Sefiras HaOmer Issues

1- In my fam we keep the whole thing, but listen to music both chol hamoed and lag b’omer.

2- What are the different minhagim regarding the time you ‘keep’ it? Why 1st half, why 2nd half?

Thanks

shlishi~

So thats why we don’t do things (music etc)? And the reason why ppl keep a diff 33 is bc we are unsure which 33 days? (I made that up- is there a diff reason..?)

Also, what’s the Arizal’s minhag? Why do the full thing?

With Lag B’Omer, we say “miktzas hayom k’kulo”. Those who do not do the AriZ”Ls minhag, do not listen to music on the eve of Lag B’omer. Only after the day (morning) has begun.

Shlishi thanks for starting this thread. When I lived in EY many years ago, I davened Neitz and I remember people counting Sefira at the Minion instead of during Marriv. Do other Posters count during Shacarit, and why then instead of at the end of Maaiv? My question is, is it a personal Minhag to count in the Morning?

Did they count with a Beracha in the morning? Many people count every morning as an extra precaution in case they forget somehow one night.

BS”D

Chabad chassidim do not take haircuts on Lag beOimer but we do listen to music – in fact we have big parades and public programs as per the Rebbe ZYA’s instructions. Eve of Lag beOimer – I think we do listen but I am really not sure. I tend to be too busy to care :). We most certainly listen to music on Chol HaMoied Pesach. We do take haircuts and listen to music during the shloisha ymei hagbolo before Shavuos and we have weddings on those days as well (just as we do on Lag beOimer). I think all Chassidim who “keep all 49 days” have similar minhagim.

Creedmoor is the exception. In Creedmoor, they count “bein hametzorim” – from Yom haAtzamois on 5 Iyar to Tisha be’Av. Instead of the 10 sefiros they use the Arba Misois Beis Din and other punishments to name the days. So, Yom haAtzamois is skila shebeskila and 9 Av is malkois shebemalkois or knas shebeknas (I forget which). [EDIT – it is actually Kooreys shebeKooreys and it is celebrated by schechting and grilling rubber duckies as a seudas hamafsekes.)

Regarding oft misquoted Rav Moshe.

“Rav Moshe’s Ruling

However, this is not so clear-cut nor unanimous. In fact, and although widely and seemingly erroneously quoted as holding that one may indeed switch between ‘First’ and ‘Second Sefirahs’ in different years[18], Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, actually qualified such action[19]. He clarifies that for Ashkenazim to be allowed to do so would depend on the difference of opinions between the Bach and Vilna Gaon as to the interpretation of the Rema’s ‘First Sefirah’. He explains that according to the Bach both minhagim are based on keeping 33 days; it technically should not matter which 33 days are kept. Accordingly, one may switch ‘Sefirahs’ in different years.

Yet, according to the Gr”a, the ‘First Sefirah’ is solely due to the Talmidim dying only then. If so, maintains Rav Moshe, how can one switch ‘Sefirahs’, if each is mutually exclusive, based on different accountings? If one holds that the Talmidim only died up until Lag B’Omer, how can he, in the very next year, follow a different minhag, which is based on a shittah that they did not actually die at that time, or vice versa? Therefore, he maintains that according to the Gr”a one may not switch ‘Sefirahs’ from year to year.

Additionally, Rav Moshe holds that the ‘Second Sefirah’ is the true Ashkenazic minhag and that ‘First Sefirah’ is essentially a Sefardic minhag[20]. He therefore concludes that an Ashkenazi may not switch from ‘Second Sefirah’ to the ‘First Sefirah’, as lechatchilla we should not be lenient against the shitta of the Gr”a, except under extremely extenuating circumstances’[21].”

Some Poskim  (including Harav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal  in Igros Moshe ibid.) maintain that in certain instances and with the guidance of a Rav, one may switch his/her “33 days” from year to year if necessary (hataras nedarim may be necessary in order to do this), while others are stringent and maintain that one must continually follow the same minhag each year. (See Michtavim U’ma’amarim from the Gaon Harav Elazar Menachem Mann Shach Zatzal vol. 6 page 71 for the reasoning why changing would not be permitted.)

Maybe they can implement the number system where people just take the next number out of the roll, wait no because the loud speaker may wake you.

On second thought, maybe they can give everyone waiting for a haircut one of those vibrating discs to inform you of when it’s your turn. Then they have a dorm next door with beds where you can nap until it’s your turn.

Or you can get your haircut while sleeping. Somehow.

147: I don’t know where you live but in my neighborhood the barbers are opened on Sundays and on Memorial day so the lines on Erev Yom Tov will not be so long.

You have to wait.

I know there is a chassidishe minhag to make a “hadlakah” and have live music (I don’t know the rationale for it), but I think even they agree to the basic ide of “miktzas yom k’kulo” not applying until the day.

If you follow Minhag Ari HaKodesh then none.

LC: Lag bomer day, not night.

Is that psak of Reb Moshe given above accurately represented? It seems like it hasn’t really gained any wide acceptance if so. The overwhelming majority of American Ashkenazim seem to keep first sfirah.

We don’t practice avelos in Nisan, so we start sefira from Rosh Chodesh Iyyar excluding lag beamor until sloshas yemai hakboloh.

R’Moshe holds no music for the entire year.

Chabad women say the brachah? Don’t they usually not say brachos on mitzvos aseh shezman grama?

Neville, most Chabadniks are Ashkenazim, and the poskim accepted in Chabad were Ashkenazim, so they held like the Tosfos that women do say brochos. I don’t know what Sefardi Chabadniks do.