by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times
It is a question that is on everyone’s mind (actually, mostly on those who keep the second zman): Can we get a haircut this Friday, Rosh Chodesh Sivan?
Answer: It is complicated.
Generally speaking, for those who keep the second period of mourning, when Rosh Chodesh Sivan falls on Friday, the Shloshes yemei hagballah – the three days of preparation for Matan Torah begin on Sunday.
Previously, we discussed that when Lag BaOmer falls on Sunday, it is kind of a slap in the face to the Shabbos to get a haircut for Lag BaOmer but not for Shabbos! Therefore, on the 31st of the Omer that falls on a Friday, it would be permitted to get a haircut.
So can we not apply the same logic here and allow a haircut for Shabbos on Rosh Chodesh Sivan when it falls on a Friday?
So the answer to this is that it is a Machlokes.
THOSE WHO PERMIT
The Pri Magadim in his Aishel Avrohom 493:5 goes with a minority opinion that when Rosh Chodesh Sivan falls on Sunday – one can get a haircut on that Sunday. Most people do not agree with this Pri Magadim – and the Mogain Avrohom clearly does not.
The Pri Magadim holds that since one could get a haircut on Sunday, then one can get it on Friday before Shabbos as well. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach permitted it as did Rav Chaim Stein zt”l of Telze, and Rav Sraya Duvlitzky (Zeh HaShulchan Vol. I #493). Rav Gavriel Zinner in his Nitei Gavriel also rules permissively.
THOSE WHO FORBID
Rav Elyashiv zt”l is quoted as forbidding it (See Bain Pesach L’Shavuos p. 252) by his son-in-law Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein. Rav Moshe Feinstein is also quoted as forbidding it by his student Rav Elimelech Bluth Shlita in LeTorah v’Horaah (Vol. X p. 14).
The fact that the Mishna Brurah does not cite this example as he does for LaG Ba’Omer is indicative that he did not hold of applying the heter here.
The rationale for differentiating between the Shloshes yemei hagballah and Lag BaOmer is fascinating. It is only a slap in the face to Shabbos when we would get a haircut on Lag BaOmer, a special day. However, here, there is no slap in the face to Shabbos if the period of mourning is just ending – so there would be no heter to do so early.
CONCLUSION
There are choshuva Poskim who have suggested that this is not a question of being lenient or stringent in a minhag, but rather, on the opposite end, it is being lenient or stringent in Kavod Shabbos. They suggest that one can rely on the lenient Poskim to get a haircut before Shabbos. Nevertheless, we have the silence of the Mishna Brurah, the opinion of Rav Elyashiv zt”l, and also the quoted opinion of Rav Moshe. It is difficult to discount all three of them together. So in conclusion, ask your Rav or Posaik, but certainly one should not criticize those that get the haircut – especially if they are doing so on account of Kavod Shabbos.
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3 Responses
Reb Shmuel Kaminetsky in Kovetz Halachos also permits getting a haircut. So you have the Pri Migadim, Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, and Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky. ” It would be difficult to discount all three” of these matirim.
If you read Reb Moshe’s teshuva, which is brought in the Sefer Bein Pesach Leshavuos and then reprinted in Igros Moshe volume 9, you will see that he is going l’shitaso in the reason why haircuts are permitted on the Friday proceeding Lag Baomer. Reb Shmuel Kaminetzky, as is evident from his reasoning, is also going l’shitaso as to why haircuts are permitted on the Friday proceeding Lag Baomer.
There are also other outcomes from this machlokes. I.E. If haircuts were permitted Motzei Shabbos before Lag.
Also, a Rav Yehuda Hachasid issue.
Reb Yaakov Kaminetzky zt”l(Emes L’yaakov) and his son Reb Shmuel shlita (Kovetz Halcahos) hold that Reb Yehuda Hachasid does not apply this week simce haircuts were prohibited before Friday. Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l (Halichos Shlomo) disagrees and holds there would be an issue.