Upshernish for a boy born Motzei Lag Ba’Omer

 

Question:

Our son was born on 19 Iyar. This year Erev Shavuos is on Shabbos. When should we make the Upshernish – on Friday 4 of Sivan or Tuesday Isru Chag?

 

Answer:

• Generally:

For a child whose birthday is from after Lag Baomer until Erev Shavuos, the Upshernish haircut should take place on Erev Shavuos. [When Erev Shavuos falls on Shabbos – on 4 Sivan (with the exception of someone whose birthday is on Erev Shavuos, in which case it should be postponed until after Shavuos)].

See more in the following pages:

 

• However, regarding someone whose birthday is on 19 Iyar, a day after Lag Baomer:

There are instructions from the Rebbe to perform the haircut on Lag Baomer.

While in most places it appears that it should take place on Lag Baomer itself (during the day), a day before the child turns 3, others record that it should be done on the actual birthday, right after nightfall on the night after Lag Baomer.

See here the testimony of three people who were all instructed by the Rebbe to do it on Lag Baomer: R. SB Popak, R. YY Hecht and R. Refoel Hartman. In the case of R. Hecht, the Rebbe himself did the cutting. (This information has been independently verified by us). In the case of R. Hartman, we have the actual answer of the Rebbe.

Independent of the above, there is yet another directive presented regarding the Upshernish of Ari Halberstam hy”d (whose birthday is on 19 Iyar), of which there are pictures of the Rebbe cutting the hair. See in the Hebrew references below.

This account raises several questions. Regardless, I feel there is enough information to rely upon to do it on Lag Baomer (by day).

 

Sources:

כיצד נחנך את ילדינו ח״א ע׳ 161: “מי שנולד בל”ד בעומר (י”ט באייר) יכולים הוריו לנסוע עמו בל”ג בעומר למירון. שם יספרוהו מיד לאחר צאת הכוכבים אור לל”ד בעומר. (הוראת הרבי)”.

ומאת הרב חס״ד שי׳ הלברשטאם שמעתי שהוא הביא את הילד לרבי בל״ג בעומר, והרבי שאל מתי היום הולדת שלו. כשהוא ענה שהוא בי״ט אייר, מוצאי ל״ג בעומר, הרבי ענה שצריכים לחכות עד ג׳ ימי הגבלה – ולמעשה האפשערניש היה אז (או בג׳ או בד׳ סיון – הוא לא זוכר). ותמונות במצו״ב. ומעניין שלא היה לא בל״ג בעומר ולא במוצאו, וגם לא בערב שבועות.

 

 

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