By COLlive Reporter
Amid the ongoing security situation in Israel, the country’s Chief Rabbis issued an unusual halachic ruling Thursday, allowing certain weddings to take place during the days of Sefira this year.
In a formal directive released by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, Rabbi Dovid Yosef and Rabbi Kalman Ber addressed the growing number of couples forced to postpone their weddings because of the war and security restrictions.
At the outset of the ruling, the rabbis stress the importance of establishing a Jewish home at the proper time and urge couples not to delay their weddings if it is possible to hold them in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines, even if the celebration must be significantly reduced.
“Even if the limitations require reducing the size of the celebration and the number of guests beyond the original plans,” the rabbis write, “it is appropriate not to postpone the marriage because of this.”
However, recognizing that many couples were unable to proceed with their weddings due to the security situation, the Chief Rabbis issued a rare “hora’as sha’ah,” a temporary ruling for this year. Under the directive, couples whose weddings were postponed may hold their chuppah and kiddushin until Rosh Chodesh Iyar, even though the period falls during Sefira, when Jewish custom traditionally avoids weddings.
The ruling applies to both Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities and is intended as a response to the extraordinary circumstances created by the war.
The rabbis note that couples marrying during this period should continue observing the customary mourning practices of Sefira, in accordance with their communal traditions.
At the same time, the Chief Rabbis emphasized that the leniency is limited to the current emergency and does not change the general practice. They also ruled that weddings should not be scheduled on Motzaei Shabbos, citing longstanding halachic concerns that preparations could lead to Shabbos desecration.
Concluding their directive, the rabbis expressed hope that the joyful sounds of chassan and kallah will soon be heard freely throughout the cities of Israel.
Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad, the rabbinical authority of Lubavitchers in Israel, hasn’t yet commented on the matter.
