Chapter 1. The Laws of the Three Weeks

Mourning
1. The Mishnah Berurah writes [1] : “In the kavvanot of the Arizal it is written that during those days, after midday, one should mourn and weep for about half an hour.”

Tikkun Chatzot
2. The Chida writes in his work Moreh Be’Etzba, [2] that it is proper to recite the order of Tikkun Rachel every weekday during Bein HaMetzarim after midday, and this was the custom in the Land of Israel, may it be rebuilt and established. On Friday afternoon, on the eve of Rosh Chodesh, and on Rosh Chodesh, it is not recited.

The Shehecheyanu blessing
3. It is proper to be careful during the days of Bein HaMetzarim not to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing over a new fruit or a new garment. Therefore, one should not eat a new fruit or wear a new garment during these days.[3]

On Shabbat
4. On Shabbat it is permitted to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing, though the Arizal is stringent in this matter.[4]

Garments of lesser significance
5. Garments of lesser significance, over which Shehecheyanu is not recited, may be purchased and first worn from the Seventeenth of Tammuz until Rosh Chodesh Av.[5]

A new fruit that will not be available after the Ninth of Av
6. A new fruit that will not be available after the Ninth of Av, and which cannot be kept until Shabbat because it will spoil, may be eaten with the recitation of Shehecheyanu even on a weekday.[6]

An ill person
7. An ill person may eat new fruits, but should not recite Shehecheyanu over them.[7]

A pregnant woman
8. A pregnant woman, too, may eat a new fruit, but she should not recite Shehecheyanu over it.[8]

The Laws of HaTov VeHaMeitiv During the Three Weeks

Purchasing furniture and electrical appliances
9. It is permitted to recite the blessing of HaTov VeHaMeitiv during the days of Bein HaMetzarim. Therefore, a married person may purchase furniture and electrical appliances until Rosh Chodesh Av, since a married person recites HaTov VeHaMeitiv over them. However, an unmarried person, who recites Shehecheyanu over them, may not purchase them during the days of Bein HaMetzarim.[9]

Purchasing an apartment
10. Purchasing an apartment during the days of Bein HaMetzarim is permitted for a married person until Rosh Chodesh Av, since one recites HaTov VeHaMeitiv over a new apartment. However, a person who is not married and recites Shehecheyanu should refrain from doing so from the Seventeenth of Tammuz.[10]

Purchasing a car
11. A married person may purchase a car until Rosh Chodesh Av; however, an unmarried person should refrain from doing so from the 17th of Tammuz, since he recites Shehecheyanu over it.[11]

The Laws of Haircuts During the Three Weeks

Haircuts
12. Ashkenazim have the custom not to take haircuts from the 17th of Tammuz onward, whether the hair of the head or the hair of the entire body. [12]

For Sephardim
13. Among Sephardim there are different customs regarding the time when the prohibition of haircuts applies: some have the custom not to take haircuts from the 17th of Tammuz; some from Rosh Chodesh Av; and some only from the week in which the Ninth of Av falls. [13]

Trimming the mustache
14. It is permitted to trim the mustache if it interferes with eating. [14]

Minors
15. The poskim disagree as to whether minors are prohibited from taking haircuts from the 17th of Tammuz onward, or only during the week in which the Ninth of Av falls. In practice, one who is lenient has authorities upon whom to rely. [15]

Women
16. Some are lenient and permit women to take haircuts until the Ninth of Av, and this is the Sephardic custom. However, the opinion of the Mishnah Berurah is to be stringent in this matter, that their law is the same as that of men. [16]

Listening to musical instruments
17. Ashkenazim have the custom not to listen to musical instruments during these days, nor to any recorded music. [Regarding vocal singing, see above in the laws of Sefirat HaOmer].

[1] Siman 551 (se’if katan 103).
[2] Siman 230.
[3]Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 17).
[4]Mishnah Berurah (ibid., se’if katan 98).
[5]Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 17).
[6]Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 17); Mishnah Berurah (se’if katan 101).
[7]Mishnah Berurah (siman 551, se’if katan 99).
[8]Ibid.
[9]Sha’arei Teshuvah (ibid., se’if 7).
[10]Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 17).
[11]Ibid.
[12] Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 4).
[13] Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 3 and se’if 12).
[14] Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 13).
[15] Shulchan Aruch (siman 551, se’if 14).
[16] Mishnah Berurah (siman 551, se’if katan 79).