The Aleph Male Blog Roll

Growing and Caring for a Jewish Beard: Tradition Meets Practice
So you're growing a Jewish beard, or thinking about it. Whether it's your first time or you've had one for years, there's something uniquely meaningful about growing a beard with an awareness of the tradition behind it. And it turns out, that tradition has some practical things to say, too.Making the DecisionFor many Jewish men, deciding to grow a beard isn't trivial. It's a choice to become more visible, to carry an identity on your face, to step into a tradition that stretches back thousands of years. The Talmud (Shabbat... Read more...
The Beard in Jewish History: From the Temple to the Present
If you trace the beard through Jewish history, you find a thread that runs from the ancient world all the way to today, surviving exile, persecution, cultural pressure, and the constant pull of fitting in. It tells us a lot about how Jewish identity has been expressed, and sometimes hidden, over the centuries.The Ancient WorldIn the ancient Near East, beards were a big deal across the board. The Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians all had elaborate beard customs. Among the Israelites, a full beard was the norm for adult men, and... Read more...
Jewish Mysticism and the Beard: The Kabbalistic Secrets of Facial Hair
If you thought the beard was just a legal thing in Judaism, follow this rule, avoid that razor, hold on. The mystical tradition takes things to a completely different level.There's a section of the Zohar called the Idra Raba (the Great Assembly), and it contains some of the most striking mystical writing in all of Jewish literature. It describes the inner structure of the divine being using the human body as a map. And the beard gets more attention than almost anything else.A Quick OrientationKabbalah understands God as Ein Sof,... Read more...
?איך להשתמש בשמן לזקן – המדריך המלא לזקן מושלם
איך להשתמש בשמן לזקן – המדריך המלא לזקן מושלם שמן לזקן הוא המוצר הכי חשוב בטיפוח זקן יומיומי. אבל הרבה גברים קונים שמן לזקן, מורחים אותו איכשהו ותוהים למה הם עדיין מתמודדים עם זקן יבש ומגרד. האמת? הדרך שבה אתה משתמש בשמן לזקן חשובה לא פחות מהשמן עצמו. במדריך הזה נלמד בדיוק איך להשתמש בשמן לזקן — שלב אחרי שלב — כדי שתקבל את המקסימום מכל טיפה. מה זה שמן לזקן ולמה הוא הכרחי? שמן לזקן הוא תערובת של שמנים נושאים טבעיים עם שמנים אתריים שמוסיפים ריח ויתרונות נוספים. השמנים... Read more...
?המרכיבים בשמן לזקן שמלחלחים את הזקן והעור — ואיך הם עוצרים את הגירוד
אם יש לך זקן, אתה מכיר את הסיפור: הזקן מתחיל להיראות טוב, ואז מגיע הגירוד. פתאום  לך זקן מגרד שלא נותן מנוחה, שגורם לך לגרד את הפנים בישיבות זום, שמלווה בקשקשים בזקן על החולצה השחורה. רוב הגברים לא יודעים שהזקן יבש ומגרד הזה הוא לא גזירת גורל — הוא בעיה של לחות, ויש לה פתרון. שמן לזקן עם המרכיבים הנכונים פותר את הבעיה מהשורש. לא רק מסווה אותה, לא רק מרכך את השיער — ממש מטפל בעור ובשיער כאחד. בואו נבין למה. למה הזקן מגרד? הסיבה האמיתית מתחת לזקן שלך... Read more...
?שמן לזקן לפני ואחרי — מה באמת משתנה כשמתחילים להשתמש בשמן לזקן
יש רגע שבו גבר מזוקן מבין שמשהו חסר. הזקן שם, הוא נראה לא רע — אבל משהו לא מסתדר. השיער קשיח. העור מתחת מגרד. יש קשקשים בזקן. המראה הכללי אומר "זקן יבש" במקום "זקן מטופח." ואז הוא מנסה שמן לזקן. ומכאן ההבדל פשוט דרמטי. במאמר הזה נעבור על ההשוואה האמיתית — לפני ואחרי שימוש בשמן לזקן — ונראה בדיוק מה משתנה, מתי, ולמה. לפני שמן לזקן: המצב שרוב הגברים מכירים העור מתחת לזקן בלי שמן, העור מתחת לזקן סובל. הזקן חוסם את מזג האוויר מבחוץ אבל גם לוכד חום ולחות... Read more...
On Cutting the Beard in Jewish Law: What's the Halacha?
On Cutting the Beard in Jewish Law: What's the Halacha?
There is a famous saying: 'Two Jews, three opinions.' This is also true when it comes to beards in Jewish law.  The question of cutting the beard in Jewish law... Read more...
Rosh Chodesh Nissan: The Spiritual Perspective
As the month of Nissan begins, the Jewish calendar reaches a unique date - a collective identity new year for the Jewish people. While many people think of the new year as starting in Tishrei with Rosh Hashanah, the Torah itself points us in a different direction when it says: “החודש הזה לכם ראש חודשים”“This month shall be for you the head of the months” (Exodus 12:2) This month is referring to the month of Nissan. In the teachings of Chabad-Lubavitch and earlier Chassidic masters such as Schneur Zalman of... Read more...
The Beard in the Bible: What the Hebrew Scriptures Say About Facial Hair
The Beard in the Bible: What the Hebrew Scriptures Say About Facial Hair
If you start looking for beards in the Hebrew Bible, you'll find them everywhere. And they're never just a passing detail. Honor, mourning, humiliation, holiness... the ancient Israelites clearly saw... Read more...
Jewish Beard Culture: Why the Beard Has Always Been Part of Jewish Life
Jewish Beard Culture: Why the Beard Has Always Been Part of Jewish Life
  Jewish beard culture is thousands of years old. There's a photograph that exists in so many Jewish families. Maybe it's in a drawer, or scanned onto someone's phone. It... Read more...
A letter from Eitan about some changes to Aleph Male
A letter from Eitan about some changes to Aleph Male
Shalom Aleph Male Customers,  Each person is a world unto themselves and I hope that your world is filled with abundant goodness and blessings.  I am making some big changes... Read more...
Grow a Majestic Beard: 3 Strands of Beard Wisdom For Sefirat HaOmer
Grow a Majestic Beard: 3 Strands of Beard Wisdom For Sefirat HaOmer
Grow a Majestic Beard: 3 Strands of Beard Wisdom For Sefirat HaOmer Read more...
Aleph Male Wisdom: How King David Teaches Victory Through Vulnerability
Aleph Male Wisdom: How King David Teaches Victory Through Vulnerability
  When most people think of David and Goliath they think of the face-off between a young boy vs a giant man, of small vs big, of weak vs strong,... Read more...
Thoughts about Rosh Hashanah, Dreams, and Suicide
Thoughts about Rosh Hashanah, Dreams, and Suicide
Trigger Warning! I talk about suicide in this video. I also talk about my own struggle with darkness and some experiences that helped me. Read more...
5 Unconventional Aleph Male Blogs to Inspire You For Rosh Hashanah
5 Unconventional Aleph Male Blogs to Inspire You For Rosh Hashanah
1. How Aragorn and an Undead Army from Lord of the Rings Helped Me Prepare for Rosh Hashana         2. Calling Out to Our True Selves: A Hasidic Meditation... Read more...
One Jew At a Time: How a Chabad Shaliach's focus on the small has led to huge success
One Jew At a Time: How a Chabad Shaliach's focus on the small has led to huge success
  Whenever I think of successful entrepreneurs I think of Rabbi Mordechai Shain. Except he is not your traditional entrepreneur because he is not a businessman, he is a rabbi.... Read more...
Watch: Above and Beyond - Legendary Jewish fighter pilots from 1948
Watch: Above and Beyond - Legendary Jewish fighter pilots from 1948
Tonight begins the 72nd anniversary of Israel's Independence Day. To get you warmed up to the vibe, PLEASE, watch this video, it's so good, so inspirational, and will really plug... Read more...
Aleph Male Purim Podcast: How to Get Drunk on God
Aleph Male Purim Podcast: How to Get Drunk on God
One of the best ways to get ready for Purim is to listen to this podcast! ff Read more...
Listen to this Hasidic Story: The Bal Shem Tov's Storyteller
Listen to this Hasidic Story: The Bal Shem Tov's Storyteller
What you feed your imagination filters down into how you think and act. Aleph Male is proud to present some excellent audio Jewish soul food to uplift your imagination. Listen... Read more...
Kabbalistic Meditation on the Light of Hanukkah
Kabbalistic Meditation on the Light of Hanukkah
Rabbi Tuvia Aaronson of Israel's Pardes Hanna brings down some deep Torah about what gateways open for us when we focus on and meditate on the lights of the menorah.... Read more...
What is the Menorah on the Aleph Male Seal?
What is the Menorah on the Aleph Male Seal?
When you look at the menorah (what looks like a seven-armed candelabra) on the Aleph Male label, what are you looking at?    You are looking at an ancient Jewish... Read more...
Yom Kippur: Return to the Time Before Mistakes
Yom Kippur: Return to the Time Before Mistakes
Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement, the day when we are forgiven for our sins. This not as simple as some magical ritual that wipes the slate... Read more...
How Aragorn and an Undead Army from Lord of the Rings Helped Me Prepare for Rosh Hashana
How Aragorn and an Undead Army from Lord of the Rings Helped Me Prepare for Rosh Hashana
This idea has been in my head for a really long time but writing it would take even longer. So I turned it into a podcast. Enjoy!   FYI -... Read more...
A Rosh Hashana Letter from 2008 thats still good.
A Rosh Hashana Letter from 2008 thats still good.
(This is a section of a Rosh Hashana letter I wrote in 2008 and upon rereading, decided to republish here. It has been slightly edited) Dear Friends,   I am writing to you... Read more...
Reflections on the Bal Shem Tov: When the Song Sings the Singer
Reflections on the Bal Shem Tov: When the Song Sings the Singer
My first year in college, I was dubbed the 'singing freshman', because I used to regularly and vocally sing as I walked around campus. Some people looked at me askance... Read more...
Aleph Male Podcast 4: Naftali Engel founder of The Rebbe's Choice
Aleph Male is a Jewish lifestyle brand and that means biblically inspired handmade beard care products from the Land of Israel is just the beginning. Please meet Naftali Engel, the first guest of the rebooted Aleph Male podcast spotlighting positive Jewish masculinity, spirituality, and entrepreneurship. Naftali Engel is the creator of The Rebbe’s Choice, a hasidic inspired food brand whole line is composed of high-end Hasidic-hipster herring, lox, and kichel. In this podcast we bridge the gap between business and chassidus. Listen now.    1:00- 7:03 - Introduction   7:03... Read more...
Dreams of a Future Temple: The 9th of Av and Dispelling Hatred With Love
Dreams of a Future Temple: The 9th of Av and Dispelling Hatred With Love
On a trip to Israel, when I was 21 years old, I had my first religious experience. I was standing on a balcony overlooking the Western Wall (aka “The Wall”)... Read more...
One of the most moving Jewish songs of the past decade
One of the most moving Jewish songs of the past decade
I first met Binyamin Landau in the Judean Hills outside Jerusalem. He sat down on a small hillside with his guitar and began to sing. His words and melodies opened... Read more...
What's the difference between Aleph Male Beard Oil & Beard Balm?
What's the difference between Aleph Male Beard Oil & Beard Balm?
One of the most common questions I get asked all the time is what is the difference between beard oil and beard balm. I think the best way to answer... Read more...
Aleph Male Scent Blends: Sukkot
Aleph Male Scent Blends: Sukkot
At Aleph Male we like to make our beard care products with intention… spiritual and physical intention. Our intention on a physical level is to make beard care products that are... Read more...
Passover: Love Is Revolution
Passover: Love Is Revolution
  Judaism is a spiritual path, a set of practices intended to facilitate living an awakened life. Passover is the Jewish holiday celebrating the Exodus from Egypt, the holiday of... Read more...
Purim: How to Get Drunk on God
Purim: How to Get Drunk on God
Back in the day, when I was 21 years old, after I had been studying in Israel for about a month, I remember standing on a rooftop in the Old... Read more...
Purim Mindmeld from Jerusalem: Get your mind and soul ready
Purim Mindmeld from Jerusalem: Get your mind and soul ready
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Epic Rosh Chodesh Adar Vibrations - Amazing Hallel Prayers
Epic Rosh Chodesh Adar Vibrations - Amazing Hallel Prayers
Back in the day King David, the archetypical Aleph Male, was famous for his passionate love of God. Stories tell of King David singing and dancing with joy to the... Read more...
Rosh Hashanah: How to Write Yourself Into the Book of Life
Rosh Hashanah: How to Write Yourself Into the Book of Life
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Rosh Hashanah Thoughts: Lord of the Rings and the King of Kings
Rosh Hashanah Thoughts: Lord of the Rings and the King of Kings
Crowning God as “King” is a hard concept for me to wrap my head around, and it’s also one of the main psychological/spiritual/liturgical themes of Rosh Hashanah. Even though I... Read more...
Calling Out to Our True Selves: A Hasidic Meditation on the Mitzvah of Shofar
Calling Out to Our True Selves: A Hasidic Meditation on the Mitzvah of Shofar
Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov (Master of the Good Name), was a mystic and spiritual teacher who lived in the 18th century Eastern Europe and founded the... Read more...
Aleph Male Podcast: Episode 1 - What is the Aleph Male?
Aleph Male Podcast: Episode 1 - What is the Aleph Male?
What exactly is the Aleph Male? Join Eitan Ben Avraham and Shammai Siskind as they explore that exact question. This is your chance to get behind the brand to the vision... Read more...
He asked for a blessing of Torah and Wealth together... the Rebbe said to grow a beard
He asked for a blessing of Torah and Wealth together... the Rebbe said to grow a beard
I was blown away when I first saw this video. I really had no idea there were so many teachings in Judaism about the connection between beard and blessing!  ... Read more...
HevriaCast + Aleph Male = Anoint Your Mind
HevriaCast + Aleph Male = Anoint Your Mind
Whats the backstory behind the hasidic hipster beard balm phenomenon? Check out this conversation between Elad Nehorai of Hevria and Eitan Press, the Chief Beard Anointer of Aleph Male.   ... Read more...
Play the playlist of Beard Balming Music
Play the playlist of Beard Balming Music
   Aleph Male is not just a hasidic hispter Jewish beard balm handmade in Israel! It's a culture and that means music. Here is some of the music I love to... Read more...
Some Testimonials
Some Testimonials
"Fabulous product. Love the natural formula, awesome scent, and of course the incomparable logo. Found myself wanting to grow my beard longer just so I could apply more balm!"- Andy... Read more...