26 Nisan 5772;11th Day of the Omer; 39 Days Until Kabolas HaTorah
April 18, 2012
CURRENT TOPIC:
HALACHOS OF SEFIRAS HA'OMER
1) During The days of Sefirah, it is customary to exhibit some signs of mourning, as in this time period the 24,000 disciples of the holy Tana Rabbi Akiva perished. (See Talmud Yevamos 62b and Tur and Shulchan Aruch Siman 493)
It is customary not to get married during Sefirah. Getting engaged, though, is permissible.
It is customary not to take haircuts or shave facial hair during Sefirah.
It is customary not to listen to music or dance during Sefirah (We will elaborate on these halachos in more detail B'Ezras Hashem in the coming days)
2) Though the time of the counting of Sefirah is from Pesach until Shavuos, it is customary to only exhibit the aforementioned signs of mourning for 33 of the 49 days.
Some people start from Pesach and cease the mourning on Lag B'Omer, while others only begin exhibiting the signs of mourning from the first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar until three days before Shavuos (Sh'loshes Yemei HaGbalah) (See Shu"t Chasam Sofer Orach Chaim Siman 142 and Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 1 Siman 159 regarding if nowadays there exists any problems of "Lo TisGodedu" with people who observe different times of Sefirah)
Some Poskim including HaRav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal (Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 1 Siman 159) maintain that in certain instances and with the guidance of a Rav, one may switch his/her "33 days" from year to year if necessary (Hataras Nedarim may be necessary in order to do this), while others are stringent and maintain that one must continually follow the same minhag each year. (See Michtavim U'Ma'amarim from HaRav Elazar Menachem Mann Shach Zatzal Vol. 6 page 71 for the reasoning why changing would not be permitted
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
Is there a difference in saying "B'omer" or "La'omer" at the end of the nusach of saying the yom of Sefira?
In a sefira calendar that i have it says "La'omer" but on the daily email reminders that i get it says "Ba'omer".
What is the reason for the difference? and does it make a difference which one I say? For example, some nights I say it from the email, and other nights from the calendar, so I've kind of been switching off. Please clarify, thanks
Answer:
There are two different Minhagim. One (L'Omer)is a count down "from" when the Korban Omer was brought while the other (B'Omer) is in reference to how many days "in" Sefirah we are in.
Most Poskim go with L'Omer. However it is only L'Chatchila, as either one is acceptable, and even if it isn't said at all, rather you just said "Today is the 21st day which is three weeks" is Yotzei. See Mishna Berura 489:8.
It would probably be best to say the same Nusach each night. The Nusach that your father (or husband, if your a married woman) says is the one you should follow
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal , the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal and the Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Ohr, the great Posek HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Zatzal.
May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they both be Melitzei Yosher for all of Klal Yisroel.
We will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
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