Haircut during the thirty days for livelihood

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Question

Mourning for his father, who due to his livelihood must always be shaved and groomed, is he allowed to shave during the thirty days for livelihood?

Answer

It is forbidden to shave during the thirty days, even if one needs to shave for livelihood. After the thirty days, if friends rebuke him for his unkempt appearance, he may have a haircut.

Source

Rabbi Akiva Eiger, Yoreh De'ah, Siman 340, "BDM brought AZ and said: Question if you can cut hair after your father within twelve months because you are engaged in your livelihood and are among the dignitaries, and I inform you that twelve months are not mentioned regarding hair growth, only until friends rebuke him, and what is customary for twelve months is only a stringency for the honor of father and mother, therefore you are allowed to cut hair as usual. It implies that by law, after waiting for the rebuke period, one may shave as usual, and there is no need to wait each time for the rebuke period, but the custom is to be stringent for all twelve months, and since he is among the dignitaries, there is no need to adhere to this stringency, and it returns to the law that after the rebuke, one may shave as usual. This is the intention of the Rema here, initially he wrote, and in these places it is customary, etc., and then he wrote, if not, etc., and this means that then there is no need to worry about this custom, but before the rebuke period, it does not help that he is among the dignitaries." And similarly in Aruch HaShulchan, Siman 340, Seif 5, and in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Reish Yud Bet.

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