[Avodah] Upsherin

Zev Sero via Avodah avodah at lists.aishdas.org
Thu May 7 16:39:12 PDT 2015


On 05/07/2015 05:31 PM, Prof. Levine via Avodah wrote:



> The earliest reports of the chalaka [upsherin] celebration are found in
>accounts written by Sepharadim early in the period of the Acharonim.

Indeed it is.  For instance, see Gan Hamelech ch 62.
http://www.otzar.org/wotzar/book.aspx?64092
This takes it back to at least the 17th century, and he refers to it as
a well-known minhag that he doesn't have to explain.  The Gan Hamelech
is surely himself sufficient authority even if we had no other.  And
while he was Sefardi, he had a great influence on Ashkenazi psak.


> The most important source concerning the chalaka is the account of
> the celebration in which the Ari-zal is involved. The details of this
> story are somewhat vague, and it is unclear whether the Ari-zal made
> a chalaka for his son, or whether the account refers to his disciple,
> Rabbi Yonatan Sagish.

There is nothing vague about it.  It's clear from the context that
R Yonatan told R Chaim what the Ari had done a year before he, R Chaim,
became the Ari's talmid.


> Some have also questioned the permissibility of haircutting on Lag
> Ba'omer, during bein ha-metzarirn or during Chol Hamo'ed.

Gan Hamelech not only permits it on Chol Hamoed but even permits *delaying*
it to Chol Hamoed so as to increase the simcha!  And this psak is quoted
lehalacha by the Baer Hetev.


> The custom of /chalaka /was never accepted in /Ashkenazic /countries or
> other regions in Western Europe, not even among the /Sephardic
> /communities in these areas. The practice earned acceptance in Eastern
> Europe among certain /Chasidic /circles, but only in later generations.

This is untrue.   It was already accepted in the Baal Shem Tov's time.
The only time the Alter Rebbe saw the Baal Shem Tov was on his third birthday,
when his parents brought him to have his hair cut.

-- 
Zev Sero               I have a right to stand on my own defence, if you
zev at sero.name          intend to commit felony...if a robber meets me in
                        the street and commands me to surrender my purse,
                        I have a right to kill him without asking questions
                                               -- John Adams



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