Women

Q May a woman remove hair via electrolysis, tweezing, or waxing during Sefirah?

A Yes.

 

Q May women shave during Sefirah?

A Yes.

 

Q What is a woman’s restriction of cutting hair during Sefirah?

A A woman may not cut the hair on her head.

 

Q Is there any difference between a single girl and a married woman regarding the abovementioned halachos?

A There is no difference.

 

Q A baby is getting very irritated since his bangs are getting in his eyes. May his mother cut them?

A Yes.

 

Q Should the mother try to find a gentile to cut them?

A No, she doesn’t have to.

 

Q May a woman buy a sheitel during Sefirah?

A Yes.

 

Q May one have a sheitel cut and set during Sefirah?

A Yes.

 

Q May one wear a new sheitel during Sefirah?

A Yes.

 

Men

Q One may shave during Sefirah if he feels he will have a loss of parnassah if he is unshaven. What are the guidelines?

A Nowadays, it’s not simple to use this heter since in the non-Jewish world many go unshaven, so little facial growth is accepted in most situations.

 

Q If one will be shaving for parnassah, should he be matir neder?

A No.

 

Q A man keeps the first minhag Sefirah. He has an important business meeting before Rosh Chodesh Iyar and would like to shave. On one hand, one may shave if he feels he must for parnassah. On the other hand, maybe he should just keep the second minhag Sefirah this year so doesn’t have to come onto any heter. The same scenario can present itself when one has an important business matter after Lag BaOmer and he usually keeps the second minhag. What should he do?

A If one usually keeps the first minhag, he doesn’t have to change his minhag this year to avoid coming on to the heter of shaving. The same applies to the second minhag Sefirah.

 

Q May one trim his beard before going on a shidduch date?

A No.

 

Q Is there any difference between a boy and a girl with regard to cutting hair before a shidduch date?

A No.

 

Q A man is forbidden to cut hair anywhere on his body during Sefirah. However, someone is having a cardiogram, in which a number of stickers are placed on the patient’s chest in order to keep the wires attached to them in place. Since it can be painful when the stickers are removed, ripping any hair under them, the doctor may shave the area before placing the stickers on. May this be done during Sefirah?

A Yes.

 

Q Someone keeps the first minhag Sefirah. May he give a haircut before Rosh Chodesh Iyar to someone who keeps the second minhag? Similarly, may someone who keeps the second minhag give a haircut after Lag BaOmer to someone who keeps the first?

A Yes.

 

Q Someone owns a barbershop. Although from Rosh Chodesh Iyar until Lag BaOmer all have the custom not to cut hair, the barbershop will be open for any gentile who would like a haircut. If an irreligious Jew comes in then and asks for a haircut, must the Jewish owner refuse to cut his hair?

A Yes.

 

Halachah: When there is a bris milah during Sefirah, the parents, mohel, and sandek may cut their hair.

 

Q The reason the abovementioned people may cut their hair is because it is considered like a Yom Tov for them. If they didn’t have time to cut their hair before the bris, may they cut it afterward, that afternoon?

A No.

 

Q Since Shacharis will be early that day, may they cut their hair the night before the bris?

A Yes.

 

Q When the bris milah is on Shabbos, the abovementioned people may cut their hair on Erev Shabbos. If the bris is on Sunday, may they also cut their hair before Shabbos?

A Yes.

 

Q May the father and kohen cut their hair for a pidyon haben?

A Yes.

 

Q Someone got married before Rosh Chodesh Iyar since he keeps the second minhag. May he shave during sheva brochos after Rosh Chodesh Iyar, when all customs prohibit shaving? Similarly, if someone gets married on Lag BaOmer and keeps the second minhag, may the chosson shave during sheva brachos after Lag BaOmer?

A Yes.