ornstein@fdcv09.DEC (Ian Ornstein PK03/2-28C DTN 223-9145) (04/29/85)
I've just heard about a custom that says we are not supposed to get hair cuts from pesach to shavuot. Since I've never heard of this can someone relate the history of this custom or if it is one of the 613 mitzvot that I am supposed to keep. Where is it written? - Yitzhak -
wkp@lanl.ARPA (05/01/85)
> > I've just heard about a custom that says we are not supposed to > get hair cuts from pesach to shavuot. Since I've never heard of this can > someone relate the history of this custom or if it is one of the 613 > mitzvot that I am supposed to keep. Where is it written? > > - Yitzhak - It is a custom of some Jews to obey certain laws of mourning for the first 33 days of the counting of the omer. The counting of the omer begins from the second night of pesach. This custom includes not getting haircuts. It also includes not getting married. The custom originated from a historical occurence: the death of many students of Rabbi Akiva during the first 33 days of the omer period. It is not part of the 613 mitzvot. The custom is written up in a number of sources. An easy source for you to check is the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch--I think there is a translation out published by the Hebrew Publishing Company. Actually, Ian (Yitzhak), since you are learning Hebrew nowadays you might try finding a Hebrew-English version of the book. -- bill peter ihnp4!lanl!wkp
teitz@aecom.UUCP (Eliyahu Teitz) (05/02/85)
> > > > I've just heard about a custom that says we are not supposed to > > get hair cuts from pesach to shavuot. Since I've never heard of this can > > someone relate the history of this custom or if it is one of the 613 > > mitzvot that I am supposed to keep. Where is it written? > > > > - Yitzhak - > > It is a custom of some Jews to obey certain laws of mourning > for the first 33 days of the counting of the omer. The counting > of the omer begins from the second night of pesach. This custom > includes not getting haircuts. It also includes not getting married. > > The custom originated from a historical occurence: the death of many > students of Rabbi Akiva during the first 33 days of the omer period. There is a discussion asto when R. Akiva's students actually died ( whether they died in the first 33 days or just some time during the seven weeks between pesach and shavuot ). This is why there are differing opinions as to when the mourning period in the Omer is kept. Eliyahu Teitz.