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From: wkp@lanl.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Explanation Wanted
Message-ID: <25253@lanl.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 1-May-85 02:08:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: lanl.25253
Posted: Wed May  1 02:08:11 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 2-May-85 06:43:38 EDT
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Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
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> 
> 	I've just heard about a custom that says we are not supposed to
> get hair cuts from pesach to shavuot. Since I've never heard of this can
> someone relate the history of this custom or if it is one of the 613
> mitzvot that I am supposed to keep. Where is it written?
> 
> 					- Yitzhak -

       It is a custom of some Jews to obey certain laws of mourning
       for the first 33 days of the counting of the omer.  The counting
       of the omer begins from the second night of pesach.  This custom
       includes not getting haircuts.  It also includes not getting married.

       The custom originated from a historical occurence:  the death of many
       students of Rabbi Akiva during the first 33 days of the omer period.

       It is not part of the 613 mitzvot.  The custom is written up in a
       number of sources.  An easy source for you to check is the 
       Kitzur Shulchan Aruch--I think there is a translation out published
       by the Hebrew Publishing Company.

       Actually, Ian (Yitzhak), since you are learning Hebrew nowadays you
       might try finding a Hebrew-English version of the book.
--
bill peter                                  ihnp4!lanl!wkp