Question:
When the Rema states that one may shave already on Fri (before Lag Baomer), does that mean one `should` or `may`?. In other words, if not in a hurry and not looking for leniences, when is the preferred time to shave Fri (due to Kovod Shbs), Sunday (due to to being Lag Baomer) or a few days later (so to have”full” 33 days of mourning)
Thank you!
Answer:
Hello,
The Rema says that “the minhag is to take a haircut on Erev Shabbos”, he doesn’t say that we can be lenient and take a haircut on Erev Shabbos. This is brought in the Chayei Adam, Aruch Hashulchan, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Additionally, R’ Moshe Feinstein writes, that it is preferable to specifically shave on Erev Shabbos, which is for the honor of Shabbos, rather than on Sunday, which is only for the simcha that the talmidim of R’ Akiva stopped dying. This is because the kavod of Shabbos is greater than the simcha that the talmidim stopped dying.
As a side point, a grandchild of R’ Eliyashiv (The son of R’ Shlomo Eliyashiv zt”l) told me that in their house, when Lag Baomor was on Sunday, they all specifically took haircuts for Shabbos.
Best wishes
Sources:
.’ח”א כלל קל”א סעי’ י”א, ערה”ש ס’ תצג סעי’ ו, קיצור שו”ע סי’ ק”כ סעי’ ו’, סעי’ ז.
אג”מ או”ח ח”ו סי’ ל”ו אות ב’, “כשחל ל”ג בעומר ביום ראשון התיר הרמ”א שם סעיף ב’ להסתפר עש”ק משום כבוד שבת, וכוונתו דאין מכבוד השבת שמסתפרים לכבוד ל”ג בעומר דנחשב כיו”ט שמרבין בו שמחה שפסקו תלמידי ר”ע מלמות, ואין מסתפרים בעש”ק לכבוד השבת שקדושתה יתירה מל”ג בעומר”.
