hebrew "Chalake" (first haircut) for three-year olds, sources and customs
"Chalake" (first haircut)
The Nation of Israel is a holy nation and educates its children to follow in the footsteps of the previous generations, One of the first commandments each father teaches his children is the prohibition to cut the hairs of the sidelocks, and when cutting the child's hair, beautiful sidelocks are left to adorn the young child.
It is brought down in the holy books to wrap the child in a Tallit (four-cornered garments worn during prayer) on his third birthday. This is based on the comparision found in Deuteronemy: "For the man is (compared to) the trees of the field", hence, just as in its fourth year, the fruits of the tree are considered holy, so too with a person. This opportunity is also used to teach the child the holy letters of the Torah, thus bringing upon his soul holiness and purity. This, then, is the appropriate occasion to adorn the child with sidelocks.
Despite not being found in the earlier sources, it is nevertheless a generations-old custom to give the child his first hair-cut on his third birthday. Some have the custom to take the child to the Rabbi, who begins the hair-cutting ceremony, at the same time bestowing his warm blessing to the parents that they should merit to educate their young child to Torah, marriage and good deeds. The Rabb Joseph Isaac of Lubavitch writes: "and regarding the (custom of) cutting the hair, which is an important Jewish custom, it's aim being to educate the child to fulfill the commandment of leaving sidelocks. From this day on it is customary to begin training the child to wear a four-cornered garment and to recite the morning blessing, the blessing after meals and the Shema before going to sleep".
In Israel, it is customary to also make a joyful celebration at his time, as is brought down in the "Sha'are T'shuva" (by Rabbi Efraim Zalman Margulies). Some have the custom to perform the hair-cutting ceremony on the Friday preceding the third birthday.
Hair-cutting in Meron
Already from the days of the holy Arizal, the hair-cutting ceremony was an accepted custom in Meron, as Rabbi Chaim Vital writes it "Sha'ar Hakavanot" about his mentor, the Arizal, "Rabbi Yonatan Sagish related to me that in the first year, before I went to learn from my teacher (the Arizal), he took his young child there, together with his entire household, and there they cut his hair as is the known custom, and made a day of feasting and rejoicing... also Rabbi Abraham Levi related that he also went there... I have writen all this to show that there is a strong basis for this custom".
And ever since, righteous people in Israel come to Meron on Lag Ba'Omer to make sidelocks for their children. This is mentioned in the 'Calender for Israel': "It is customary to cut the hair of the young children, to educate them to have sidelocks", In "Sefer Eretz-Yisroel" is added: "Many bring their children to Meron, all the more so for cutting hair, and there are those who have been saved and merited a child after having prayed at the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and then they return there three years later to fulfill their vow and to conduct the hair-cutting ceremony there for their child".
The ceremony is also described in 'Chibat Yerushalayim': "After the morning prayers, the children are given their first hair-cut... and it is customary that first, the child is taken to the tombstone of Rabbi Yochanan HaSandler with lively music and dancing, then they return to the courtyard of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and cut the hair close to the entrance of the study hall, and the blessing "Mi-Sheberach" is recited. Some (even) bring their children from faraway lands, because they have vowed to place the hair in (this) holy place, so they wait until a suitable time to go, even if a number of years pass. Happiness brings to good deeds, and the entire day is (full of) happiness and joy for the Jews".
In 5642 (124 years ago) Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rabin travelled to Meron. Their journey is described in 'Masah Meron': "The dear children of Zion, who are compared to jewels, three years of age... whoever did not witness this joyous event has never witnessed a (truly) joyous event. These children are from our holy land, Jerusalem, Safed and Tiberias, clothed in purple garments, gold hats on their heads, adorned with golden necklaces and bracelets, each from his own property, and those who do not own (such jewellery) borrow from a neighbour to adorn their dear son, and they are carried on their fathers' head, faces shining as the sun in its' glory, sparks emanating from their eyes, their necks like towers of ivory... their hair perfectly combed, radiating light to all their surroundings, torches of fire in their hands. The fathers also, clothed in their Shabbat garments, dancing vigorously with all kinds of songs, pouring sweet wine. They continue for a long time, singing "Bar-Yochai" in honour of the Tanna (Rabbi Shimon) bar Yochai".
Laws and customs of the "Chalake" haircut
- It is the custom of G-d-fearing people not to cut their child's hair until they reach the age of 3, and then they cut his hair, leaving the sidelocks, thus educating them to fulfill this commandment.
- There are various opinions as to if it is permissible to cut the hair earlier. According to one opinion, this is forbidden, others however say that if less than three months are left, then it is permitted. Others permit from the age of 2 1/2, and some from the age of 2, since they have already commenced their third year.
- An allusion to this custom can be found in Midrash Tanchuma on the verse (Leviticus 19): "And when you shall come to the land, and you will plant any fruit tree... three years they will be blocked (forbidden) to you". This is an allusion to a child, whose speech is not perfected for the first three years. "And in the fourth year, all its fruits shall be sanctified, lauding to G-d", also alluding to the child, who upon entering his fourth year, is sanctified to learn Torah, and to fulfill the commandment of (leaving) sidelocks. With this the father begins to educate his son to fulfill other commandment, the child thus becoming a praise to G-d.
Some even find an allusion in this verse to the significance of Lag Ba'Omer, since "Hilulim" ('praise') is connected with the word 'Hilulah' (day of demise), alluding to the 'Hilulah' of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. - In Israel many have the custom to cut the hair in Meron next to the tombstone of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. In 'Chaban', (south Yemen) the custom is to perform the haircut of the day after Lag Ba'Omer.
- Some, especially those from Jerusalem, have the custom to cut the hair at the tombstone of Shimon Ha'Tzaddik and the Prophet Samuel.
- Many of the Sefardic communities have the custom to cut the hair on the intermediate days of the Passover or Sukkot festival. Even though generally cutting hair is prohibited on these days, even so for this it is permitted, and it even permissble to have it done by a Jewish barber. Others even say that it is preferable to do it on these days. Others however would combine it with another joyful event, for instance, a wedding.
- If the birthday coincides with a day on which hair-cutting is forbidden (e.g. Shabbat or a festival) the haircut should be done on the following day. Some advance the haircut in such a case.
- Some do not give haircuts on a Thursday, even if is Lag Ba'Omer.
- One must take care not to let a non-Jew perform the first hair-cut. Most honour a G-d fearing person to begin the hair-cutting ceremony, and some have the custom to begin in the place where the Tefilin (phylacteries) are placed. Afterwards, they honour family members and others to continue.
- Since the purpose of this custom is to educate the child, it is preferable that the father should be present.
- It is customary to rejoice and serve a festive meal on this day, and to share out wine and sweet delicacies, blessing one another with long-life and to merit to educate the children in the ways of the Torah.
- After the haircut, one says the special prayer, attributed to the disciples of the holy Arizal (see below).
- It is customary to weigh the hair cut off and to give to charity the equivalent weight. This is conducive to the child becoming wise in Torah and great in good deeds and fear of G-d, and to have a good, long life.
- Every father and mother should continuously pray for their children that they should be learned in Torah, righteous and have good character traits.
Prayer found in manuscript from disciples of the Arizal
The following prayer, to be recited at the hair-cutting ceremony, was discovered in a manuscript from the disciples of the Arizal. "May it be Your will, Hashem, the G-d of the powers and the Lord of the lords, that in the Merit of all the righteous and pious ones from the beginning of the creation until the end, and in the merit of your holy and pure Torah, and in the merit of Your commendments and Your Holy names within them, and in the merit of the commandment of (leaving) sidelocks, that you commanded us in your Torah 'You shall not round off the edge of your scalp', and in the merit of the holy and righteous one, our master and teacher, crown of our head, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, that as this lad has merited sidelocks, so may he merit to achieve Torah, wedding, and good deeds, and he should issue correct Halachic rulings,in the lifetime of his father and mother, Amen, Amen, Netzach Selah".
This is followed by the recitation of chapter 150 in Psalms.