Cleaning the House During the Nine Days
Question
Shalom Rav,
My wife is a self-employed architect and interior designer.
One of the rooms in our home serves as her office for receiving clients and holding meetings.
Whenever she receives clients for an in-person meeting at home, which happens from time to time,
we wash and clean the floor, windows, prominent cabinets, and the like,
so that there will be a pleasant and good feeling, and so that the impression will be positive despite the office being inside a home.
I wanted to ask:
Tomorrow, with God’s help, she is holding a meeting with clients at home.
Are we permitted to wash as usual, or is this forbidden because of the Nine Days?
It is important for me to emphasize that this is very, very important to my wife,
and she is always particular that everything be very clean and pleasant; if it is not like that, then she will be in the meeting with an unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling, etc.
Thank you very much
My wife is a self-employed architect and interior designer.
One of the rooms in our home serves as her office for receiving clients and holding meetings.
Whenever she receives clients for an in-person meeting at home, which happens from time to time,
we wash and clean the floor, windows, prominent cabinets, and the like,
so that there will be a pleasant and good feeling, and so that the impression will be positive despite the office being inside a home.
I wanted to ask:
Tomorrow, with God’s help, she is holding a meeting with clients at home.
Are we permitted to wash as usual, or is this forbidden because of the Nine Days?
It is important for me to emphasize that this is very, very important to my wife,
and she is always particular that everything be very clean and pleasant; if it is not like that, then she will be in the meeting with an unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling, etc.
Thank you very much
Answer
Shalom u’vrachah.
In halachah 39, a prohibition against cleaning the house during the Nine Days is mentioned. However, there are those who have such a custom. From the question, I understand that this is your practice.
But since this is only a custom and not halachah, it may be permitted for the sake of earning a livelihood.
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