Question
What is the Jewish view about haircuts?
Answer
Nazirites of either sex are forbidden to cut their hair (Num.Ch.6); this implies that cutting the hair was the normal practice. The Kohanim were forbidden to either grow their hair very long or shave it off (Ezekiel 44:20). Men are forbidden to cut the hair on the sides of their heads (Lev. 19:27), but women are allowed to do it (Mishnah Kiddushin 29a). Shaving part of the head as a sign of mourning is forbidden (Deut.14:1), but shaving was required in certain purification procedures (Lev.Ch.14; Deut.21:12) or by a nazirite after fulfilling the vow. Interestingly, some Christians believe that women shouldn’t cut their hair, based on 1 Corinthians 11:15.