What is an upshernish? An upshernish is a ceremony that commemorates a boy’s first haircut, which is performed on his third birthday. This tradition stems from commentary in the Midrash that mentions that a boy’s hair should not be cut until that age.
This year, on the 18th of Elul, Meir Shlomo Axelrod turned three years old. For the first time in his life, his hair was cut, with the exception of his sidepieces. He’ll now begin to wear tzitzit and a kippa. His parents, Mendy and Chaya Mushka Axelrod, organized a ceremony for the occasion in our synagogue — Chabad Lubavitch of Chisinau. According to the Rebbe, a Kohen should be the first to cut a boy’s hair. Meir Shlomo was lucky enough to have three Kohens cut his hair. In the presence of family and friends, Meir Shlomo said 12 psukim of the Torah. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, chose and suggested that every Jewish child should learn these psukim by heart. All those present repeated every word after him.
