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Wednesday, 26 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 6, 2024

The Reason Matis Cut his Beard

A Lubavitcher woman gives her take on former Chassidic reggae singer Matisyahu who cut off his beard. Full Story

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COME ON EVERYONE!
March 2, 2012 4:33 pm

VIAHAVTA LEREACHA KAMOCHA ZE KLAL GADOL BATORAH!!!!!! LIVE IT!!!!

Dear Matisyahu,
December 21, 2011 6:02 pm

Your claim to fame was your Beard, it’s your Logo,
“The Rabbi Rapper”
Your Uniqueness amongst Rappers and Singers!
Come back and show the world your are Special!!!
One of a kind Am Ehad Yoshev Bodad.
Be proud of your Logo!

number 7! Histerical comment!
December 21, 2011 1:30 pm
Beardful
December 21, 2011 12:35 pm

@52, “He can do what he wants. It’s not up to you to “judge” whether or not he has the “right” to do that.”

What kind of narishkeit is that? Granted, it’s not the biggest aveira but the whole mind frame of “He can do what he wants. It’s not up to you to “judge” is just symptomatic of how far-gone a lot of us are.

idk
December 21, 2011 1:05 am

I agree with 27 in a way and 38 in a way

NUMBER 10
December 20, 2011 12:47 pm

WELL SAID!!

a light
December 19, 2011 8:32 am

Youve always been a light Sarah 😉 Even wgen I knew you as a teen and you were working your way thru things… ( we are all supposed to be Ovdim) Even then you were and are a light 🙂
Beautiful article… Im in agreement 🙂
<3 Neomi

not like the original
December 18, 2011 6:32 pm

mattisyahu of the chanuka story 🙁

to #46 & 47
December 18, 2011 2:03 pm

well written kol hacovod

well written!
December 17, 2011 7:06 pm
@ No. 43
December 17, 2011 3:56 pm

He can do what he wants. It’s not up to you to “judge” whether or not he has the “right” to do that. And I also don’t understand why people go mad about someone shaving. I mean, how petty can it get? Come on, its his choice in the end…

no. 4:
December 17, 2011 12:42 pm

what does that have to do with anything?

Hashem help us please!!!!!!!!!!!
December 16, 2011 3:42 pm

hes a very confused soul! but stil you shoudnt judge him!

its not the beard,
December 16, 2011 2:52 pm

It what he said about it! Not to mention that it seemed like he was implying that all men who wear beards are putting on a disguise or pretending to be someone they are not.

'it's just the outside-it's the inside that counts'.....
December 16, 2011 2:44 pm

yes? well think about it for a moment- ever bought an orange that was already peeled? how about an apple with blue skin? a sushi roll that was covered in mud? whaddya mean? the inside is good, it’s just the outside that seems off-don’t judge a book by it’s cover……. while it’s true that chassidus demands pnimiyus,it’s the inside that counts, and that matters a whole lot, but that internal goodness has to be reflected on the outside!!!!! beard? shaitel? tzitzis? these are the hallmarks of the appearance of a chossid, and if those external factors are lacking-what does that… Read more »

what the?
December 16, 2011 2:13 pm

scince when does shaveing your beared mean your a bad person? yes its surpriseing and sudden but does that make him bad? what aboute all other sects of jews? do we call a litvish man “bad”? no! or someone who is not as religious? NO!

To Everyone:
December 16, 2011 2:06 pm

No o ne can understand what he is dealing with therefore it is not our place to judge. what he did is his business, and his struggle and nothing more than that. We have no right to publicize and judge his actions and all we can do is pray for him that he gets back on track.

From the Source
December 16, 2011 11:42 am

A letter from the Rebbe to my friend’s husband who decided to grow a beard when he was a bochur in Telshe Yeshiva and people in the yeshiva there were discouraging him. Sholom u’Brocho: Your letter of Rosh Chodesh Teves reached me with some delay. In it you write that you stopped shaving, with the intention to grow a beard. I trust you have seen the Sefer Hadras Ponim Zoken, whose author is a talmid of the Mirer Yeshivah, which was published recently, with Haskomos by prominent Rabbonim, on the great significance and the must and importance of growing a… Read more »

It's a Halacha
December 16, 2011 10:34 am

SOME OF YOU WRITE THAT THE MAIN THING IS WHAT YOU ARE INSIDE AND IT’S NOT IMPORTANT WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OUTWARDLY. I JUST WANT TO STRESS THAT DRESS, IN A CERTAIN WAY, THERE ARE HALOCHOS AND MINHAGIM JUST LIKE IN KASHRUS AND SHABBOS ETC. OF COURSE THERE ARE VERY NICE PEOPLE WHO DON’T DRESS TZNIUSDIG AND DON’T KEEP SHABBOS AND KASHRUS ETC. THERE ARE MANY NON JEWS ALSO WHO ARE VERY NICE PEOPLE! SO?! WE ARE YIDDEN AND WE HAVE A TORAH AND A DIRECTION IN LIFE, AND TO SAY THAT EVERY ONE CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT AND… Read more »

He does not have the right to rebel.....
December 16, 2011 10:03 am

I agree with your article that he is rebelling but he is not a teenager with no responsibility or kids or followers or fans. I appreciate your focus on positivity but please understand taht a person like Matiyahu has the responsibility to behave. A person like him cannot just wake up one day and decide that they want to rebel. that luxury is reserved for teenagers only who have no responsibilities yet and they truly only affect themselves. A person such has Matisyahu who has a family with kids and lots of fans who look up to him DOES NOT… Read more »

#39
December 16, 2011 9:28 am

why assume how his wife and children feel…

who does he think he is
December 16, 2011 9:16 am

he thinks hes the goen of the centry that he dosnt care about the mercy of hashem he thinks hashem dosnt care if we have a beard or not!!! why do you think hashem gave us the abblaty to grow them

matis issue is he is unstable
December 16, 2011 9:01 am

and dont go blame frum issues on it

Whats with his poor wife and children
December 16, 2011 3:56 am
What is Important Here? His Neshama and Hashem.
December 16, 2011 2:29 am

I hope he is 150% happy with whatever mitzvot he does.
Benveniste,Tsfat

I DONT CARE!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 16, 2011 12:15 am

maybe sarah is right in a way, but i think matis did something TOTALLY WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to # 32
December 16, 2011 12:11 am

I really appreciate your perspective. I think that the only way for a Jew to trust them self, is if its in context with Hashem and Torah. Sure, everyone has their own journey, and i can not judge anyone else. I just know for my self, that when i take actions that are consistent with what God wants, i.e. doing good for others and myself, it will only bring blessing in my life.

This issue is very important
December 16, 2011 12:05 am

Almost as important as if Charlie Buttons were to remove a dozen buttons from his hat.

I agree with 31 and 30
December 15, 2011 11:58 pm

I agree with 31 and 30 trusting myself without G-d in the picture is worthless. Trusting myself with G-d is powerful! In every situation I have my will and G-ds willl and I need to align my will with G-ds. If my will becomes G-ds will and I am not in line with torah and mitzvos I am playing G-d. And thats sad. I can truly trust myself and connect with myself when my will is in line with G-ds because I am I Jew and the Torah is my blueprint of what works for me. ANd thats how to… Read more »

Matisyahu
December 15, 2011 11:33 pm

Courageous of this Lubavtchch webb site to publish
supportive column. remember joy matisyahu brought into
peoples llives and connection to the chassidic world….he needs to sort out his feelings…..nothing can prevent him from grwing back the beard………………………………………………………………….

I would like to share my lesson I learn...
December 15, 2011 11:16 pm

Its not my place to judge but we as jewish pple and lubavitchers do hold a responsibility to G-d to represent Him in this world….Yes we all have our doubts questions nisyonos in yiddishkeit and yes I do understand his reasoning why….he explained how he wanted to prove Himself that He merits G-ds mercy even if he doesn’t have a beard…Yes thats true too. However there is an aspect of kabolos ol. That we do torah and mitzvos without reasoning. That I believe is the message I learn from this. Yes there are times I may not feel like dressing… Read more »

dont fall for the hevel of the goyim
December 15, 2011 11:08 pm

it is an aveira to mingle with goyim! he mingled with goyim but he got caught in with them as we learn in nuvi in morah feldman of bais rivkah’s class, if the jews run after hevel he will no doubtly fall into hevel! that is the emptyness of goyim! matisyahu assimilated with the goyim and addapted there way of music we musnt fall! fellow crown heighters stay strong and firm in our roots of yidishkeit! we musnt addapt to the ways of goyim. and your levushim and the way you make yourself on the outside, even if not right… Read more »

pnimius
December 15, 2011 10:28 pm

#1,for good the outer may be a fake, but for bad why would he wan to look bad if he’s really good? so this must reflect on his inner #2, cutting the beard isn’t so much the problem, but what he wrote on twitter and what he said yesterday in the interview when speaking about what it says in kabalah that the beard represents the 13 attributes of mercy “g-d’s mercy, how can that possibly be connected to shaving my beard or not”…”i just need to trust myself” in other words who cares what torah/kabalh/chasidus says i have my own… Read more »

Baal Teshuva Blues
December 15, 2011 10:00 pm

It is so hard to be a baal teshuva in general, and a mixed up baal teshuva is not too much fun either, and then to have everything you do being publicized and having your ego all blown out of proportion, just imagine!! Its gotta be really confusing for ole’ Matisyahu and his fam!!!!

totally
December 15, 2011 9:52 pm

i agree with #23

VICTOR KAIYAM
December 15, 2011 9:23 pm

SORRY LADY, WHAT A LOAD OF COBBLERS!!
ITS ONE THING CUTTING OFF YOUR BEARD BUT TO DO SO B’FARHESIAH, WITH SUCH BRAZEN ARROGANCE, PROCLAIMING IT ON A WEB SITE IS UNFORGIVABLE. THIS GUY NEEDS A CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP ASAP!!

nothing to say abt matisyahu
December 15, 2011 9:23 pm

sara fishman yaasher koach hope every takes a lesson from u!

to ,
December 15, 2011 9:02 pm
50% right and 50% wrong
December 15, 2011 8:54 pm

Sometimes you have to correct someone from the outside. You can’t let a girl walk outside with pants but think that maybe her inside is really well. Sorry, sweetie, not going to work!

Secondly, you are sort of right because people should judge people based on what they look like. I’d hate if i was having challenges b’ruchnius, (B”H I dont…) and people were judging me.
Thank you,
Sarah Fishman

i dont get it.
December 15, 2011 8:23 pm

i dont knw why everyones going crazy he shaved. if u guys all realize shweky shaves. ohad shaves. yosef chaim shweky shaves. and on and on and on. so why is everyone going crazy that he shaves????? so many other singers shave, all the sudden he shaves and the world is going crazy. i really dont get this

to #1
December 15, 2011 7:58 pm

LOL hhahahhahaha way to funny

Who cares?
December 15, 2011 7:47 pm

If he did this as a private man and would make no tumult about it, nu! But this guy is going public by saying that what the Ariza”l and our Rebe’s stated as fact Matisyahu says is “ludicrous”, he’s beyond the pale and he qualifies as a Choite uMachti es Harabim I feel terrible of many Neshamos that will follow his path. I’m unaware of a jew who cut his beard in order to grow in yidishkeit, and i’m unaware of a good jew who published silly pictures of himself transgressing publicly the teachings of the Arizal for the purpose… Read more »

oh please!
December 15, 2011 7:40 pm

Matisyahu isn’t the only one to cut off his beard! Look around!Tthere are many young men trimming or cutting off their beards.
The fault does not lie in them but in the atmosphere that they are in.Perhaps the mashpi’im and rabbonim should try harder in being a positive infulence within the general community.
The Rebbe was always very clear on his views on cutting or trimming beards.

R we still talking about this?
December 15, 2011 7:07 pm

This story is so yesterday!

Who's judging?
December 15, 2011 6:52 pm

I haven’t seen many comments “judging” Mattisyahu. The fact that he shaved his beard doesn’t negate the good that he has done. But neither does the good that he done make the beard shaving ok. It is wrong — a biblical prohibition. Nevetheless, we cannot appreciate the struggle of fame and fortune that he faces every day, and we hope he finds his way back soon.

to #15
December 15, 2011 6:43 pm

you gave the answer yourself- you never cared about him, s you dot care that he cut his beard either. others that did care about him- either liked him and were touched by him, or those who didnt like him ,now care about this change. RELAX
plus, hes a celeb, everyone talks about celerities, welcome to america

To #15
December 15, 2011 6:32 pm

If you dont feel concern, don’t post anything.

WHO CARES?
December 15, 2011 6:04 pm

Am i the only one who is wondering why in the world all this talk about a guy who shaved his beard? who cares? when did he become such an important person to begin with? his music never came in to my home with or with out his beard. he is a regau singer like all the others and his music should never have been invited into our homes. all this dissapointment is ridiculous.

to 10
December 15, 2011 6:02 pm

No one is owning him or disowning him.. Everyones just confused by his random action. He didnt start trimming slowly…. it was just..one morning he shaved the whole thing off.. Someones going thru a mid life crisis.But then again, Hes a man of drastic changes…. After all becoming frum is a very drastic change too

WHO CARES!!!
December 15, 2011 5:45 pm

He may be a good person, but a confused soul. I would not listen to his music, I don’t want my neshama connected to his.

yeshar koach
December 15, 2011 5:44 pm

well said

SHE'S 100% CORRECT!
December 15, 2011 5:38 pm
this is just gussip and nothing more
December 15, 2011 4:52 pm

Non of us knows the real reson he did what he did All that we get out of the whole stry is just gussip! the man decided to tweet his photo and I’m sure for a good reson One day it will be more clear but for now all it is, is a story about a celeb (yes he is considered a “celeb”) in the jewish world cutting the beard is not a punishable sin and although it was some kind of a statement it is not the end ofthe frum road for Matis gve him some space, let him… Read more »

cha bad
December 15, 2011 4:48 pm

matityahow rele or you chabad or litvak

I agree
December 15, 2011 4:40 pm

I agree with this article. True and to the core. don’t judge an outside appearance! Very nice this has been brought to attention and yes, quite hashgocha protis too this IS a few days before Chanukah. thank you.

It's a 'Befairisheh' Nigun!
December 15, 2011 4:35 pm

Chop em down, chop em down….

AMAZING
December 15, 2011 4:33 pm

THIS IS WHAT IT”S ALL ABOUT!!!
Your attitude it completely on target!
This is an article COLLIVE should be PROUD to publish!
This is chassidus and this is yud tes kislev!

unimpressed
December 15, 2011 3:58 pm

not nice to make fun of him..

Chava Light
December 15, 2011 3:46 pm

CHAVA LIGHT IS A ROCK STAR! SHE IS AWESOME, THE BEST DESIGNER, AND MOST SKILLED TALENTED DEEPEST PERSON EVER!!!! GO CHAVA

Smart girl
December 15, 2011 3:46 pm

Her article is the bare truth!!

devarim...
December 15, 2011 3:40 pm

she yotzim min halev nichnasim el halev.
thank you for sharing

Bearded man say's..
December 15, 2011 3:37 pm

Finally I’m not being confused for Matisyahu on the street:)

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