Why Do So Many Jewish Men have Beards? - Rabbi Yitzchak Botton

the question I get a lot is why do so many Jewish men have appears now in my opinion this question is linked really to to Jewish history tradition you know although there is a command not to destroy one's beard that non aesthetic would translate into having a full beard but if we appreciate the founding fathers of our religion for example Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all of the prophets and Jewish leadership throughout the ages so they understood really in a much deeper sense the spiritual essence of creation and what man really represents and knowing that spiritually the concept of a beard represents the attribute of divine mercy they all grew beards so since Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses and all of the great Jewish leaders had beards because that is the ideal way for a man to present himself spiritually it translates into Jewish custom and that many many people participate in that in that custom as much as they're able to some people have a trim beard some people have an untrue beard again the commandment is not to destroy a beard entirely but the men hug the custom is to follow really the rabbis in are leaders in that sense [Music]