HS: Customs During Sefira Part 9

HALACHICALLY SPEAKING
Compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits
Reviewed by Rabbi Benzion Schiffenbauer Shlita
All Piskei Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita are reviewed by Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita

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.(72) 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.(73) 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,(74) since shaving was prohibited the day before because of sefiras ha’omer,(75) he would agree that it is permitted.
Shaving for Work

Some poskim are of the opinion that if one who will (76) encounter a loss (i.e. lose clients) (77) if he does not look groomed is permitted to shave or take a haircut during sefira.(78) 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.(79)

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.(80)

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.(81) 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).(82)

Footnotes

(72) This occurs also in the years 5780, 5783, 5786, 5790, 5793, 5800 (Ben Pesach L’Shavuos 10:3). (73) Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham 2, Machatzis Hashekel 2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 120:6, Shulchan Aruch Harav 493:8, Letorah Vehorah 2:page 19, Mishnah Berurah 5, see Tashbatz 1:178. (74) Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Yosef Ometz 40:2, Moed Lechal Chai 6:3, Emes L’Yaakov 260:footnote 262, Sefer Rosh Chodesh 16:11:footnote 24 quoting the opinion of Harav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, Letorah Vehorah 2:page 20, Ben Pesach L’Shavuos page 246, Natei Gavriel (Pesach 3) page 222:footnote 19. See Mishnah Berurah 493:5 where he seems to say it is permitted. Some say one can even shave on Thursday after chatzos before shekiah in this situation (Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Emes L’Yaakov ibid). (75) Letorah Vehorah 2:page 20. (76) If one is not for sure going to have a loss then it is not permitted (Igros Moshe O.C. 5:24). (77) It does not have to be that he will lose a job (see Igros Moshe O.C.102). (78) Zera Emes 69, Kaf Hachaim 493:19, Modanei Shlomo page 19, Yaskil Avdi 6:5:1:page 11, Igros Moshe O.C. 4:102, Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha 120:11, 2, Natei Gavriel ibid: page 281:8, see Chasam Sofer O.C. 158. Shaving in honor of Shabbos is not permitted (Ve’aleihu Lo Yeibol 1:pages 182-183 and page 275:2, Shalmei Moed pages 449-450, Emes L’Yaakov 493:footnote 467). (79) Refer to footnote above. (80) Opinion of Harav Elyashiv Shlita quoted in Piskei Shmuos page 62. (81) Refer to Mesechtas Moed Kotton 22b, Rambam Hilchos Avel 6:3, Shulchan Aruch 390:4, Pischei Teshuva 4, Aruch Hashulchan 5. Some say the shiur for one who shaves is thirty days (Pischei Teshuva ibid). Others say it depends on what is viewed as a lot of hair, each to his own (Igros Moshe Y.D. 3:156, see Yabea Omer Y.D. 1:25 in regard to a Yom Tov in middle of the sheloshim in regard to shaving). In regard to women see Tzitz Eliezer 18:72:3. There is a discussion among the poskim if cutting the hair in this situation is permitted (Permitted: Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha 120:11, see Ben Pesach L’Shavuos pages 260-261. Forbidden: Birchei Yosef 493:3, Kaf Hachaim 493:15, 48). Some say if one has a lot of hair or a headache then it is permitted (Kaf Hachaim 48). (82) Nefesh Harav pages 191-192

Halachically Speaking is a bi-weekly publication compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Voda’ath and a musmach of Horav Yisroel Belsky, shlit”a. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as a Rabbinical Administrator for Kof-K Kosher Superivison.

Each issue reviews a different area of contemporary halacha with an emphasis on practical applications of the principles discussed. Significant time is spent ensuring the inclusion of all relevant shittos on each topic, as well as the psak of Horav Yisroel Belsky, shlita on current issues. Detailed footnotes are provided for further study.

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