Upsherin is the Jewish ceremony traditionally marking a boy’s first haircut at age three in some communities.
The custom is especially associated with Hasidic and other Orthodox Jewish communities. On or around the child’s third birthday, his hair is cut for the first time while sidelocks, or payot, are retained. The event may include family celebration, prayers, and the child’s first introduction to wearing a kippah or studying letters.
Supporters connect the practice with interpretations of biblical and rabbinic teachings, including the idea that a child’s early years resemble a tree’s uncultivated period before its produce is used. Customs vary considerably by community.
Upsherin is not the same as a bar mitzvah. A bar mitzvah marks a Jewish boy’s religious responsibility at age 13, whereas upsherin is a childhood haircut tradition.