Explaining Sefira ‘Halfs’

Which half of Sefirah do you keep, and why?

This year during the week leading into Rosh Chodesh Iyar, we had a wedding every night. On the night of 2 Iyar—a night of Sefirah thateveryone keeps whether they observe the first or second half—we had to rush because the rosh yeshivah who was the mesader kiddushin had said it was important that the chuppah be completed before shekiah.

As we were parking, my wife asked, “Do you remember chasunos taking place during the first half of Sefirah when we were growing up?”

I had to admit that I did not. In fact, most readers will remember that it was unusual for weddings to take place from Pesach to Lag BaOmer.

“The reason for this change seems obvious,” my wife continued thoughtfully. “We simply no longer have a choice! Baruch Hashem, the klal has grown so much that wedding halls aren’t easily available. That’s probably the reason people make weddings now on dates that are technically muttar, although we avoided it in the past.” (See shu”t Chasam Sofer 142, shu”t Igros Moshe 1:159, Halichos Shlomo 11:19, inter alia, regarding this issue and whether guests may attend such a wedding when their minhag is different.)

Before Pesach, a member of my shul was preparing for his daughter’s chasunah, which was to take place on the last day of Nisan leading into the first night of Rosh Chodesh Iyar. The chasan’s rosh yeshivah advised that since both sides customarily kept the first half of Sefirah, everyone in the immediate family should do hataras nedarim so that this year they could keep the second half. My congregant wanted to know if I agreed with this psak. (For all the rabbanim out there, there is no reason to give an opinion in such a case when a psak has already been issued, and there is already enough stress among families making a wedding—so just agree!)

Halves?

Aside from all the sh’eilos that arise over the observance of Sefirah, there is an even more basic question—why is Sefirah divided into “halves” to begin with? Just imagine how you would react if a friend asked you, “Are you keeping the first or second half of Pesach?” Ridiculous!

There are those whose custom it is to observe the entire period of aveilus, from Pesach until Shavuos (excepting some dates; see Bein Pesach L’Shavuos, p. 231, with footnotes #29-31). But most of us keep one half or the other. How did the concept of halves come about?

As the era of the Geonim was ending and that of the Rishonim was about to begin, Rav Hai Gaon (d. 1038) was asked why the community did not make weddings at some points between Pesach and Shavuos. He responded that this was an accepted minhag based on Chazal (Yevamos 62b), who teach that all of Rabi Akiva’s students died then, and because of this tragedy, we do not hold joyous events during this period (Teshuvos Hageonim, Otzar Hageonim, Yevamos, chelek teshuvos; see also Otzar Hageonim, Yevamos ad loc., siman 327, and Hilchos Sefiras HaOmer Maharitz Giyos, Tzember Ed., p. 26, et al.; see Bein Pesach L’Shavuos, p. 219, note #7).

Later, people adopted other customs related to mourning, such as not having one’s hair cut, during this time (see Tur, siman 493, “yesh mekomos shanahagu lo l’histaper”; see Bachand Beis Yosef ad loc., explaining that everyone eventually accepted this chumrah).

The Shulchan Aruch tells us that these customs of mourning are observed from Pesach through the beginning of the 34th day of the Omer. The Rema disagrees, ruling that the mourning period lasts only through the 33rd of the Omer.

The Chofetz Chaim explains the history of this debate, as well as the history of the two halves of Sefirah (Biur Halachah,s.v. “yeish nohagim”).

The Shulchan Aruch and the Rema agree with the view of a midrash that Rabi Akiva’s students died for either 33 or 34 days straight. For this mourning period, we apply the concept of miktzas yom k’kulo, shortening the last day of the period. This is the same principle that allows us to end a shivah on the morning of the seventh day.

Based on this Rema, the idea of Lag BaOmer now makes perfect sense. Since the deaths continued through the 33rd day, we mourn during these days, which constitute the first half of Sefirah, and on the last day we end the mourning early.  

However, continues the Biur Halachah, there is another view—that of Tosfos. They argue that these students did not die for 33 or 34 days in a row but that they died sporadically during Sefirah on days when Tachanun would have been recited. In fact, if one subtracts every Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, and the days of Chol Hamoed from the 49 days of Sefirah—days when Tachanun would be omitted—we are left with exactly 33 days when the talmidim died.

Based on this, some accepted a consecutive period of 33 days of mourning during Sefirah, commonly observed from Rosh Chodesh Iyar until before Shavuos. This is what is called the “second half” of Sefirah.

Based on this second view, the Chofetz Chaim is mystified about what special quality Lag BaOmer holds. He concludes, “Perhaps, for whatever reason, [for those who keep the second half] they choose the 33rd day as their miktzas yom day.”

With these two views before us, there is some ambiguity about how to commemorate the mourning period for the talmidim of Rabi Akiva.

What to Do?

Even according to the first view, it is hard to understand the simchah of Lag BaOmer. Although it is true according to this view that it is the date when the mageifah ended, why celebrate when there were no students left to die? (See Pri Chadash.)

Others explain the day’s uniqueness differently—especially because, according to the second view, the talmidim continued to die after Lag BaOmer. They say the celebration is based on a mesorah that Rabi Shimon bar Yochai died on this date, or that he revealed the Zohar on that day.

In response to this, the Chasam Sofer famously asks why we celebrate on the yahrtzeit of a leader (shu”t 232). What about 7 Adar, when Moshe died, and when the Torah was written (see Gittin 60)? (Of course, many answers have been offered to the questions of both the Pri Chadash and the Chasam Sofer).

Ten years ago in this space, I offered my own approach to this special day, no matter which half of Sefirah one keeps. It starts with the fact that Lag BaOmer always falls on the 18th of Iyar.

Chazal state that the first day of the mabul in the time of Noach was the 17th of Iyar (Rosh Hashanah 11, opinion of Rav Yehoshua). According to many (see Sefer Hayashar, cf. Ibn Ezra) the flood waters killed everyone on the first day, meaning that the deaths had concluded by the 18th. Therefore, the 18th of Iyar is both the time when Noach saw his world destroyed and when Rabi Akiva saw his world and his yeshivah destroyed.

This date, then, represents forging ahead and creating a new world after destruction. That’s what Noach had to do, and that’s what Rabi Akiva had to do as well.

It is a date that symbolizes rising from the ashes and rebuilding, carrying on after loss.

We need this message now more than ever.