[Avodah] More on Practices of Mourning During Sefira

[Micha Berger]

It seems from the first 3 se'ifim on the subject in the AhS, the
Crusades have much to do with the minhagim of mourning during the
Omer.

In 493:1 he mentions both tragedies.

In se'if 2 he says that all of Yisrael have been nohagim since the days
of the ge'onim not to get married during this time.

The only mention of music is in the context of a wedding that trumps this
ban because someone else may make the shidduch first if you wait. Or a
se'udas hareishus. But the ban on music is desribed as only including
riqudin umcholos, and all the more so with keli zemer.

So a capella would seemingly be okay altogether, and instrumental music
would be permitted during the omer when not partying.

Se'if 3 talks about haircuts, but "vekhei nahagu bimdinos eilu". No
implication it dates back to ge'onim. And indeed, this minhag was not
nispasheit to most outside of Ashkenaz. As though Ashkenazi lands took
on new practices after they went through the Crusades (and thus, after
the geonim).

Nor is it clear when the ban on music started. It's not listed in the
start of se'if 2 with the ge'onic ban on weddings, nor in se'if 3 with
the later ban on haircuts.

Rav Ovadiah holds that listening to musical instruments in general is
iffy any day of the year (see Gittin 7a), so at least during the omer
one shouldn't. BUT, since songs with instruments are permitted for a
se'udas mitzvah, he allows musical instruments at siyumim and other
permitted se'udos.

It may be that Sepharadim are more meiqil about instruments because not
playing them is more a Crusades commemoration than one of Talmidei R
Aqiva.

In any case, WRT the other thread, two more sources, one Ashkenazi, that
would seem to allow a capella music during the omer. (And the AhS would
also allow litening to instrumental music outside of a party setting. So,
a capella music when not at a party, doubly okay. No?)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 23rd day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   3 weeks and 2 days in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Gevurah sheb'Netzach: How does my domination
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                          stifle others?