Shaving a Mustache During the Seven and Thirty Days of Mourning
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Question
Is it permissible to shave a mustache that hinders eating while sitting shiva for one's father and during the thirty days?
Answer
It is permissible to shave a mustache that hinders eating during the thirty days, but not during the seven days (though the Gaon, Rabbi Eliyahu permits even during the seven days), whether mourning for one's father and mother or for other relatives.
Source
It is stated in the Talmud, Moed Katan, page 18a: "Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: A pair came before Rabbi, and Mar Zutra taught: A pair came before Rabbi, and they requested permission for nails - and he permitted them, and if they had requested for a mustache - he would have permitted them. And Shmuel said: even if they had requested for a mustache, he would have permitted them. Avitul Safra said in the name of Rav (Papa): a mustache from corner to corner. Rabbi Ami said: and in the case of a hindering mustache."
The early commentators disagreed on the explanation of this passage. According to Ramban, Rabbi permits shaving a mustache that hinders eating both during the seven and the thirty days. Rambam and Raavad disagree and hold that the permission to shave a mustache that hinders eating is only during Chol Hamoed, but not during mourning. R' Yitzchak Geon wrote to differentiate between the seven and thirty days, that during the seven it is forbidden, and during the thirty it is permitted.
In Beit Yosef, section Shatz, it is written: "Regarding the law, since Rambam and Raavad agree on one opinion, that is what we follow." According to this, it is permitted both during the seven and the thirty days, however, in Shulchan Aruch, it is ruled to permit only during the thirty days and not during the seven.
In the commentary of the Gaon, Rabbi Eliyahu, it is written that the main opinion is like Ramban, that even during the seven days it is permitted, and he proved this from the Jerusalem Talmud.
There is no distinction between mourning for one's father and mother and mourning for other relatives.
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