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162 · Hilchot Pe’ot Harosh Tzurba M’Rabanan

a Taz, Yoreh Deah 181:1 א:אפק ד״וי | ז"ט 8 .

This is the language of the Tur: “The Rambam writes that the Torah םרסאש ם"במרה בתכ רוטה ןושל הז
forbade these because the gentiles do so, but this is not explicit” םיבכוכ ידבוע ןכ ןישועש ינפמ בותכה
…It seems that in this matter, he [Tur] argues with the Rambam. םע קלוח הזבד הארנו …שרופמ וניא הזו
For the Rambam linked this prohibition to idol worshipers, as ידבועב הז ןיד הלת ם"במרהד ם"במרה
this is their statute. If so, there are sometimes leniencies based on םימעפל שי כ"או םהלש קוח אוהש םיבכוכ
[maintaining] shalom malchut (peace with the government), as וניצמש ומכ תוכלמ םולש םושמ רתיה
we have seen in Siman 178:2. About this the Tur writes that it is
not explicit that this is based on chukat hagoyim, and we have only ירהש רוטה בתכ הז לעו 'ב ףיעס ח"עק 'יסב
found a leniency of shalom malchut with regard to the prohibition ידבוע תוקח םושמ היהי הזש שרופמ וניא
of chukat hagoyim… This seems to me to be the explanation of תוכלמ םולש םושמ רתיה וניצמ אלו 'יבכוכ
his opinion, as opposed to how the Beit Yosef explained the Tur’s …םיבכוכ ידבוע תוקח םושמ רוסיאב אלא
understanding of the Rambam that we would not need to fulfill a תעדלד י"ב ש"מכ אלו וירבד רואיב ל"נ ןכ
mitzva if we don’t know the reason for it, Heaven forbid that the םייקל ןיכירצ ונא ןיא ם"במרד אבילא רוטה
Tur would think that this is the opinion of the Rambam. ו"ח םעטה ןיעדוי ונא ןיאש לכ הוצמה
:ם"במרה תעדב ןכ בושחי רוטהש

Rabbeinu Bechaye suggests an entirely different reason for these prohibitions than the Rambam.

r Rabbeinu Bechaye, Vayikra 19:27 זכ:טי ארקיו | ייחב וניבר 9 .
Do not destroy the corners of your beard – The simple :טשפה ד"ע – ךנקז תאפ תא תיחשת אלו
understanding of this is that the reason for this prohibition ןמיסה לטבי אלש ידכ רוסאה םעט
is in order not to remove the sign that G-d placed on males to ולידבהל ידכ רכזה ןימב םשר ה"בקהש
distinguish them from the females. For one who does so goes אוה םשה ךפה ןכ השועה יכ ,הבקנה ןיממ
against [the will] of G-d, similar to one who plants a mixture השעש המ לכבו ,םיאלכ ערוזש ימכ ,השוע
of species. For everything that G-d did in the act of creation is ”.והנימל“ םהב בתכ תישארב השעמב
written “according to their species.”

Defining the Prohibited Act

The Torah refers to the prohibition of cutting the pe’ot as “not rounding [hakafa]” them. What exactly is
included in this prohibition? The Mishna in Masechet Makkot describes the basic prohibition, and the Gemara
and commentaries elaborate on it.

h Mishna, Masechet Makkot 3:5 ה:ג תוכמ תכסמ | הנשמ . 10
One who balds his head, one who cuts the [hair] encircling ושאר תאפ ףיקמהו ושארב החרק חרוקה
the corners of his head, or one who destroys the corners of his תחא לכ לע בייח …ונקז תאפ תיחשמהו
beard… he is liable for each one: [For cutting] on his head, [he is תחאו ןאכמ תחא םיתש שארה לע .תחאו
liable] twice, one for one side and one for the other side… and he .רעתב ונלטיש דע בייח וניאו …ןאכמ
is only liable for taking them off with a razor.

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