Haircuts and Shaving L'Kavod Shabbos
QUESTION: This year Lag B’omer will be on Sunday. When am I permitted to get a haircut?
ANSWER: The custom of Sefardim is to follow the ruling of Shulchan Aruch (OC 493:2) that one may not take a haircut until the 34th day of the Omer in the morning. This means that one must wait until Monday morning to get a haircut. However, the custom of Ashkenazim is in accordance with the Rema that one may get a haircut on the morning of Lag B’omer (Sunday morning). Moreover, the Rema writes that when Lag B’omer falls out on Sunday, as it does this year, one may get a haircut on Friday in honor of Shabbos. The Rema in Hilchos Shabbos (251:2) writes that although it is inappropriate to do melacha on erev Shabbos afternoon, it is permissible for a Jewish barber to gives haircuts in honor of Shabbos all afternoon, even if he charges for his services. The Mishnah Berurah (251:7) explains that this is because it is obvious to everyone that the haircut is in honor of Shabbos. Rav Shmuel Wosner zt”l (Kuntres M’beis Levi 5758 vol. 1, p. 87) writes that one may not get a haircut on Thursday night, but must wait until Friday morning. This was also the opinion of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomo - Pesach 11: note 31).
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