GOYISHE MINHAG

 

הלכה ולא למעשה NOT SHAVING DURING SEFIRA - GOYISHE MINHAG The Mekubal & Doctor, Harav Moshe Dovid Valla (תלמיד of the רמח"ל) claims that not shaving or trimming the beard during אבילות, and ספירה is a Goyishe Minhag. "Only by Goyim, since they all shave during the year, so refraining from shaving shows אבילות. For Yidden, since they have been growing beards during the year, therefore, letting it grow during ספירה is not a form of אבילות. Chazal didn't have beards in mind  when they said not to cut the hair during that period. However, since the masses don't shave their beards during the  ספירה, we should condone it and come up with the reason, it's done to be ממתיק הדינים (sweeten & lighten the harsh judgments) of the long hair*." The שו"ת חתם סופר יו"ד שמ"ח  too, claims the Poskim's intention was only for the hair of the head and not the beard. * Kabbalistic