The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 232) codifies the prohibition that forbids taking a haircut once the time for Minha has begun, before one prays Minha, and even within a half-hour of the earliest time for Minha. The Sages were concerned that the barber’s shears may break during the haircut, and the barber or customer will spend time searching for a different pair of scissors. In the meantime, the time for Minha will pass, and the individual will have thus missed the Minha recitation. To avoid such a situation, the Sages enacted a prohibition against taking a haircut within a half hour of the earliest time for Minha, and once the time for Minha begins, until one prays Minha.
This Halacha does not apply in situations where this concern does not arise. For example, if the barber owns two or more pairs of scissors, then one may have this barber cut his hair even within a half-hour of Minha. If the shears break, the barber will simply use another, and we need not be concerned that the customer will miss Minha. The same would be true regarding a barber who can easily borrow an extra pair of scissors from the shop next door, or in a situation where two or more barbers are located in the same area. In all these cases, the barber or customer has access to additional sets of scissors, and there is thus no concern that one may miss Minha if the scissors break.
Nowadays, then, when every barber keeps multiple sets of scissors in his shop, it is permissible for one to take a haircut within a half hour of the time for Minha, and once the time for Minha begins.
May one shave with an electric shaver within a half hour of the time for Minha?
Hacham Ben Sion Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) cites some authorities who ruled that one should not shave within a half-hour of the time for Minha, given the possibility of a power failure, which would result in a delay and could cause one to miss Minha. According to these authorities, we must be concerned for the possibility of a power failure when dealing with electric shavers, just as the Sages were concerned about the possibility of the barber’s shears breaking.
Hacham Ben Sion, however, disputes this ruling. First, he contends, power failures do not occur often enough for this to be a real concern. Second, even had power failures been a frequent occurrence, there is nothing a person can do during a power failure to find an alternate means of shaving. When it comes to haircutting, as we saw, the Sages were concerned that the barber or customer might spend time searching for a different pair of scissors. In the situation of a power failure, however, one has no other option at all, and thus if he had yet to pray Minha, he would, presumably, simply pray Minha during the time of power outage. Therefore, Hacham Ben Sion rules that one may certainly shave with an electric shaver within a half-hour of the time for Minha.
Incidentally, the Kaf Ha’haim (Rabbi Yosef Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) compiled a list of fourteen Misvot that one could potentially perform while taking a haircut. For one thing, one fulfills several Misvot by avoiding cutting parts of the hair which the Torah forbids cutting. According to the Sefer Ha’hinuch (anonymous work from the Medieval period exploring the reasons underlying the Misvot), one who observes these laws also fulfills the dictum of "U’be’hukotehem Lo Telechu," which forbids imitating the practices of pagans. Furthermore, a man who cuts his hair fulfills the Torah law which forbids dressing like a woman, a prohibition which includes letting one’s hair grow like women’s hair. One who takes a haircut before Shabbat or Yom Tob fulfills the Misva of giving honor to these special occasions. And when one pays the barber, he fulfills the Misva to pay wages on time, and avoids the prohibitions that forbid delaying payment of wages. If the barber is poor, paying for his services also fulfills the Misva of charity.
Thus, even when a person goes to do an act as simple as taking a haircut, he has the opportunity to fulfill many Misvot, demonstrating how many Misvot we have the opportunity to fulfill in every situation in life.
Summary: It is permissible to take a haircut or shave within a half-hour of the earliest time for Minha, and once the time for Minha begins, even though one has yet to pray Minha.
