Sefira - Rosh Chodesh

QUESTION: In the year 5783, Rosh Chodesh Iyar occurs on Friday and Shabbos, Parshas Tazria-Mitzora. In such a case, is one permitted to shave or take a haircut on Friday in honor of Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh?

ANSWER: The Mishnah Berurah (493:5) writes that it is permissible to take a haircut or shave this Friday, in honor of Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, even if one follows the minhag to refrain from grooming from Pesach until Lag Bo’omer. Although ordinarily one may not shave erev Shabbos or erev Rosh Chodesh during the Sefira, this Friday it is permissible because it is being done in honor of both Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh. Furthermore, the Mishnah Berurah writes that because of the convergence of Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh on the same day, a wedding may take place this coming Friday, provided the meal (which is the main festivity of the wedding) will be served on Shabbos.

There are many that have the custom not to shave or take haircuts on Rosh Chodesh in accordance with the Tzavah (ethical will) of Rav Yehudah HaChasid who cautioned it is dangerous to do so. Accordingly, the allowance of the Mishna Berura cited above should not be valid for those who follow Rav Yehudah Hachasid since Friday is Rosh Chodesh. However Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l (Bein Pesach L’Shevuos Ch.10: note 5) ruled that is acceptable. He explained that those who keep the custom of Sefira until Lag B’omer may not shave or take a haircut earlier, and therefore the mitzvah to honor Rosh Chodesh overrides the restriction of Rav Yehudah Hachasid. It follows that those who only begin Sefira on Rosh Chodesh should not shave or take a haircut on Friday, since they could have done so on Thursday.

Rav Belsky, zt’l had a different position and recommended shaving and taking a haircut on Thursday (before Rosh Chodesh) in honor of Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh. This was also the opinion of the Si’ach Yitzchak (229) who also quotes this as the position of the Kineses Hagedola. He explains that since the Magen Avrohom (hakdama to Siman 260) writes that a haircut taken on Thursday is considered in honor of Shabbos and according to Rav Yehuda HaChasid there is a sakana (danger) to take a haircut on Friday, it is better to shave and take a haircut on Thursday rather than do so on Rosh Chodesh and put oneself in danger.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.