At sunrise on Tuesday, December 13, Reggae Star Matisyahu posted a photo of himself clean-shaven, tweeting the following phrase from his 2009 hit album Light:
“At the break of day I look for you at sunrise. When the tide comes in I lose my disguise.”
The photos of the singer looking to “reclaim himself” triggered heavy talkback across the web, with some tabloids naming it the “most talked about beard ever.” Hundreds of articles spawned across the web, most notably in the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, MTV and Rolling Stones.
What crept under the spotlight though, was the telling words intimating a return of ‘the beard.’ “Get ready for an amazing year filled with music of rebirth,” he wrote. “And for those concerned with my naked face, don’t worry…you haven’t seen the last of my facial hair.”
This time without ceremony, Matisyahu posted his beard again to Twitter. In the photo he is holding his son and smiling, a small but pronounced beard gracing his face.
What the ‘return of the beard’ spells of Matisyahu’s religiosity is yet to be seen, but its regrowth shakes the hopes of a “secular rebirth” as Heeb magazine termed it. Heeb Magazine had already turned to tag Matisyahu with his former secular name “Mathew” and congratulated him on his “momentous decision” to “be done with his Orthodoxy.”
Seems like they jumped the gun a bit, but time will tell.
{Crown Heights/Matzav.com Newscenter}
who cares why is this news
he cant make up his mind.
Who is interested in this
One can always do Teshuva. It seems that Matisyahu is making the right decision. You are always welcome here!
Is this hisorirus to be mispallel for him to do Teshuva?? For refuah Shlaymah?
Why is having/not having a beard an indication of whether or not a person is “Frum”?
three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why should the media give frum yidden the benefit of the doubt when it comes to eretz yisroel if we dont to our own brothers?
There was a mazal tov in a certain newspaper a while back to Matisyahu (Matisyahu Miller – formerly Matthew Miller) on his upsherin. Will they now have to print a retraction??
Check out what Rabbi Shapiro says here:
http://www.jewswithquestions.com/index.php?/topic/324-matisyahu-shaving-his-beard/
See: http://www.koshershaver.info
it is a Mitzva to have a beard some even hold its M’dioraisa…. anyone eho wants to do research can look at the Sefer called Hadras Panim.(who brings down from all Gedolei Yisroel)
Did anyone think it’s possible to stay frum and be a popular rock star?
It’s a ‘dangerous’ industry, especially for a frum Yid.
I wish him hatzlocha and hope one day he’ll see the pop culture for what it is- a lot of emptiness.
“Burd vu is dayn yid?”
– Reb Yoilish
To be honest, I’m not even interested in this bit of “news.” I’m more interested in the comments about it. I didn’t even read the article itself.
There is no mitzvah to have a beard. There is an issur to shave with a blade.
to comment #16 stop paskining with out knowing
HOW DOES A BEARD OR NO BEARD DEFINE WHO IS FRUM AND WHO IS NOT FRUM?
I’m not paskening but note that someone with Heter Hor’aah can pasken. It’s plain and simple Halacha. There is no Mitzvas Aseh to grow a beard. That’s plain and simple. You can read every page of Hadras Ponim Zokon and you still will not find it.
You can find many reasons to have a beard. I have one too.
Woops. My last comment was TO Mitzvah Time, but from me.
“HOW DOES A BEARD OR NO BEARD DEFINE WHO IS FRUM AND WHO IS NOT FRUM?”
Have you heard of Hadras Panim Zaken by the saintly Rav Moshe Weiner? It details many examples from the Gedolei Yisrael showing how holy the beard is. It is unfortunate that in this Dor we are on such a low level of Yiras Shamayim that there is blatant opposition to Daas Torah.