25 Apr CUSTOMS DURING SEFIRA PART 2

Shaving on
Friday when Erev
Shavuos etc. is
Sunday.
When either Rosh
Chodesh Sivan, the
first day of the three
preparation days
before Shavuos, or
Erev Shavuos falls
out on Sunday, shaving is permitted on
Erev Shabbos even for those who hold
of aveilus until either the first days of the
three preparation days or Erev Shavuos.
Others hold that doing so is forbidden
and this is the custom of many. If one is
in a pressing situation he may be lenient.
Some say if Rosh Chodesh Sivan falls
out on Friday those who do not shave on
Rosh Chodesh can shave on Thursday.
When is one permitted to Cut Hair?
One is permitted to cut his hair if it is in
the way of his eating. Plucking hair on
top of the eyes (women) is not considered
cutting hair and is permitted even if it is
done for beautification. A married woman
who has too much hair and it is coming
out of her sheitel etc may cut it, or if it
is too long and going into her eyes.A
woman who has the custom to cut her hair
before immersing herself may do so when
going to the mikvah during sefira as well.
One whose hair grew long and it may be
a problem of chatzitzah with his tefillin
shel rosh is permitted to take a haircut.
Combing hair is permitted during sefira
even if hair may fall out. One who needs
to cut his hair because of health reasons is
permitted to do so.
Whatever is permitted to be cut during
chol hamoed is permitted to be cut during
sefira.
Shaving for Work
Some poskim are of the opinion that if
one who will encounter a loss (i.e. lose
clients) if he does not look groomed
is permitted to shave or take a haircut

during sefira. The same would be true for
one who is going in front of a judge etc
and would not look honorable going with
stubble etc.
Others say since there are people in
today’s society who do not shave,
walking around unshaven is not going to
be a reason for a loss of parnasa.
The opinion of some is that the custom of
refraining from haircuts can not be worse
than the twelve months during which
one is an avel r”l over one’s parents. The
halacha there is that if one has so much
hair that his friend tells him to take a
haircut then doing so is permitted. When
one shaves every day the time span of
a friend telling you to shave is a short
period of time. Therefore, one may shave
during sefira (even without any loss of
money).
Shaving or Taking a haircut for a Bris
One who is making a bris, the sandek, and
the mohel may shave and take a haircut
during sefira. The reason is because it is a
Yom Tov for them. The kevater and guests
may not shave. If the bris will be taking
place on Shabbos, shaving is permitted
on Friday even before chatzos. However,
doing so is not permitted on Thursday.
Shaving is permitted close to the night
before the bris as well. According to
some poskim, those who are permitted
to shave for a bris would be permitted
to do so on Friday for a bris which is on
Sunday, if there is no time to shave on
Sunday. Others say this is not permitted
and shaving is only permitted on the day
of the bris. According to the opinion of
the Arizal, one may not take a haircut
even for a simcha. One who forgot to
shave before the bris for whatever reason
may not shave after the bris.
Pidyon Haben
The custom is that one who is making a
pidyon haben for his child does not shave
etc.
Bar-Mitzvah / Bas-Mitzvah
Although the halacha maintains that
shaving is permitted for a ba’al bris etc.
(see above), however a bar-mitzvah boy
is not included in this and therefore the
haircut should take place while he is still
under thirteen. If this is not possible then
one can be lenient. However, the father
of the bar-mitzvah boy should not take

a haircut. The same is true for a bas-
mitzvah.

Shaving for a date
One is not permitted to shave during
his custom of sefira even if he has a
date.
Chosson – Attending a Wedding
One who is getting married during
sefira (in the permitted times) may
shave the erev Shabbos before his
wedding. A chosson who is getting
married the night of Lag B’omer may
shave on the thirty second day even
before shekia. A chosson who holds
aveilus after Lag B’omer can still
shave during his sheva berochos since
it is a Yom Tov. The family members
(except for the father of the chosson and
kallah) should not shave before shekiah.
They can bring a shaver to the wedding
and can shave there after shekiah. Those
who follow the opinion of the Arizal do
not shave even if they are getting married.
Upsherin
A child who was born on Chol Hamoed
may have his upsherin on Chol Hamoed.
If a child was born the last days of Yom
Tov one may cut the child’s hair on Chol
Hamoed if he so desires.
Hundreds, if not thousands of people,
cut their children’s hair in Meron on
Lag B’omer, as was the custom of the
Arizal. Some say the reason is so that the
holiness of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai will
be a zechus for the child. Others say the
reason is because hair is part of the yetzer
hara, as was taught to us by Rav Shimon
Bar Yochai when he gave us the Zohar.
Many have the custom to go to Meron
to cut a child’s hair even before the child
turns three. Others say one should only
wait to go to Meron if the child was born
during sefira. If the child was born after
Shavuos or before sefira then one should
not go to Meron to cut his hair.
Engagements and Weddings
Weddings are not permitted during sefira
(unless it is not one’s time of holding sefira)
but engagements are permitted during
sefira. One is also permitted to make a vort
but dancing is not allowed.
The custom is that one is permitted to get
married and have music on Lag B’omer.
Some say that the only time that one may
get married on Lag B’omer is by day. The
Sefardim have the custom to marry on the
thirty-fourth day of the omer. When Lag
B’omer falls out on Friday then even the
Sefardim may make weddings on Thursday
night. The overwhelming custom is that

one may get married the night of Lag
B’omer. However others have the custom
not to get married on Lag B’omer as well.
A wedding that started on Lag B’omer by
day may continue into the night. Dancing
and music are permitted at a wedding on
Lag B’omer.
It is interesting to point out that one who
goes to a chasana during the time he is
observing the restrictions of sefira may
only dance after the chosson and kallah
come out from taking pictures. This is
because before they come out the dancing
is not considered being mes’ameach the
chosson and kallah.
Even those who hold like the Arizal and
are noheg the issur of taking haircuts on
all days of sefira may make a wedding on
Lag B’omer.
Some say one should try to make sure not
to make weddings during sefira since some
people may be holding sefira. Instead they
should be made on Lag B’omer, or from
Rosh Chodesh Sivan and on.
Attending a Wedding during one’s Sefira
One who is during his sefira may still
attend a wedding of someone who is
making a wedding when the bal simcha is
not holding sefira. This is even if he wants
to dance and listen to music there.
Sheva Berochos
Some say no dancing or music is allowed
during sheva berochos if the one attending
is during his sefira. However, the custom is
to be lenient and permit it.
Dancing on Chol Hamoed
Some say dancing which is not a mitzvah
may not be permitted on chol hamoed.
According to this, one would not be able
to go to a party if they have dancing (even
without music). If one is going to be
uplifted, such as going to a Rebbe’s tisch,
it is permitted to dance. The custom seems
to be that we are lenient with dancing and
listening to music on chol hamoed.