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Howdy my dear brothers and sisters,

I've recently read a passage in the Zohar which gave insight to certain characteristics of people with specific hairtypes (curly wavy and straight, 'glossy' or not 'glossy'etc.). It was in Shemoth Section 2. To my surprise, the descriptions given there resonated with my own experience and is very accurate.

I am Jewish myself (my grandmom from my mother side is Jewish) but among other, I have some Turkic (central asian) ancestry. This would probably explain my inability to grow a beard (just have a little fluff, somewhat of an goatee. A few sprouts of hair here and there on my side). It doesn't bother me at all, in fact, I'm grateful to haShem for lending me a body which is not hairy all over the place.

But out of sheer interest, I'd like to know: What does Jewish thought say about people with little to no beards? Which attributes are prescribed to them? I'm already familiar about the fact that the beard hair symbolizes the kabbalistic trait of mercifulness. What about people with a lack thereof?

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  • Somewhat similar judaism.stackexchange.com/q/12419/759 – Double AA♦ Nov 14 '18 at 22:31
  • I find that odd; the central Asians I know are quite hairy. East Asia is a different story. – Oliver Nov 14 '18 at 22:34
  • The inability to grow a beard, might be due to hormonal issues. – IsraelReader Nov 14 '18 at 23:17
  • In a biography of the Baba Sali I read, it said that he could not grow a beard until he was older, perhaps 40 or so. Since he was distressed about this (perhaps due to the kabbalistic significance of the beard) he prayed with tears for a beard. Starting the next day, his beard started growing in, and he was careful never to cut it once it began growing. – Kordovero Nov 15 '18 at 3:20
  • I'm pretty sure Rabbi Yochanan could not grow a beard, and we hold him in the highest regard as one of the greatest talmud sages. – chessprogrammer Nov 19 '18 at 2:42
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Answer to Q.What does Jewish thought say about people with little to no beards?

“You shall not round off the corner of your head, and you shall not destroy the edge of your beard.” Leviticus 19:27. Then in the context of the laws of the priests, we read: “…nor shall they shave the edge of their beard…” Leviticus 21:5.

The idea is not to have a long beard, its not to cut the beard.

But the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.' 1Samuel -16:7

“Proverbs 4:23 – Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

The condition of the heart will always dictate the condition of your life.

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  • Hi Ezra. I'm Ezra too. :D – ezra Nov 15 '18 at 5:56
  • Hey, Nice to meet you. – Ezra Nov 15 '18 at 7:27
  • who's better, though? – Wilbur Whateley Mar 3 '20 at 19:58

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