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Laws of the Nine Days and Tisha B'av

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Laws of the Nine Days and Tisha B'av LAWS OF THE NINE DAYS AND TISHA B'AV Tisha B'Av 5778: Saturday evening, July 21 - Sunday, July 22 Nine Days begin: Thursday evening, July 12 Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, is the most important of all the Jewish historical fast days. It commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. On this same day, Bar Kochba and his followers were defeated, and Betar fell, signifying the end of the second Jewish commonwealth. On the ninth of Av, the Jews were expelled from Spain, in the year 1492. Many more terrible tragedies befell the Jews on Tisha B'Av during the past two millennia. Our sages therefore enacted that this time period be a time of mourning. For a nine-day period starting with the first day of the month of Av, there are certain restrictions that are in effect that are expressions of Jewish mourning. The following is a brief outline of these laws and customs. During the Nine Days one must abstain from eating meat or poultry and from drinking wine. One may eat meat and drink wine on Shabbat, at a brit, pidyon haben or at a siyyum. Some people have the custom to drink wine for Havdalah on Saturday night. One is prohibited from washing clothes during the Nine Days, even if the intention is to wear the clothes after Tisha B'Av. Similarly, one cannot bring clothes to a laundry or dry cleaners (even if they are not Jewish) during the Nine Days. One is however permitted to wash the clothes of small children who are constantly getting their clothes dirty. Freshly laundered or freshly cleaned clothes should not be put on during the Nine Days. However, undergarments, socks, and pajamas may be worn freshly washed. Our custom (Ashkenazi) is to permit the wearing of freshly laundered garments on the Shabbat of the Nine Days. Wearing new garments during the Nine Days is prohibited. All clothes even underwear are included in this prohibition. It is also prohibited to purchase any new garment during the Nine Days. The only exception to this rule is the purchase and wearing of new non-leather footwear for Tisha B'Av. During the Nine Days one may not weave, knit, crochet do embroidery or needlepoint. Repairing torn garments is permissible. One may not bathe or swim during the Nine Days even in cold water. Traditionally, Jews did not shower the entire Nine Days. However, today, since Americans shower every single day, we are considered very fastidious people and are therefore permitted, under the halacha to shower even during the Nine Days. However, one should not use water as hot as one is accustomed to using, nor should one linger in the shower any longer than is required to cleanse oneself. Usually on erev Tisha B'Av, there is a final meal before the fast that is called the Seudah Ha-mafseket. At this meal one may not eat more than one cooked food (usually a hard-boiled egg). On Tisha B'Av it is prohibited to eat, drink, bathe or wash. It is also forbidden to use lotions and balms, cohabit, wear leather shoes or study Torah. LAWS OF TISHA B'AV THAT FALLS ON SUNDAY (2018-5778) Usually on erev Tisha B'Av, there is a final meal before the fast that is called the Seudah Hamafseket. At this meal one may not eat more than one cooked food (usually a hard boiled egg). When Tisha B'Av falls out on Shabbat (as is the case this year) or Sunday, the final meal is the Seudah Shelishit. Since Tisha B'Av falls out this year on Shabbat, July 21, none of the usual restrictions apply. One may even eat meat and drink wine at the Seudah Shelishit, BUT one must stop eating before sunset. This year the time of sunset on Shabbat is at 8:21pm, at which time one must stop eating. We do not, however, remove our shoes until after Shabbat. This year Shabbat ends at 9:10pm. At the close of Shabbat, one should recite the following: Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol, then remove one's shoes and put on sneakers or any other footwear that contains no leather. We will be davening Maariv on Motzaei Shabbat at shul at 9:30pm so that we can first change our shoes after Shabbat and then travel to shul with our families. This year on Saturday night (Motzaei Shabbat), the customary Havdalah is NOT recited. Just the blessing Borei meorei haesh will be recited in shul after Maariv. The Havdalah on the cup of wine is postponed this year until Sunday night after the fast. On Sunday night, only the blessing on the wine and the blessing of Hamavdil are recited. There will be a minyan for Maariv and Eicha on Motzaei Shabbat in the main sanctuary at 9:30pm and a late Eicha reading at 10:30pm. There will be two minyanim on Sunday morning for Shacharit followed by kinot: at 7:30am and 9:00am. Rabbi Axlerod will conduct the kinot following the 9:00am service in the main sanctuary during which the kinot will be punctuated by explanations as well as historic introductions to many of the kinot. There will be a Mincha minyan at 2:00pm and at 7:50pm. Maariv will be at approximately 8:20pm. The fast ends at 9:00pm. There will be no 10:00pm Maariv Sunday night. The full Tisha B'Av schedule will be sent out separately. .
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