mourning customs

A reader asks why we avoid haircuts and music for weeks during the Omer, yet don't mark the Holocaust the same way—and why keep mourning something from thousands of years ago.

Why many Jews observe partial mourning during Sefirat HaOmer—and what that means for weddings, music, grooming, and more.

A daily Torah insight from Rabbi Ronen Haziza, part of the At Least 5 Minutes of Torah a Day series. A special practice for the days of the Omer.

From haircuts and weddings to recorded music and housewarmings—what is allowed when? A practical guide to *Sefirat HaOmer* customs for an American audience, drawn from the rulings of *Rishon LeZion* Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef in the *halacha* compendium *Yalkut Yosef*.

Joy or mourning? Why we still mark a 2,000-year-old tragedy, what to work on each week, and why we count up—not down—on the journey from Passover to Shavuot.

In the wake of a devastating loss—24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students in a short span that left the world “desolate of Torah”—these days became a period of communal mourning.

Why we count, when and how to do it, the blessing, standing—and why this stretch is tied to mourning. A quick guide from Passover to Shavuot.

From beach days and hair removal to wedding invites, music, knitting, and business moves—what’s in bounds during the Omer? Plus: can women count with a blessing? A practical Q&A.

From the nightly blessing to *Lag BaOmer*, here’s a clear, engaging guide to the seven-week journey from Passover to *Shavuot*—including the history, customs, and deeper meaning along the way.

Torah sources, halachic principles, and how to truly bring comfort to the grieving

Understanding the Proper Observance of Mourning Practices During the Three Weeks, Based on the Rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l