Hi!
I signed a new lease for an apartment on March 1. The apartment is in the midst of being renovated and I won’t be able to move untill after Pesach.
Is it a problem to move during sefirah ? Is there anything that I should do before Pesach in the new apartment ?
What about the rest of the renovations ? Am I allowed to scrape the floor, put in window shades, light fixtures , etc…?
Answer:
There is no problem in moving apartments during the Sefirah, and it is also permitted to complete necessary renovations.
These are not among the customary restrictions during this time.
Note that as the Ramban explains, the time of the Sefirah is not an essentially “sad time.” On the contrary, as the build up to Shavuos, it is a positive time, and corresponds to Chol Ha-Mo’ed (the time between Pesach and Shavuos corresponds to the time between Succos as Shemini Atzeres).
Although the joy of the time is marred by the deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s disciples, the only restrictions are those that have been accepted as custom (haircuts; weddings; music-dancing), and there is no reason to add more.
