Part 2: Matisyahu: "No More Chassidic Reggae Superstar"

[TheHoldmygrenade]

@davetookthewave lol. well put

[TheHoldmygrenade]

Yes! Never be too quick to judge. Love ya man. Keep on keepin on.

[Cottonmouth235]

@TheHoldmygrenade Yah! wouldn't want that he gave us commandments for a reason

[bclipp1]

jewish cat stevens..

[DashFacade]

what about ancient jews who shaved all their bodies?!?

[Davetookthewave]

It's the beard on the inside that counts

[TheZenmobi]

He is so oddly shy and I wish him only good

[borghese1]

Awesome ! Come up to Canada and play some outdoor shinny. Maybe next Hanukkah ....

[kavkazkayadevushka]

It's disappointing to see such drastic change in a person overnight. Makes me wonder how 'real' religion is to him..is it just a phase for him?? like his teenage years with Bob Marley, its true he is a role model and now seems like it was an act to get an audience and attention using judeic garb as a costume no longer useful now that fame is his

[SEXYDEA]

@kavkazkayadevushka Seriously???? Get that crap outta here ..First of all hes been talking about taking off his beard 4 awhile now if you see his vids he bring it up a few times.. Plus im sure he does not even care about the money the FAME he just loves to sing and dance.. you can see the fire in his eyes when he sings! and you know what if it wasn't for GOD to give him the voice that he has he wouldn't be where is at now sharing his thoughts with us ...

[TheOjeda17]

@kavkazkayadevushka Dude, plz matisyahu is a true pure soul who has not lost his faith just because he has Shaved his beard. If you know of matisyahu's history, Judaism saved his life and he would never turn his back on something that has impacted him so deeply. look it up matisyahu was a typical faliure who turned to god for guidance and was given guidance. - (not trying to argue) just Telling you what i feel.

[octoberseven]

@kavkazkayadevushka

I see no drastic change, just the continuing evolution of his spirituality. Shaving his beard is no more a drastic change than any haircut any other person gets. We put far too much emphasis on superficiality and not enough on what really matters. And unwavering obedience to rules will not bring you any closer to God. One's connection to God does not depend on one's beard, hair or clothing or anything else. What God is concerned with is what's in your heart.

[danceoncardboardd]

GO MATIS GOOOO! I feel like there needs to be a part 3.

[galfriday72]

Better to be comfortable in your skin and be good to your fellow man and serve G-d by being a good person - that's what makes this world a good place, not what you wear.

[galfriday72]

This is an important basic lesson - never judge a book by its cover. Whether a Jewish man has a beard or not, or whether a Jewish woman covers her hair or wears a skirt does not interpret as him/her being frum (religious). There are so many levels of Judaism - of every religion - and the connection to man and G-d is what's most important. There are so many people who dress the dress/walk the walk/talk the talk in every religion, but are disgusting human beings.

[skigal4life]

@galfriday72 no cuz theres a diff btwn a guy shavin his beaard n a women not following halacha. it dusnt say newerre a guy neeeds to have a bear a chashidish thing but it clearly sez dat a women cannnoy show ervah n hair n da whole 9yards is ervah. sorry nice idea but waay of life. but i totlally dont care go ahead matisyahu shave ur beard dats fine with me but no1 can say its da same a women disregarding halacha.

[KidParky]

I did love the beard but when you're listening to his music through your headphones while walking down the street you're listening to his music and not looking at his beard. He rocks!

[saxophonemn]

He's still frum, also Yiddish is a Jewish language, it's tyhe Jewish lingua franca of Ashekenazi Jews for over a 1000 years or so. Matisyahu is soft spoken, though I wouldn't say well spoken.

[Redkadachi]

Don't listen to the haters, Matisyahu. We still love you even if you lost the beard and peyot. Keep spreading the love of HaShem! :D

[aviif]

I'm looking at his shaven head, he cant grab any of that it's like a zero!

[sarah12386]

lol @ what the heck happened to him

[CurlyQ251]

HE IS SO CUTE WITHOUT THE BEARD!!!!

[Theshamruck]

Gay.

[Dessybaby1233]

Oh my gosh. What the heck happened to him?

[SEXYDEA]

I used to have a beard...till i took an arrow to the knee...everyone just needs to get a grip... ty im done

[SEXYDEA]

Oh And the president of Israel doesn't have a beard... So i guess we don't like him too! ...

[Cottonmouth235]

@SEXYDEA Ugh the president isnt Yah! don't change your beliefs just because of your love of Matisyahu!

[SEXYDEA]

@Cottonmouth235 Dude what??? Yah?? 

[Cottonmouth235]

@SEXYDEA Yahweh, Yah, Hallelujah! ect it is short for his name I say Yah!

[SEXYDEA]

@Cottonmouth235 Umm Ok His name to me is Hashem not.......... Yahweh or whatever ur trying to say ... But its all good :) You have a nice night

[Cottonmouth235]

@SEXYDEA Well technically YHWH but thanks you to take it easy blessings

[SEXYDEA]

ummm who cares if he does NOT represent orthodox Judaism ..He represents ALL ....All Jews are one ...This is why moshiach has not come..Im Jewish and i love everyone I don't wear long skirts ..I tried that way .I.Just like Mati Knows god loves me with our with out a beard or a Skirt ....

[aviif]

@IndiesLover before jumping to conclusions read properly what I wrote, I wrote "peyos" not "long peyos" and yes peyos of some sort are an absolute requirement and there are no pious jews without peyos.

[jewishmusick]

@aviif agreed! guys stop defending matisyahu he is a moron and does NOT represent orthodox judaism

[antireptile]

@jewishmusick who r u to call anybody an idiot, moron

[IndiesLover]

@aviif Yes, I realize that peyos of some sort are a requirement. He has them. You need to be able to grab the hair. So he is within the requirements of peyos. Unsure what you are talking about or looking at.

[BellaNaturaa]

His voice is so sweet :)

[BellaNaturaa]

I will always love his music and his message. I love him! :)

[tamary181]

will you marry me???

[MultiMelech]

@jewishmusick

i completely agree with u!! forsure

[tovahification]

I had a little tear.

[aviif]

Very true that the main thing is the inside it definitely does say "god demands the heart" however does that mean that we get to pick and choose which parts of what the same god has commanded us to keep?!

It's true many pious god fearing jews don't wear beards, so if he feels he is not up to the "beard level" then fine, (even though he himself admitted to it being directly connected to the mercy of god) but what about his peyos (locks)? Is that also ludacrous?!!

I think this man is confused.

[IndiesLover]

@aviif I think, unfortunately, that you're confused. Many "pious, G-d fearing Jews" don't wear long payos.

[jewishmusick]

the way he always jumped into the crowds, and the way he kept changing from chabad to this to that, i always felt uneasy about this guy - i would not be suprised if he next stopped keeping shabbos and said `hey im still jewish this is part of my spritual journey`! the best thing people can do is not associate him with religious judaism anymore.

[IndiesLover]

@jewishmusick That's unfair.

[SEXYDEA]

He wont lose his faith ...there are many Jews out there who dont wear the beard..Everyone is so silly shut up about it...

[IndiesLover]

@SEXYDEA Exactly.

[HighClassSmeb]

I'm so scared he's gna lose his faith "/

[MultiMelech]

@HighClassSmeb

unfortunately i think its just a matter of time..

[jewishmusick]

@MultiMelech my issue isnt `oy gevalt the beard` because there are lots of wonderful jews without beards. my point is, he is a role model for many young jews, and THAT is the problem! to go from a long beard and long peyos to shaven face and side burns, to change in that way is like taking a yamulka and spitting on it!

[IndiesLover]

@jewishmusick I think it seems you have an axe to grind. He has done nothing wrong. He is still religious, still a mentsch. Stop causing "sinas chinam" or hatred of other Jews.

[yossidechef]

@HighClassSmeb sad

[1arielnosrati]

Thumbs up, No beard

[benYisrael2006]

Too many contradictions: Should we say that Torah commandments (beard, pe'ot, tsitsit, food, Shabbat, mo'edim, etc) are "optional" because it is "ludicrous" to think YHVH was serious? Is He serious concerning His covenant with Yisrael? Yahushua said "if you love me, keep my commandments". What you "believe" is not nearly as important as what you do ("emunah"). Be brave, be strong, be faithful. Shalom.

[Learningbyhearing]

I wonder what happened to his Yiddish accent from his first interview? Now he sounds like a new age hipster moderating for NPR.

Then there's the whole Jamaican act thing when he performs. I don't get it.

[nzo41x]

@Learningbyhearing He's a singer. Some singers have the talent to sing a different style and sing in a different accent. I personally can't do it. If I try to sing reggae I sound like I'm yodeling lol.

[Learningbyhearing]

@nzo41x : )

[chodeshadar18]

@Learningbyhearing You start to wonder is EVERYTHING an act nowadays? G*d give this young man, and all of us, the strength to represent outwardly what's best in us inwardly.

[Learningbyhearing]

@chodeshadar18 and give us your spirit so that we may shine and others might see.

[IndiesLover]

@Learningbyhearing Not sure what you're talking about. He's sounded the exact same way since the beginning. Do your homework and stop making up stories.

[Learningbyhearing]

@IndiesLover Sorry, but I disagree with you. I watched and have been following him since the beginning. He used a Yiddish accent and dressed according to law. Now the customs are gone and he lost the Yiddish pronunciation and speaks very softly, like an NPR host.

[2Haganah]

@Learningbyhearing First of all Yidish is not a Jewish language,,,,It is a German language mixed with a little Hebrew..but it is like 95 percent German...I am a Sephardic Jew and we don't speak Yidish...you guys adopted Yidish in Germany so whoever told you that him not having a Yidish (German) accent makes him a non Jew is a Moron...Hebrew Is a Jewish language....not Yidish....Yidish is a German language....

[Learningbyhearing]

@IndiesLover  watch this interview.

Matisyahu's first appearance on TV (2003) CNN

[IndiesLover]

@Learningbyhearing

I did watch that - not sure what you're talking about. No accent. Sounds the same in interview.

[83ishgirl]

So soft spoken and gentle. A beard shouldn't make a man. It's the heart and talent in this case. He seems so kind.