears to completely forbid the shaving of the corners of the head^[1]; as with many other parts of the Holiness Code, the Book of Ezekiel describes similar regulations, stating that the priests should not shave their heads, or let their locks grow long^[2]. However, there were clearly exceptions, with the Book of Ezekiel itself adding that priests should keep their hair trimmed^[3], and the Priestly Code of the Torah arguing that, in certain cases of tzaraath, the hair should be completely shaved away^[4]. The Priestly Code additionally requires that Nazarites shave their heads, 7 days after any contact with corpses^[5], and the Deuteronomic Code compels captive women to shave their head after the conclusion of mourning for their parents^[6]

Origin

According to biblical scholars, the shaving of hair was originally a mourning custom^[7], which, according to the Book of Jeremiah, was also practiced by Arabic tribes^[8]^[9]^[10] (although some ancient manuscripts of the text read live in remote places rather than clip the corners of their hair). The Book of Amos, which is dated by textual scholars to the mid 7th century^[11], as well as the Books of Isaiah and of Micah, which textual scholars date to a slightly later period, portray Yahweh as instructing the Israelites to shave their head as an act of mourning^[12]^[13]^[14]:

...Yahweh... called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins-^[15]

In rabbinical literature of the Classical and Middle Ages

The forbidding of shaving the corners of the head was interpreted by the Mishnah as prohibiting the hair at the temples being cut so that the hairline was a straight line from behind the ears to the forehead^[16]; the corners - payot - were defined as the hair from around and above the ears, to the same level as the nose.

Because the biblical prohibition against shaving uses the Hebrew word gelech (גלח), which refers to shaving with a blade against the skin, Talmudic rabbis interpreted it to only refer to single-bladed razors, and only to situations that involve the hair being cut close to the roots, in a smooth manner^[17]^[18]; thus Maimonides argued that scissors could be used to cut off the sidelocks^[19]. Nevertheless, conservative views, such as those of the Shulchan Aruch, argued that cutting the sidelocks was a heathen practice, and therefore they shouldn't be cut by any mechanism^[20].

In practice

The Crimean Tatars referred to Krymchaks (Crimean Turkic speakers following Rabbinism) as zuluflı çufutlar ("Jews with payot") to distinguish them from the Crimean Karaites, who were called zulufsız çufutlar ("Jews without payot").

The majority of Haredi and Hasidic men do not cut the payot short. They may tuck the payot behind the ear, or twist them into long curls that hang freely at the sides of the head. In Hasidic communities, in particular, this prohibition is taken strictly, and the hair is often not cut or trimmed.

File:Mori-YosephSaleh--1888---1999-.jpg

Mori Yoseph Selah (1888-1999) with Yemenite style Simmanim (Payot).

Although no part of Jewish law regulates the exact style for sidelocks, the Yemenite Jews have a distinctive traditional style, as do certain dynasties within Hasidic Judaism:

Yemenite - The Yemenites wear distinctive long and thin twisted locks, often reaching to the upper arm. The actual area where the hair grows and where the ringlet begins is neat and tidy. Since the Yemenite Jews are one of the most historically isolated Jewish communities, and one of the oldest, a number of claims have been raised that their style of payot must have been the style which was used in Judah, prior to the destruction of the Second Temple.
Breslov - The Breslov dynasty of Hasidic Jews sport long and thin locks, differing from the Yemenite style in that the upper section, where the hair actually grows, is much more thick and frizzy before descending into the actual locks.
Belz - The Belz dynasty wrap their sidelocks around their ears, for a number of times.
Gur - The Ger dynasty raise their sidelocks from the temples and tuck them under a yarmulke. The Ger dynasty was almost annihilated by the holocaust, and most of the survivors moved to Jerusalem; their sidelock style originated in their native Poland as a mechanism to avoid antagonism from non-Jews, and consequently it hasn't usually been followed since the relocation to Jerusalem.
Skver - The Skver dynasty twist their sidelocks into a tight coil, and leave them protruding in front of the ear.

The Lithuanian Jews also retain sidelocks to a degree, in a small number of variant styles:

Lithuanian - The Lithuanian Jews often cut their sidelocks, but leave a few short strands uncut, and neatly place them behind the ear; this style is most commonly found among yeshiva students, who sometimes remove the uncut strands when they have grown sideburns.
Brisk – The Brisk movement, which is in distinct opposition to Hasidic Judaism, brush their hair straight down, usually so that it reaches to the ear lobe; sometimes, some of the sidelock is not cut, and is curled back behind the ear.

Notes

^ Leviticus 19:27
^ Ezekiel 44:20
^ Ezekiel 44:20
^ Leviticus 14:9
^ Numbers 6:9
^ Deuteronomy 21:12
^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
^ Jeremiah 9:26
^ Jeremiah 25:23
^ Jeremiah 49:32
^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
^ Micah 1:16
^ Isaiah 22:12
^ Amos 8:9–10
^ Isaiah 22:12
^ Makkot 20b
^ Makkot 3:5
^ Sifra on Kedoshim 6
^ Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Tamid:, 'Akkum 12:6
^ Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah:181

[1] Leviticus 19:27

[2] Ezekiel 44:20

[3] Ezekiel 44:20

[4] Leviticus 14:9

[5] Numbers 6:9

[6] Deuteronomy 21:12

[7] Peake's commentary on the Bible

[8] Jeremiah 9:26

[9] Jeremiah 25:23

[10] Jeremiah 49:32

[11] Peake's commentary on the Bible

[12] Micah 1:16

[13] Isaiah 22:12

[14] Amos 8:9–10

[15] Isaiah 22:12

[16] Makkot 20b

[17] Makkot 3:5

[18] Sifra on Kedoshim 6

[19] Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Tamid:, 'Akkum 12:6

[20] Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah:181

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 ==In practice==
-The majority of [[Haredi]] and [[Hasidic]] men do not cut the ''payot'' short. They may tuck the ''payot'' behind the ear, or twist them into long curls that hang freely at the sides of the head. In Hasidic communities, in particular, this prohibition is taken strictly, and the hair is often not cut or trimmed.
 The [[Crimean Tatars]] referred to [[Krymchak]]s (Crimean Turkic speakers following Rabbinism) as ''zuluflı çufutlar'' ("Jews with ''payot''") to distinguish them from the [[Crimean Karaites]], who were called ''zulufsız çufutlar'' ("Jews without ''payot''").
+The majority of [[Haredi]] and [[Hasidic]] men do not cut the ''payot'' short. They may tuck the ''payot'' behind the ear, or twist them into long curls that hang freely at the sides of the head. In Hasidic communities, in particular, this prohibition is taken strictly, and the hair is often not cut or trimmed.
 [[Image:Mori-YosephSaleh--1888---1999-.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Mori Yoseph Selah (1888-1999) with Yemenite style ''Simmanim'' (''Payot'').]]
 Although no part of Jewish law regulates the exact style for sidelocks, the Yemenite Jews have a distinctive traditional style, as do certain dynasties within Hasidic Judaism:
-*[[Yemenite Jews|Yemenite]] -  The Yemenites wear distinctive long and thin twisted locks, often reaching to the upper arm. The Yemenites claim this tradition goes back to ancient times.
+*[[Yemenite Jews|Yemenite]] -  The Yemenites wear distinctive long and thin twisted locks, often reaching to the upper arm. The actual area where the hair grows and where the ringlet begins is neat and tidy. Since the Yemenite Jews are one of the most historically isolated Jewish communities, and one of the oldest, a number of claims have been raised that their style of ''payot'' must have been the style which was used in [[Judah]], prior to the destruction of the [[Second Temple]].
-*[[Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)|Breslov]] - The Breslov dynasty of Hasidic Jews grow long, thin sidelocks that differ from the Yemenite style in that the upper section is thick and frizzy.
+*[[Breslov (Hasidic dynasty)|Breslov]] - The Breslov dynasty of Hasidic Jews sport long and thin locks, differing from the Yemenite style in that the upper section, where the hair actually grows, is much more thick and frizzy before descending into the actual locks.
 *[[Belz (Hasidic dynasty)|Belz]] - The Belz dynasty wrap their sidelocks around their ears, for a number of times.
-*[[Ger (Hasidic dynasty)|Gur]] - The Ger dynasty raise their sidelocks from the temples and tuck them under a [[yarmulke]]. This is a custom that goes back to Poland, where exposed peyot provoked attacks by the non-Jews. In [[Jerusalem]], Ger Hasidim allow their peyot to hang free.
+*[[Ger (Hasidic dynasty)|Gur]] - The Ger dynasty raise their sidelocks from the temples and tuck them under a [[yarmulke]]. The Ger dynasty was almost annihilated by the [[holocaust]], and most of the survivors moved to [[Jerusalem]]; their sidelock style originated in their native [[Poland]] as a mechanism to avoid antagonism from non-Jews, and consequently it hasn't usually been followed since the relocation to Jerusalem.
 *[[Skver]] - The Skver dynasty twist their sidelocks into a tight coil, and leave them protruding in front of the ear.
 The [[Lithuanian Jews]] also retain sidelocks to a degree, in a small number of variant styles:
-*Lithuanian - the Lithuanian Jews often leave a lock several inches long uncut, and neatly place it behind the ear; This style is common found among [[yeshiva]] students, who sometimes remove them when they have grown beards.
+*Lithuanian - The Lithuanian Jews often cut their sidelocks, but leave a few short strands uncut, and neatly place them behind the ear; this style is most commonly found among [[yeshiva]] students, who sometimes remove the uncut strands when they have grown sideburns.
-*[[Brisk yeshivas and methods|Brisk]] – in the Brisk movement, the hair is brushed straight down, usually reaching the ear lobe; sometimes, some of the sidelock is curled back behind the ear.
+*[[Brisk yeshivas and methods|Brisk]] – The Brisk movement, which is [[Misnagdim|in distinct opposition to Hasidic Judaism]], brush their hair straight down, usually so that it reaches to the ear lobe; sometimes, some of the sidelock is not cut, and is curled back behind the ear.
 ==See also==