Los Angeles, CA – Orthodox Jew rapper Matisyahu took a razor blade to the face this week … and shaved off his trademark beard … or so it seems.
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Matisyahu just posted the shorn pics of himself on his Twitter page … along with the message, “At the break of day I look for you at sunrise … When the tide comes in I lose my disguise.”
On his news site Matisyahu posted the following statement:
This morning I posted a photo of myself on Twitter.
No more Chassidic reggae superstar.
Sorry folks, all you get is me…no alias. When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process. It was my choice. My journey to discover my roots and explore Jewish spirituality—not through books but through real life. At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity…to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules—lots of them—or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission.
Get ready for an amazing year filled with music of rebirth. And for those concerned with my naked face, don’t worry…you haven’t seen the last of my facial hair.
– Matisyahu.
Whatever, Matt. Show us all your tattoos while you’re at it.
I would VERY upset if “razor blade” means an actual razor blade. What a turnaround. If he merely took a shave I don’t see the big deal. Many frum Jews seem to have no problem walking around clean shaven. (Chumras yes, but clean shaven – no problem.)
What a shame. Matisyahu was such a nice role model for thousands of younger frum boys and girls who might have otherwise gone OTD. While not everyone views Matisyahu and his music in the same way, now our yingerliet will will have fewer music superstars to relate to as a guide for their daily lives and hashkofah
His statement is very vague. I wonder what’s really going on with him. Does anybody know some more details? And is he still affiliated with Chabad?
A Razor?
This is not about Chabad, he dissociated himself with Chabad years ago. It’s about Yiddishkeit in general.
It is possible to still be religious without having a beard, but his post does seem to indicate that he is not going to be religious anymore
At the end you see that Chabad was right all along!!
For all those people judging the guy, here is a thought to ponder, how honest and true to the Torah and basic Derech Eretz are you ? because you disguise yourself in fancy dress does that make your heart of hearts any better ? Here we have a man which wants his outer appearance to match his inner and all you can do is judge him ?
“Life is a journey to perfection when we don’t allow ourselves to fall ever we never get the chance to walk proper”
Maybe he will do a cover of “losing my religion” soon. In my opinion this is career suicide, he was known by his trademark as the jew in the hat and beard, now he is just a skinnny white guy
The only people to blame for Matisyahu’s religious downfall are the religious people who rejected his music and style, he had the power at one point to bring many people back on the derech. Lets be happy that Harav Lipa Shmeltzer Shlita has found the the right path due of all the rejection from the rabbonim, and is now a Rav of a kahal of jews that were rejected, but still want to live a frum life.Lets hope this never happens ever again to any other person who has the power to make such a kidush Hashem like Matisyahu had.
Wow very sad! but whats with his wife and kids? did he drag them along with him? i hope not!
Just left this on his facebook page.
Anyone that makes dramatic changes in life shows signs of instability, Be it a Bal Teshuva or the other way around Chas Vishalom. Matisyahu has jumped from secular to Breslav to Chabad to who knows what else. I hate to say it bro, but the whole appeal was seeing this religious man with a beard singing reggae. Its over for you bro.
He removed himself from chabad years ago and became breslev growing long peyos.. I think he is just way over the top and needs some true friendly help..
You can’t dance at two Chasunahs at ones. He treid the whole time to act like a yid and sing like a goy. I knew from the beginning that this won’t work.
Just look athim at picture on right seems content, at peace, and shining pic on left seems lost confused and like a wanted mug shot.. Mat please return home to torah find the strenght we all need rules otherwise we are like animals..
i don’t want to seem cynical, but am I really the only one who found the whole baal tshuvah to Chabad to reggae/rap music a little weird? Did everyone else buy into it and think it would last?
Not, chas v’sholom, that any of these things on their own aren’t admirable (well, not the rap music), and I deeply believe that the “pintele Yid” that is in every Jew can reveal itself and we should be happy to see it, but that quick jumping around to frumkeit and the beard and to pop music stardom – it was just too much.
First of all, it is clear that he didnt use a razor hence the picture.
2nd just because a guy takes off his beard means his not religious anymore? I see no reason to start judging!
Just a lesson, don’t think u can attend and perform all types of goyishe concerts, and atay ehrlich,
A sad example
He recently moved from Brooklyn to Beverly Hills. I guess this was the next step. As a Chassidic guy singing reggae he was interesting. I wonder what the people that know music really think of him as a talent rather then a circuis side-show. Cause that’s what he really is.
Calm down people – it was not an actual razor blade. That is what secular news termed as choice of hair removal. Based on the stubble that remains I would say he used a shaver. Matisyahu is an entertainer and I would speculate like all performers who do attention grabbing things to sell the next album, that is probably his motive right now. Based on the fact that he talks about upcoming music and rebirth, he is probably just re-inventing himself with physicality to prove spirituality remains the same. Either way … stop jumping to conclusions.
I don’t see sideburns for payos, even short ones.
To me he always seemed to be a lost soul searching for his place. I just wish that he finds what he is looking for while remaining mentally balanced. I also hope he finds stability in his yiddishkeit!
Like many, I am shocked. But…
I recall (30+ yrs ago) a Jewish doctor in Willy who wore a kappel (yarmulke) even in the hospital, but when he made a house visit to Willy he *removed* it!
When questioned about it, he explained that he doesn’t want the sweet yiddish kinderlach to think that you can go to college/university/doctor and remain frum! Rather, he said, let them know that you can become a goy! The smart doc didn’t want to falsely impress heimishe children into taking his route!
Possibly and hopefully Matis realizes that too many heimishe are following him and he knows that his destiny in life is to reach out to the real real lost souls. So he is putting up a sign for the chassidish crowd: DANGER! Don’t follow me!
[Likewise] I know of chassidish people that were turned away by Reb Shloime Carlbach zt”l with a simple “this is not for you” while at the same time he was mekarev the lost chassidish crowd.
Let’s daven and hope for the best!
I think he used the frum community and his “levush” to get to the top. Now that he’s so popular with the Hollywood crowd, he’s done with us.
I bought my family tickets to see him in West Palm Beach in 2 weeks.
The seats will be empty that night.
I don’t want to take my family to see an off the derech Jew.
One is not a sheigitz for having no beard or long payis
But one is a sheigitz when he cuts it off
Hashem should help him. Somebody who becomes religious must have no idea about what they are in for, both in terms of the community and what the rest of the world thinks about them. Don’t judge him for taking off the beard until you have walked a mile in his shoes…
Wow. Everybody commenting seems to think you can’t be frum and clean shaven. Forget about the fact that the majority of frum yidden are clean shaven. All he has said is he not chassidish. Another fact: The majority of Orthodox American Jews are not chasidish
Rock on Matis .Love the new look.No matter what the haters are posting.May he have all the blessing in the world.
Let’s give chizzuk to someone who has given hundreds of thousands of jews pride in their yiddishkeit. Here’s to hoping and davening that Matisyahu and all of klal yisrael should find simcha in their avodas hashem, and that we should learn to see and share the good in all of us.
Matisyahu just tweeted…. b’h
For all of those who are being awesome,you are awesome.For all those who are confused:today I went to the Mikva and Shul just like yesterday
those who doubted owe him a bracha!
You know, I was just offered a position on an ongoing documentary tv show about the medical marijuana business as the ‘rabbi who grows philosophizes and gives blessings’, so I said “well, Mattishayu became famous and stayed frum, so can I!” but now I don’t know!
From Matisyahu Facebook Status:
Matisyahu
“For all of those who are being awesome, you are awesome. For all those who are confused: today I went to the Mikva and Shul just like yesterday”
er uz tzemusht
Surprised very much, shocked not so much. Matesyahu is of above average intelligence with a natural gift of music. Like many talented performers, he is his own philosopher and you can’t make people like him blindly conform into molds. I guess he is just another person of many who has been “enlightened” by his own experiences and journey in life and has concluded that all the chumras, dress codes and rigid control of the individual in most of frum world is fake, counterproductive, and has little to do with connection to and understanding of Hashem. Religion is about what’s inside your heart and mind and not what acting skills you were taught to display in public and in shul everyday of your life.
Everyone’s an expert on the lives of others with lots of advise for them. Perhaps it’s absolutely none of our business.
If one of your kids shaves off his beard, then should eveyone be publishing their opinions of what for, why, when, who?
Improve in one aspect of YOUR life, preferably some ahavas yisroel.
Nowhere does he say he is giving up on yiddishkeit or anything else. He seems to have felt like he went down a wrong road and he is doing what he needs to do for himself. Nowhere does he say he is no longer going to be frum or giving up anything. Many people who are shomer Torah umitzvos don’t have beards. It is OK.
There’s a problem here that shaving off a beard is being taken to be a rebellious act which could be its not
what a bunch of yachnas you guys are. Couldn’t give a toss about his beard but got a good laugh out of everyones comments. If only i could be as religious as all of you.
looks like he smoked a pot of pot/crack
He looks like his picture belongs in the post office. What a let down for the misguided people who believed he was their role model.
Read his words carefully:
“At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity…to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules—lots of them—or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission.”
The message is clear. He has given up on formal religion — and certainly halachah. Instead of relying on religion, he is now going to decide for himself how to fulfill his “divine mission”
This is very sad.
Tell me all the valiant defenders of Matisyahu which frum jew goes to female massuese and then brags about it? To what say you art thy my friend?
Matisyahu
My homegirl @dr_dot is the best massuese in NYC. Hands down. Check her out.
18 hours ago
and then then the massuese tweeted this:
Dr. Dot
Just done massaging Matisyahu for three hours. Talented singer and amazing person. Can’t wait to see his Nyc shows this month. Loves!
5 Dec
I also shaved my beard this morning good thing I’m not famous then I would have to get flack for it
Relax everyone. It’s just a publicity stunt so he can make a lot of money, and donate it towards good Jewish causes
A wise man once told me that after 120, when facing the ultimate reckoning of the Bais Din Shel Maalah, one will be asked one of two questions, (either) “Yid, Yid vi iz dain boord [beard]?” or Boord, Boord, vi iz dain Yid?” I think this blog is a reflection of that judgement. Clearly it is better to be asked where was your beard (externally), rather than where was your Yiddishkeit (ahavas yisroel, and mitzvos bein adam lechavero, clearly lacking on many of these posts.)
Just something to ponder….
1st of all I agree with number #36
A shegitz is not one who has no beard or long payos,
But one who has them and cuts them off has some deep problems with yidishkeit.
Now for all the people who are Dan lkav zchus on every person that’s a very nice middah, but there is a limit , because we have to separate from people who act wrongly like the rambam writes.
Now surely the rambam was a tzaddik who loved every jew and definitely was Dan Lkav zchus.
So there must be some sort of line between yiden who fear hashem and yiden who are bad inffuence.
Now this comment which he posted,
“At the break of day I look for you at sunrise … When the tide comes in I lose my disguise.”
I find this comment To be a completely revolting And disturbing comment, and my reason is as follows.
Does anyone in their right mind think that our parents who had their beards and payos pulled and burnt off would ever call it a disguise ?
Do you think if our parents and grandparents had Facebook they would have posted pictures of them clean shaven in the concentration camps with little rhymes?
I heard of people waiting for day break because of many different reasons,
But I never heard someone waiting to cut off his beard and payos
It sounds like he wanted to make a lsheim yichud.
There for my conclusion is as follows
I can sympathize with one lightens a little in Yiddish Keit,
We all have our mitzvahs and aveiros (some times we shave shorter than others some times we cut our payos smaller than others)
But one who throws off certain things with a geshmack and a nice rhyme
And still considers himself just as frum as before(like in this case he said I go to the mikvah and shul) on such people I am not Dan lkav zchus.
Would any of our parents or grandparents see this rhyme(in my opinion the rhyme takes the action to a different level)
They would shudder .
But today everybody is a big tzaddik
And they all say Dan lkav zchus
Even when we should create line between us.
In my oppinion the picture above is worse Than the many pictures of the nazis ym”s cutting off beards.
In those pictures (as sad as they are)
We get inspired by the great kiddush hashem
But in this picture we see the toll that the Galus has on us
May we be zoche to see mashiach speedily in our days
I was just out tonight with a Karliner hasid who is the brother of the rabbi who introduced Matisyahu to Pinsk-Karlin chassidus. He says that the Pinsk-Karliner Rebbe, shlita, was actually thrilled when Matisyahu stopped dressing in hasdic dress and wearing a hat and told him that that wasn’t really who he was and that the outer appearance wasn’t what was important. If that’s not who you really are, the beard, hat and bekishe just become a “costume”.
Before lashing out, why don’t we have the patience to wait and see what he has to say about it. I’m sure he will give some report about the “why” on this episode in his life.
Patience…..is a virtue…
Please people, lets not judge him, we dont know what’s going on in his life, after all some of you have long beards and you are very rotten inside, so the beard is not who make a person for who they are………
I