Bathing for Healing During the Thirty Days of Mourning
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Question
A person with a cold is within the thirty days of mourning and wants to sit in a hot water bath to heal. Is it permitted according to the Ashkenazi custom, which is stringent about bathing during the thirty days?
Answer
If he wants to sit in a hot water bath for healing, it is permitted during the thirty days. During the seven days, it is prohibited unless a doctor has instructed him to do so.
Source
Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De'ah, Siman 381, Paragraph 5: "It is clear that if a person is not in full health, even if he is not sick, but needs a hot bath to strengthen his health, it is permitted within the 30 days, since it is not by law, it should not be prohibited when it concerns his health. However, within the 7 days, it is prohibited unless a doctor has instructed him to do so, even if he is sick but not in danger, as in the case of instructing a non-Jew to perform work on Shabbat for a sick person who is not in danger, as stated in Orach Chaim, Siman 328."
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