18 Apr CUSTOMS DURING SEFIRA PART 1

The time from
Pesach to Shavuos
is a time of
minimizing joy.
However, many
question arise as to
what is included in
this, such as what are
the reasons for this
custom? Are there
different customs? What is included in
the custom? When are haircuts permitted?
These questions and many others will be
answered in this article.
The Reason
During the period between Pesach
and Shavuos 24,000 students of Rabbi
Akiva perished, and only seven of Rabbi
Akiva’s students remained. The reason
for their demise is because they did not
show honor to one another. There were
other things which occurred during this
time as well. For example, the crusaders
did their terrible actions towards the Jews
during this time of year. Others say the
time between Pesach and Shavuos are
days of judgment so we should act in a
serious manner.
When did the Custom Start?
The Gemorah and the main Rishonim
who codify halacha do not bring down
the custom of refraining from any actions
during sefira. The custom to refrain from
certain actions started during the times of
the Geonim. When some poskim discuss
this inyun they say “some places” do not
take haircuts, and by weddings, “some”
have the custom to refrain from making
them. However, the accepted custom in
all of klal yisroel is to refrain from these
activities during sefira.
Different Customs
When the time of sefira arrives, many
times one will see people taking haircuts
etc after Pesach and others will not do so
until Lag B’omer. Is there any reason to
have different customs among Yiddin or
is there one universal custom?
Some say that the students stopped dying
on Lag B’omer in which case one can
rejoice afterwards. According to this,
the time to refrain from certain actions is
from the second day of Pesach until Lag
B’omer. This is the custom followed by
most people.
One opinion is that the students did not
stop dying on Lag B’omer and they died
throughout the forty nine days. However,
they did not die on the days which tachnun
is not said. Those days are seven days of
Pesach (we start counting sefira from the
second day of Pesach), six Shabbosim,
two days of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, and
one day of Rosh Chodesh Sivan. All the
numbers equal to thirty two days that the
students died so the thirty third day is a
time to rejoice. According to this view,
one has to refrain from certain activities
for thirty three days. Some hold those
thirty three days starting from after Rosh
Chodesh Iyar (second day of Iyar) until
Erev Shavuos, others hold from the first
day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar until the three
days before Shavuos. (Some say this is
the custom of most people). According
to this opinion, the thirty three days to
refrain from certain activities are not
because that is when the students died,
but rather it is a remembrance of the
death of the students who died during
the entire period (except for 16 days).
According to all the above opinions it is
permitted to take haircuts, shave etc on
Lag B’omer (whether this is at night or
day see later on).
The opinion of the Shulchan Aruch and
the custom of the Sefardim is that the
students of Rabbi Akiva did not stop
dying until the thirty fourth day of the
sefira. This is based on the following:
Some say the students died from Pesach
(second day) until “peros atzeres” which
means fifteen days before Shavuos.
Forty nine minus fifteen is thirty four.
Therefore, the custom became of some to
hold aveilus until the thirty forth in the
morning (unless Lag B’omer is on Erev
Shabbos, see below). One is not allowed
to hold from Rosh Chodesh Iyar and
then take haircuts etc. after Lag B’omer,
since it is not like any of the customs
mentioned above.
Rosh Chodesh Iyar on Shabbos
When Rosh Chodesh Iyar falls out on
Shabbos one is permitted to shave even if
one holds that he does not shave until Lag
B’omer. The reason for this is because
there is an added joy since Shabbos and
Rosh Chodesh are on the same day, so
shaving is permitted for the honor of
Shabbos on Friday. Those who follow
Rabbi Yehuda Hachassid would not be
able to shave since according to him
shaving on Rosh Chodesh is forbidden.
However, l’maseh, since shaving was
prohibited the day before because of
sefiras ha’omer, he would agree that it is
permitted.
Arizal
According to the opinion of the Arizal,
haircuts and shaving is not allowed
even on Lag B’omer. However, shaving
on Erev Shavuos is permitted even
according to the Arizal. Some say
weddings are permitted according to the
Arizal on Lag B’omer. One who follows
the custom of the Arizal and wants to
change his custom should be matir neder
beforehand.
Changing Customs
Generally there is a concept of “lo
sisgodidu,” which means there should
not be two different customs in one city.
Although this may be applicable in our
situation of different customs during
sefira, this is not so, as will be explained
below. In New York since there are so
many people who come from different
places there is no issue with some people
holding like one custom and others
holding like a different custom. This
would not apply to a city which has one
accepted custom.
According to the opinion mentioned
above that the students did not die
for thirty three exact days, but died
throughout the forty nine days, one is
permitted to change which thirty three
days he refrains from certain activities
from one year to the next. For example,
one year he can keep from Pesach to Lag
B’omer and the next year from Rosh
Chodesh Iyar until Shavuos.
According to the Gr’a, however, since
the students died from Pesach to Lag
B’omer, one may only refrain from
certain activities during these days,
unless it is a pressing situation. If one
does not know his custom then he may
switch it every year.
A woman who has a different custom
than her husband follows her husband’s
custom when they get married. This is
also true for a kallah who has a different
custom than her chosson and wishes to
pick a date for her wedding.
Haircuts
Some Rishonim only bring a custom to
refrain from marriage during this time
and not from haircuts. However, the
accepted custom is that during the period
of thirty three days one does not take a
haircut, or shave. The custom to take
haircuts applies to women and to men.
Children should not take haircuts as well.
Although one can be lenient for children
who have not yet reached the age of
chinuch, the custom is to be stringent.
According to the opinion of the Shulchan
Aruch one may not take haircuts until
the thirty fourth day in the morning.
The Rama holds one may shave on Lag
B’omer itself Many say this means even
at night (because no tachnun is said
already from erev Lag B’omer), while
others say it means first thing in the
morning because if one waits a little in
the morning it is as if one waited a whole
day. This is known as miktzas hayom
kekulo. The custom is that shaving or
taking a haircut is permitted after neitz
hachama. However, when Lag B’omer
falls out on Friday one may shave on
Thursday night in honor of Shabbos if
there is a need, such as one who is going
to a wedding on Thursday night.
When Lag B’omer falls out on Sunday,
shaving etc is permitted on Friday
because of kovod for Shabbos. It is
questionable if this is permitted for a
Sefardi who holds sefira until the thirty
forth day. The reason why it is kovod
for Shabbos is because by the mincha
before Lag B’omer one does not say
tachnun, so technically shaving would be
permitted on Shabbos, but since one can
not do so, the allowance is pushed back
to Friday. One may not shave etc. on
Motzei Shabbos when Lag B’omer falls
out on Sunday. Furthermore, many say
that shaving etc. in the above situation
is not permitted on Thursday night if
one has time to do it on Friday. One who
started shaving etc. on Lag B’omer may
continue after shekia as well (even if he
holds no shaving after Lag B’omer)