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Many North African Jews celebrate the day after Pesach (which is Isru Chag) with the festive Mimouna. Does such a party atmosphere conflict with the customs of mourning during sefirat haomer? Could one just as well get a haircut on that day?

More specifically, is Isru Chag not included in the mourning customs of sefirat haomer?

Loewian
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Aryeh
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  • Many hold that the mourning customs do not start until after Rosh Chodesh. In fact I know someone who is getting married on the day after Pesach. There are about 4 different customs for the days - I'll see if I can get a list and post them in an answer. – Ariel Mar 31 '13 at 16:15
  • @Ariel I assume the question is for those who do start before Rosh Chodesh, is Isru Chag included or not? (I don't know the answer.) – Liron Apr 02 '13 at 04:59
  • Similar: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/15942 – msh210 Apr 04 '13 at 22:10
  • If that's their custom how can it violate their custom? – Double AA Apr 05 '21 at 11:57

4 Answers4

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Rav Yitchak Yosef notes that the custom of many people is to be lenient on this matter and they cite his father, Rav Ovadia Zt"l. He writes that there is room for leniency due to the fact that the prohibition against listening to music is not mentioned in Shulchan Aruch and that there is a mitzvah to increase simcha on Isru Chag. He does limit this to Jewish ("holy") music.

He specifically adds that this also applies to the Mimuna festivities, provided that they are conducted in a serious atmosphere. He adds that one should try to have a siyum masechet as well, but from his wording it seems that he is only saying this with regards to a Mimuna that has many people and is especially joyous.

(Yalkut Yosed Siman 593 pg 449 5779 edition)

Mark
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More specifically, is Isru Chag not included in the mourning customs of sefirat haomer?

Aruch Hashulchan 493:4 cites, if I'm reading him right, "various customs about [the restrictions of these days]. Some have practiced a prohibition from immediately after Pesach until the 33d of the omer and from then on weddings and haircuts are permitted, because a midrash has it that fifteen days before Shavuos [the students of Rabi Akiva] stopped dying, so that 34 days are left; it would have been logical to practice the prohibition until the 35th of the count, but we say part of the day is like its whole, so [these things are] permitted on the day of the 34th and not earlier.... [And others keep the second 'half'.]" (Emphasis added.)

msh210
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The mourning restrictions during sefira include not getting married, or taking a haircut. I see no reason why a person would have any trouble adhering to these restrictions during Mimouna. For those who hold the "first days" of sefira, the restrictions begin immediately after Pesach.

Avi
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(In chronological order of the start day.)

Option 1:

Mourn starting from the first day of Pesach, and continue till Lag Baomer. Total days: 33.

Option 2:

Mourn starting from the first day of the omer (2nd day of Pesach), and continue till the 34th day of the omer, skipping Lag Baomer. Total days: 33.

Option 3:

Mourn starting from the day after Pesach, and continue till Shavuot, skipping Lag Baomer, Shabbos, and the 3 days of Rosh Chodesh. Total days: 32 (33 in Israel).

Option 4:

Mourn starting from the day after Pesach, and continue till Shavuot, skipping Lag Baomer, Shabbos, and the 3 days before Shavuot (sheloshet yemei hagbalah). Total days: 32 (33 in Israel).

Option 5:

Mourn starting from the first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar (30th of Nissan), and continue till the day before Shavuot, skipping Lag Baomer. Total days: 33.

Option 6:

Mourn starting from 1 Iyar, and continue till Shavuot, skipping Lag Baomer. Total days: 33.

(The pattern of 33 days is assuming Roch Chodech doesn't fall on Shabbos. I believe Lag Baomer can't fall on Shabbos.)

Ariel
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    Can you put sources for the various opinions? Also I would include a 7th, Start morning from first day of the Omer and continue until Shavuot, not skipping at all. Source Kitvei HaAri Shaar HaKavvanot 86d. – Rabbi Michael Tzadok Apr 02 '13 at 03:30
  • I thought that Minhag Chabad was to actually start from the first day of the Omer and go to Shavuot (I guess 3 days before Shavuot) which adds up to 33 days not counting Lag BaOmer, Chol HaMoed, Yom Tov or Shabbat, which is effectively Option 4 above only phrased differently. [Not my minhag.] – Liron Apr 02 '13 at 04:58