ויקרא, פרק י״ט, פסוק כ״ז

The Torah places boundaries on how individuals shape their physical appearance, reflecting a profound respect for the human body and its natural form. The restrictions on altering the hair of the head and the beard stem from several core philosophies. The primary approach among commentators is that these laws distance the Israelites from idolatrous practices, as pagan priests historically shaved their heads and beards in specific patterns to signify servitude to their gods [ספורנו, הטור הארוך, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, בכור שור, רד״צ הופמן]. Others connect this restriction to ancient, extreme mourning customs, noting its proximity to the prohibition against gashing one's flesh for the dead [שד״ל, אבן עזרא].

Another perspective focuses on preserving the natural order of creation and the distinct identities God established for men and women. In this view, the beard is considered a mark of facial dignity and a defining feature of masculinity that must not be destroyed [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה, פרדס יוסף]. Furthermore, the sidelocks and beard can serve as a spiritual and moral compass. The sidelocks act as a boundary between the front of the head, representing the human intellect, and the back of the head, representing the animalistic side of human nature. Similarly, the beard covers the cheeks, which are associated with the purely physical act of eating [רש״ר הירש].

The restriction against rounding the hair of the head refers specifically to shaving the temples—the area between the eyes and the ears. Because the natural hairline at the forehead and behind the ears sits higher up, removing the hair at the temples creates an artificial, uniform circle around the entire head [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, לבוש האורה, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The command is given in the plural to indicate that both the person cutting the hair and the person receiving the haircut are held responsible for the violation [תורה תמימה, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו, רד״צ הופמן]. This plural phrasing also extends the restriction to young boys who have not yet grown a beard [אור החיים].

When addressing the beard, the command shifts to the singular. This deliberate change excludes women from the restriction. Because women do not naturally grow beards, they are exempt from this specific law, which consequently exempts them from the restriction on rounding the hair of the head as well [אור החיים, תורה תמימה, רלב״ג, פרדס יוסף]. The law specifically forbids destroying the edges of the beard, a term that denotes completely uprooting the hair at once, typically with a razor. Trimming with scissors, which leaves some hair intact, does not constitute destruction [רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, רש״ר הירש].

The edges of the beard refer to its outer boundaries. There are five distinct corners on a person's face: two on each cheek at the upper and lower joints, and a fifth on the chin where the cheeks meet [רש״י, מזרחי, רלב״ג, ביאור יש״ר]. Because the term for a corner is written in the singular, a person who completely shaves off their entire beard is held liable for five separate violations, one for each distinct corner destroyed [רבנו בחיי, מלבי״ם].