Payot are worn by some men and boys in the Orthodox Jewish community based on an interpretation of the Tanakh's injunction against shaving the "sides" of one's head. Literally, pe'a means "corner, side, edge". There are different styles of payot among Haredi or Hasidic, Yemenite, and Chardal Jews.

Here is an explanation: the Jewish rule is that a man must not cut or trim his hair within a special facial region. The boundaries of this prohibited zone are on each side of the face - roughly between the middle of the ear and the eye, below a bone which runs horizontally across there.

Mar 1, 2021 · You may have noticed in Orthodox Jewish communities that many men and boys have long curled sideburns that hang down. These are called peyot.

I have been enjoying watching Shtisel on Netflix, and was curious how the men actually curl their sidelocks into those perfect ringlets. Also, when a married couple’s bedroom is shown on the show, they have separate beds.

Jun 4, 2018 · Those sidecurls are called “peiyot” in Hebrew, meaning corners. This is commonly Yiddishized as “peiyes” and is usually rendered in English in a variety of less-phonetically-accurate spellings, including “payes” and “peyot.” (By the way, the common English-language term is “sidelocks,” not “sidecurls.”)

Jun 4, 2022 · The curls on the sides of Jewish men’s heads are called payot, and they signify their commitment to following Jewish tradition. Payot is usually seen in the Orthodox Jewish community, as they follow traditional rules more closely than Reformed Jewish people.

It's been posed that the Russian Jews cut their payos short due to a degree by the government disallowing long side-burns and long coats so as not to stand out as Jewish (the prohibition was not on beards as most Russians had beards).

Jan 12, 2025 · Curls hold deep religious symbolism within Jewish tradition, particularly manifested in the observance of Payot among Orthodox Jewish men. These sidelocks are not merely a fashion statement; they bear profound spiritual and cultural significance.

Mar 17, 2025 · Jewish men have side curls because of a religious law outlined in ancient Jewish texts. This law states that a man must not cut or trim his hair within a special facial region. The boundaries of this prohibited zone are on each side of the face, roughly between the middle of the ear and the eye.

Jun 23, 2017 · Hasidic Jews wear sidecurls or “peyos” to differentiate themselves from others, as a stringency in Jewish law, and as a mystical/kabbalistic practice. Unsure what I mean by sidecurls? Here is a picture of a Hasidic Jew with sidecurls: