Brief Guidelines for the Nine Days

Brief Guidelines for the Nine Days

Introduction

From Rosh Chodesh Av until Tisha B’Av, there is an obligation to reduce joy. This includes the prohibition against building a building intended for joy, planting for joy, and purchasing various items, as will be explained below. This prohibition is from the laws of the Gemara and is practiced by all communities beginning on Rosh Chodesh.

During the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, the prohibitions of laundering, bathing, and haircuts are also added by the law of the Gemara according to all opinions; and all communities have also accepted the prohibition of eating meat and drinking wine [except for some Yemenite Jews].

Ashkenazim have the custom to be stringent regarding haircuts from the 17th of Tammuz, and regarding laundering, bathing, eating meat, and drinking wine from Rosh Chodesh Av. However, there are situations in which even for Ashkenazim we are lenient only until the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, since until then it is only a custom, but not during the week itself, when it is prohibited by the law of the Gemara.

Is there a “week in which Tisha B’Av occurs” every year?

According to the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’Av can fall on four days of the week: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Shabbat. If it falls on Tuesday or Thursday, according to all opinions there is a “week in which Tisha B’Av occurs.” If it falls on Sunday, according to all opinions the laws of that week do not apply. This year (5782), when it falls on Shabbat and the fast is postponed to Sunday, there is a dispute as to whether there is such a week. In practice, halachically there is no such week; however, there is value in being stringent according to those who maintain that there is such a week [as in any dispute of an anonymous opinion and a “some say” opinion brought in the Shulchan Aruch].

The prohibition of laundering and wearing laundered clothing

1. The prohibition includes not laundering clothing even if one does not intend to wear it, and also not wearing laundered clothing even if it was laundered earlier. As stated above, for Ashkenazim the prohibition begins on Rosh Chodesh Av, and some Sephardim observe it only during the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs.

2. Cleaning a garment by dry cleaning is included in laundering.

3. It is permitted to clean a localized stain on a garment.

4. The prohibition of laundering includes clothing, towels, sheets, bedding, and tablecloths.

5. Ironing clothing has the same status as laundering; however, if one did not complete the ironing but only removed wrinkles, it is permitted.

6. Just as it is forbidden to launder, so too it is forbidden during these days to wear clean laundered clothing. Likewise, it is forbidden to make the bed with, or use, towels and tablecloths that were laundered.

7. In order to be permitted lechatchilah to wear laundered clothing, one should prepare it by wearing and using it a little before the Nine Days.

8. One who did not prepare clothing can prepare it on Shabbat by wearing a garment and changing every few hours into another laundered garment. [For only when he wears it for several hours is there no concern of preparing from Shabbat for a weekday, since it is considered that he is wearing it for Shabbat itself. But if he wears it for a short time and immediately removes it, it is evident that he is doing so as preparation for the weekdays, and it is forbidden].

9. To prepare a garment so that it is not considered laundered, it is sufficient to wear it for 10 minutes.

10. One may wear several garments one on top of another, but then they must be worn for a longer time — 30 minutes.

11. If one did not prepare the garments by wearing them, he should give them to a child to wear; and in pressing circumstances one may be lenient and place them on the floor so that they become a little dusty and dirty, and then it is permitted to wear them.

12. Undergarments — meaning garments close to the body — according to some lenient opinions may be worn even when laundered; nevertheless, lechatchilah these too should be dirtied by placing them on the floor.

13. In honor of Shabbat, it is permitted to wear all Shabbat clothing as usual [and one should put them on after washing].

14. Sheets and bedding should not be changed for laundered ones even in honor of Shabbat [and one who needs to change them should do so and have a child lie on them for a few minutes].

15. New clothing, even unimportant garments over which one does not recite Shehecheyanu, and which may be first worn during the Three Weeks, may not be first worn during the Nine Days; even on Shabbat it is forbidden.

16. New undergarments may be first worn on Shabbat during the Nine Days [but other new garments are forbidden even on Shabbat, as above].

17. Clothing of small children, as long as they soil their clothing, may be laundered as usual, and may even be hung outside, since it is evident that these are children’s clothes.

18. Some are lenient to launder children’s clothing up to bar mitzvah age until the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs.

19. When laundering children’s clothing, it is forbidden to add adults’ clothing to the wash together with the children’s clothing.

20. One who has no clean clothing left, and the used clothing is so dirty that it emits a bad odor, may launder it if he has nothing to wear; everything depends on the circumstances.

21. One who has no clean clothing to wear, and has two options before him — to launder or to buy new clothing — until the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs it is preferable to launder, and during the week in which it occurs it is preferable to buy.

22. A garment that was soaking on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Av and sunset passed may have its washing completed, since if it is not rinsed the garment will be ruined. Likewise, any garment that will be ruined if it is not washed immediately may be washed.

23. If one did not manage to do the laundry beforehand, it is possible to leave a washing machine set to operate after sunset at the onset of Rosh Chodesh Av.

24. A Sephardi may not launder for an Ashkenazi during the Nine Days.

25. In a yeshivah, one may launder and replace dirty towels during the Nine Days, since this is for the sake of a mitzvah; however, what has not become dirty should not be replaced.

26. Clothing of small children may be hung outside as usual, since it is evident that it belongs to children; but adults’ clothing that was laundered permissibly, such as in the case of one who has absolutely nothing to wear, should be hung discreetly inside the house.

27. An Ashkenazi may not ask a Sephardi to launder clothing for him during the Nine Days, but he may ask before Rosh Chodesh even if he knows that in practice it will be washed after Rosh Chodesh.

28. The owner of a laundry may launder clothing during the Nine Days until the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs for Sephardi customers, but he may not accept laundry from Ashkenazim even in order to wash it after Tisha B’Av.

29. It is permitted to polish shoes in honor of Shabbat as usual.

The prohibition of bathing

30. For Ashkenazim, it is forbidden to wash the body during the Nine Days even with cold water, except for the face, hands, and feet, which may be washed with cold water. Among Sephardi communities there are various customs: some observed all bathing prohibitions during the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, and some prohibited only hot water.

31. Washing not for pleasure is permitted. Therefore, a person who suffers from perspiration and is very dirty from it may wash limb by limb with cold water. In places where there is much perspiration and it is impossible to clean oneself with cold water, it is permitted to clean with hot water and soap — only as needed. The House of our G-d is worthy that we cause ourselves discomfort over its destruction, and “whoever mourns for Jerusalem merits and sees its joy.”

32. Washing for medical purposes is permitted. Therefore, one who has wounds and needs to wash them may do so. Likewise, one who knows clearly that if he refrains from washing it will cause him wounds may rinse as needed only; and if cold water suffices, hot water is forbidden.

33. Washing by passing a wet towel over the body or wiping with wet wipes is permitted.

34. For children until close to bar mitzvah age, one may be lenient and allow them to wash.

35. Tevilat Ezra is permitted. Some are lenient regarding one who is accustomed to immerse in a mikveh every day, permitting him to immerse during the Nine Days as well.

36. Immersion in a mikveh on Erev Shabbat: if one is accustomed to immerse every Erev Shabbat, he may immerse even on Erev Shabbat during the Nine Days in a cold mikveh. If there is no cold mikveh, one may be lenient even with a warm one. This year (5782), when it is the 8th of Av, lechatchilah he should immerse before midday; if he did not manage to do so, he may immerse until Shabbat begins.

37. On Erev Shabbat that falls on Rosh Chodesh, one who always washes on Erev Shabbat may wash his entire body with hot water and even with soap.

38. On Erev Shabbat Chazon: one who is accustomed to wash with hot water and soap every Erev Shabbat and has never refrained from doing so except due to circumstances beyond his control may wash his head, face, hands, and feet with hot water and soap; the rest of the body is forbidden even with cold water. This year (5782), when it is the 8th of Av, lechatchilah he should wash before midday; if he did not manage to do so, he may wash until Shabbat begins.

39. One who needs water exercise for health reasons and has no other option may do so even during the Nine Days, because healing is considered a mitzvah need that is permitted, and it is like washing that is not for pleasure.

40. An Ashkenazi barber may work until the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, and may cut the hair of Sephardim only.

Cutting nails

41. Until the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs — it is permitted. The later authorities disagree as to whether there is a prohibition against cutting nails during the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, and one who is lenient has authorities upon whom to rely. [In honor of Shabbat, it is permitted according to all opinions].

[This year (5782), Rosh Chodesh falls on Erev Shabbat, and some follow the will of Rabbi Yehudah HaChasid not to cut nails on Rosh Chodesh even when it falls on Erev Shabbat. Those who follow this practice may, in this case, cut them on Thursday [even though generally one should not cut nails on Thursday because they begin to grow on Shabbat]].

Eating meat and drinking wine

42. The custom of Ashkenazim is not to eat meat and not to drink wine from Rosh Chodesh Av [and this year (5782), it is forbidden even on Friday]. Among Sephardi communities there are various customs, and many Sephardim do not eat meat and do not drink wine from the night after Rosh Chodesh Av.

43. It is also customary not to eat a dish cooked with meat during these days; therefore, potatoes cooked with meat should not be eaten even on their own. [Many Sephardim are lenient in this].

44. It is permitted to drink alcoholic beverages that do not contain any admixture of wine, such as beer, liqueur, whiskey, and the like.

45. Children up to three years old may be fed meat. From age three until the age at which they know how to mourn for Jerusalem, the poskim disagree whether it is permitted to give them meat, and the opinion of the Mishnah Berurah is to be stringent. A dish cooked with meat may be given to small children leniently.

46. A woman within thirty days after giving birth may eat meat until the 7th of Av; from the 7th of Av onward, the practice is to refrain. The same applies to a nursing mother whose baby’s milk is not good when she does not eat meat — she may eat meat; and likewise a pregnant woman who needs to eat meat, and an ill person who needs meat.

47. Grape juice should also not be drunk during these days.

48. At Havdalah on Motza’ei Shabbat during the Nine Days, some give the cup to a child who has reached the age of education but does not yet know how to mourn for Jerusalem. Since one must be careful to give it to a child who has reached the age of education, and also be careful that the child drinks a cheekful, and it is not clear what age constitutes a child who does not yet know how to mourn for Jerusalem, the custom is that the one reciting Havdalah drinks the cup of wine or grape juice himself.

49. Cakes that contain wine and in which its taste is noticeable — some are stringent not to eat them during these days.

50. On Shabbat it is permitted to eat meat and drink wine, but regarding other mitzvah meals there are various cases explained in siman 551, se’if 10.

51. It is permitted to taste meat or a meat dish on Erev Shabbat in order to know whether it is properly prepared, but one should spit out the food and not swallow it.

Introduction to the obligation to reduce joy

The Gemara (Yevamot 43b) states: “From Rosh Chodesh until the fast, the people reduce their business dealings — buying and selling, building, and planting.” Tosafot (Yevamot 43a, s.v. מלישא; Megillah 5b, s.v. ממעטין) discuss whether this means that it is entirely forbidden to conduct business, and the intent is only business that involves joy, such as purchasing wedding needs; or whether it refers to all business dealings, and the intent is that one must reduce them to what is necessary, but there is no complete prohibition to buy. The Mishnah Berurah (siman 551, se’if katan 11) brings both opinions.

An additional halachah is explained in the Tur (siman 551, se’if 7): one should not repair clothing from Rosh Chodesh Av, for this is included in the obligation to reduce joy. Its source is in the Yerushalmi (Pesachim, chapter 4), that one should not arrange the warp threads during the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, as mourning for the cessation of the Even HaShetiyah. The Tur writes that all the more so repairing new garments is forbidden, and it is proper to be stringent from Rosh Chodesh. The Rema (siman 551, se’if 7) adds that the prohibition also includes not buying garments whose status is like repairing new garments.

Purchases during the Nine Days

52. Jewelry should not be purchased throughout the Nine Days.

53. Silver and gold utensils or valuable items should not be purchased.

54. One should minimize the purchase of plates, pots, cutlery, and other items not needed for the Nine Days; however, if they are needed for these days, they may be purchased.

55. Clothing should not be purchased during the Nine Days, even unimportant clothing and even if one does not recite Shehecheyanu over it.

56. At a sale with special discounts that will not be available after the Nine Days, it is permitted to purchase even during the Nine Days [provided that it truly falls under the category of preventing a loss].

57. Buying a gift for one’s wife for the purpose of shalom bayit is permitted during the Nine Days, as it is considered a mitzvah need; everything depends on the circumstances.

58. If one’s glasses broke or shoes tore, it is permitted to buy new ones during the Nine Days. However, if he has alternate glasses or shoes [suitable to wear and of which he is not embarrassed], he should wait until after Tisha B’Av.

59. From the 17th of Tammuz until the Nine Days, one may buy and begin using regular garments such as shirts, or glasses, over which it is not customary to recite Shehecheyanu; but an important garment over which one recites Shehecheyanu should be first worn only on Shabbat.

60. One who wishes to buy an apartment and has found one suitable for him: if there is concern that the apartment will be sold, they should sign a memorandum of understanding, and draw up the contract after the Nine Days. If it is not possible to do only a memorandum of understanding, one may also make a contract.

61. Buying a secondhand car during the Nine Days, if it is not a case of preventing a loss whereby he may lose the purchase, should not be done, unless the car is needed for his livelihood.

62. If necessary, it is permitted to order a closet or another piece of furniture during the Nine Days if it will arrive after the Nine Days.

63. A groom and bride who are marrying after the fast and have no other time may buy new clothing for the wedding.

64. A young man who goes on shidduch meetings during the Nine Days should preferably buy clothing before the Nine Days; if he did not manage to do so, he may buy it, because it is a mitzvah need.

65. Buying school supplies for children during the Nine Days is permitted if there is no other time or if there is a special sale, but if possible it should be postponed until after the Nine Days.

66. It is possible to give gifts during the Nine Days [relevant especially to end-of-year gifts], but it is preferable to buy them before Rosh Chodesh Av.

67. One may be lenient and open a store with special sales during the Nine Days in order to permit people to buy (because then, for them, it is preventing a loss); nevertheless, it is not Hashem’s will to earn a livelihood in this way.

68. One should not buy an electric bicycle during the Nine Days if it is not necessary, but renting is permitted.

69. It is permitted to wash the house during the Nine Days.

70. When necessary, one may clean a car during the Nine Days.

Singing and music

71. Background music in a recorded story may be heard during the Three Weeks and the Nine Days, since the main element is the story and not the melody.

72. One may study until Rosh Chodesh Av in order to preserve what was learned (preventing a loss), and also because there is not so much enjoyment in the lessons, since the main purpose is the learning — especially when the study includes mechanical repetitions of individual segments of the song, which involves no enjoyment at all. (And even if it is not for livelihood purposes, one may be lenient until Rosh Chodesh.)

73. A young man who became engaged and whose friends in yeshivah are accustomed to sing to him when he arrives at the yeshivah: from the 17th of Tammuz until Rosh Chodesh, it is permitted to sing orally without musical instruments, but after Rosh Chodesh it is forbidden.

Celebrations during the Nine Days

74. One may finalize a shidduch during the Nine Days and hold an event, provided that people do not wash hands for bread and there is no music. The groom and bride may come in Shabbat clothing, since it is a mitzvah need.

75. Children may be dressed in Shabbat clothing in honor of a brit held during the Nine Days, until the age at which they know how to mourn for Jerusalem.

76. A siyum of a tractate during the Nine Days permits singing orally (and some are lenient with recorded songs). Likewise, anyone who would have come to the siyum even if it had been held during the rest of the year may eat meat and drink wine; however, during the week in which Tisha B’Av occurs, this is permitted only to the one making the siyum, to his relatives who are disqualified from testifying about him, and to an additional minyan of people.

Azmera Lishmecha (Issue 174).