Business During the Nine Days
Question
Hello, Is it permissable to buy clothing that are on sale for the 9 days. And Secondly is a store owner allowed to make a sale for the nine days halachicly and Hshkafikly Thank you D Braun
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question. The hashkafa of this time period is to limit our buying and selling as much as possible. As the Talmud teaches, “From the New Moon of Av and until the fast on the ninth, the public reduces its activities, refraining from business transactions, from building and planting, and from betrothing and marrying.” As one can see, we should try to avoid buying all new clothes, not merely fancy ones.
If not purchasing an item will cause a monetary loss or if the item will not be available after the Nine Days, it is permitted to purchase it. It is best if one can arrange to only take delivery of the item after the Nine Days. There are no restrictions on buying religious items or items that are required for a mitzva, such as to buy tefillin, mezuzot, or holy books from which to learn from.
According to the letter of the law, it is permitted to open one’s store during the Nine Days, especially one who sells essential items. So too, one who owns a clothing store is allowed to hold major sales during the Nine Days in one’s store which would then allow shopper sot purchase clothes, as just mentioned above. Nevertheless, it is preferable not to or to limit this type of activity as much as possible. As our rabbi, Rav Amram Fried has said, “It is not G-d’s will for this to take place.”
Source
Yevamot 43b. See our Azamra L’ishmecha 265:26 and OC 551:2; Pri Megadim 551:7; Mishna Berura 551:11,13,46; Kaf Hachaim 551:21, 23.