Rav Yehuda Aryeh Dinner, rov of Merkaz Bnei Barak, was asked if, this year, because Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, is it permissible to shave and take a haircut on Friday?
Rav Dinner, like many other poskim, stated that it is permissible to take a haircut this Friday.
Indeed, the Mishnah Berurah (493:5) states explicitly 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 Ba’omer. Although ordinarily one may not shave Erev Shabbos or Erev Rosh Chodesh during Sefirah, 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, even 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.
The Orthodox Union brings the shitah of Rav Yisroel Belsky zt”l, who 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 on Rosh Chodesh and put oneself in danger.
Rav Yitzchak Yosef, in his weekly shiur, said that only for Ashkenazim is it permissible to shave, but it is forbidden for Sephardim.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Thank you for posting. I’ve been asking my chaveirim about this heter and they look at me as if I’m a shagitz.
Its fine you’ll just say you keep second half and they’ll hopefully buy that.
This is nothing new. it’s written specifically in the mishna brura.
It seems as if Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky also held that it would not be a problem of Rav Yehuda Hachassid. Se Emes Lyaakov siman 260 and footnote 262
why not for sephardim whats the svara?
They hold you need 33 days worth of availus. Theres no such thing as its a happy day so it breaks sefira. they don’t even shave lag baomer but the next day.
And what about if I shave and at the same time feel depressed?
Anyone that listens to acappella “music” needs to have their head examined. I wouldn’t force even my worst enemies to listen to that garbage