Three Weeks: Difference between revisions

# A woman who needs to cut her hair in order to get married, all the more so if she's already engaged, or if a woman has the custom to cut her hair before going to the mikveh, it's permissible to do so during the three weeks. <Ref>Chazon Ovadyah (Arba Taniyot pg 163), Shalmei Moed (pg 477), Iggerot Moshe YD 2:137, Halichot Shelomo 3:14, Devar Halachah 10  </ref>

# If a woman’s hair is growing so long that it is becoming difficult for her to keep the hair under the head covering, she can cut it during the three weeks. <ref> Mishnah Berura 551:79, Rivevot Ephraim 8:178 </ref>  

# The father of a baby boy, the sandak, and the mohel can all cut their hair on the day of a baby's [[brit milah]]. <ref> Shaar Hatziyun 551:4 quoting the Chatam Sofer 158, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 122:15, Kaf ha-Chayim 551:10, Pitchei [[Teshuvah]] 551:1, She’arim Metzuyanim b'Halachah 122:16. Baer Heitev 551:3 is stringent.  </ref>  

# It is forbidden to take a haircut for a bar mitzva. <ref> Rav Moshe Feinstein quoted in Moadei Yeshurun page 128. Rivevot Ephraim 1:337, 2:155:20, Nitei Gavriel 20:6 allow for a bar mitzva boy to get a haircut until the week of [[Tisha BeAv]]. </ref>  

* <div id="shavingforkavodshabbos"></div> (4) Kavod [[Shabbat]]: (a) Magen Avraham 551:14 and Mishna Brurah 551:32 write that the prohibition of cutting hair applies even for Kavod [[Shabbat]] (unlike [[laundering]] which is relaxed for Kavod [[Shabbat]] for someone who doesn't have other clothes, because people don't cut their hair either way weekly). Yet, Pri Megadim (A”A 551:14) writes that according to Rama one can shave in honor of [[Shabbat]] until [[Rosh Chodesh]] Av. However, Mateh Yehuda 551:4 writes that even in honor of [[Shabbat]] one can’t shave during the three weeks. (b) On this dispute, Kaf HaChaim 551:66 writes that in this regard in depends on the minhag of the place (to follow the Pri Megadim or not), and Rabbi Moshe Karp in Hilchot UMinhagei Ben HaMeysarim (pg 25) writes that the Pri Megadim was more in line with minhag Ashkenaz than the Mateh Yehuda and there’s a lot to rely on to follow Pri Megadim. (c) Even on the original position of the Magan Avraham, the Hagahot Rabbi Akiva Eiger and Beiur Halacha 551:3 s.v. VeChen (based on Tosfot Tanit and the Yerushalmi) argue that cutting hair should be permissible for Kavod [[Shabbat]] even for [[Shabbat]] Chazon. [However, the Rishonim themselves don’t all agree with Tosfot including the Kol Bo (quoted in Bet Yosef 551:4) who wouldn’t shave before [[Shabbat]] chazon and the Bet Yosef (who argues on Tosfot that it’s impossible to think that it’s permissible to cut hair on [[Tisha BeAv]] for Kavod [[Shabbat]]).] (d) Ashkenazim: Sh”t Ner Ezra (vol 2 pg 155-8) concludes that one can be lenient to shave for Kavod [[Shabbat]] and quotes Rav Aharon Lichtenstein who agrees. [http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5762/pinchas.html Weekly Parsha Halacha by Rabbi Neustadt] writes that since many do shave regularly (more than once a week) there is a basis for the lenient minhag (based on the logic of the Magan Avraham). Nonetheless, the Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 42:52 writes simply like the Mishna Brurah not to shave during the three weeks even for Kavod [[Shabbat]]. (e)Sephardim: Rav Ovadyah Yosef (Sh"t Yachava Daat 3:39, Sh”t Yabia Omer 3:31:5; Chazon Ovadyah pg 162) writes that there is what to rely on to shave Friday of [[Shabbat]] Chazon if ones beard is uncomfortable, and certainly there’s what to rely on for Ashkenazim to shave for Kavod [[Shabbat]] during the rest of the three weeks. (e) Someone in doubt: Rabbi Rabinowitz (quoted in Peninei Halacha by 156) says that a person should follow the minhag of his father so as not to appear more lenient or strict that his father. </ref>

# A mourner who completed his [[mourning]] period during the Three Weeks, may take a haircut and a shave until [[Rosh Chodesh]]. <ref> Mishnah Berurah 551:87, Kitzur S"A 122:14 </ref>  

==Dancing==

# Dancing is forbidden during the three weeks. <Ref> Magan Avraham 551:10 says that it is forbidden to dance during the three weeks. This is brought as Halacha in the Achronim including Eliya Rabba 551:6, Baer Hetiev 551:11, Mishna Brurah 551:16, Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 560, Kitzur S”A 551:9), and Chazon Ovadyah (Arba Taaniyot pg 149). </ref>