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Upsherin is cutting a boy's hair at or about the age of three for the first time. Is there any 'Inyan (idea) of an Upsherin for girls? Why or why not?

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Why do you think there should be? –  Yehoshua Mar 24 '13 at 17:19
I am assuming you are asking if there are communities that have done/continue to do it for girls. The answer to that is yes, but I am short on sources right now, other than I asked my Rav and he showed me a number of sources that I have since forgotten since adopting the practice in my own family. –  Rabbi Michael Tzadok Mar 24 '13 at 17:23
@Yehoshua I can't think of a reason why not (if you hold of it for boys, that is), yet I've never heard of it for girls, and I've specifically heard that it is only for boys. Just not from an authoritative source, and never with a reason. –  Seth J Mar 24 '13 at 17:58
what counts as an inyan –  Double AA Mar 24 '13 at 18:01
@double aa I'm being deliberately vague, to allow a broad spectrum of answers. Eg., "My rabbi said that in his family his aunt had one but he thought it was weird when she told him," all the way to, "The Upsherinishe Rebbe held that, because women don't have a 'Orlah their hair can be cut even before three years." –  Seth J Mar 24 '13 at 18:48

2 Answers 2

An classic source for the Upsherin is the שערי תשובה in שו"ע או"ח סי' תקלא סק"ז

He says:

המנהג בארץ ישראל לעשות שמחה בתגלחת הראשונה של קטן, שמחנכין אותו במצוה להיות לו פאות הראש.‏ ‏

"The custom in the land of Israel is to make a joyous occasion out of the child's first haircut, when one inaugurates him into the concept of [not destroying] his [Halachic] sideburns."

Since girls do not have the Mitzva of פאות הראש, there would be no sense to making an Upsherin ceremony for them.

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if by "Inyan of Upsherin" you mean hair cut then see @Danny Schoemann's answer

but if by "Inyan of Upsherin" you mean the Inyan of chinuch

form this answer



then some have a custom for girls to light candles at 3

3 year olds lighting a shabbat candle

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