By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

EATING MEAT AND DRINKING WINE

The Gemara forbids eating meat as part of the last meal before Tishah B’Av. Nonetheless, it is the custom of all Israel not to eat meat from Rosh Chodesh Av until chatzos (halachic noon) on the 10th of Av (SA OC 551:9 citing the Rashba). One may eat meat and drink wine at a celebration of a siyum (the completion of a tractate of Talmud or an order of the Mishnah).

One may have meat and wine on Shabbos of the Nine Days.

According to Rav Elyashiv, zt”l (Halichos v’Hanhagos p. 11), the Havdalah wine during the Nine Days should be consumed as follows:

 By a boy age 6 or 7 (even less if he has reached the age of berachos) but not one who understands mourning (7½–8 but more if he does not understand the concept of mourning). If there is not one available, then…
 By a boy who is not yet bar mitzvah. If there is not one available, then…
 The man himself may drink the wine.
 Some people use a beverage other than wine for havdalah, but Rav Elyashiv rules against this.
Meat or wine may not be consumed for melaveh malkah (Igros Moshe OC IV 21:4).

LAUNDERING CLOTHING

During the Nine Days it is forbidden to launder clothing, even if they will not be worn until after the Nine Days (SA OC 551:3). This includes clothing, sheets and towels.

Removing a stain with water is permitted if the article of clothing may get ruined if not treated. Sheitels cannot be washed and set, either (Rav Elyashiv, Halichos v’Hanhagos, p. 66). Rav Scheinberg, zt”l, however, permitted it when absolutely necessary (cited in Rivevos Ephraim VI 291:3).
New or laundered clothing may not be worn during the Nine Days either (SA OC 551:3). They must therefore be pre-worn. How long must they be worn? Rav Binyomin Forst has the practice of putting on five shirts simultaneously and wearing them for 30 minutes. The Daas Kedoshim, however, states that one minute will suffice. Perhaps this ruling was written in a pre air-conditioned society. An alternative method of removing the freshness is to lie down on the clothing for a significant period of time. There is also a prohibition in wearing Shabbos clothing during this time as well. There are certain exceptions for someone making a Bris or Pidyon HaBen.
One may make a bed for a guest with freshly laundered linen.

SHOWERING AND BATHING

It is the general custom not to shower or bathe even in cold water from Rosh Chodesh Av until midday of the 10th of Av. This custom is codified in the Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:16). One may wash his or her hands, face, and feet but only in cold water. This is the general rule, but there are some exceptions.

The Aruch HaShulchan (OC 551:37) rules that one may bathe in order to remove dirt. This means that one mayshower and bathe even in warmer water to remove dirt if one got dirty. This seems to be well accepted by all Poskim. The reason is that Minhag is to prohibit rechitza shel taanug – pleasurable bathing.
Some Poskim, such as Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (Igros Moshe EH Vol. IV #84) rule that if it is a particularly hot day, one may shower to remove sweat. Rav Moshe Shternbuch (T’shuvos v’Hanhagos Vol. II #260) rules similarly. Other Poskim, however, are quite stringent and do not allow showers simply to remove sweat (Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, Chazon Ish zt”l, and iblct Rav Chaim Kanievsky.

For medical purposes it is also permitted to bathe (Shaar haTziyun 551:94). This includes pregnant women or a woman who just gave birth as well.

An istanis, someone who is by nature extremely particular, may also bathe in cold water during the Nine Days as well. (See Tsuvos v’Hanhagos IV #129). “Somewhat warm” is also considered cold by the Poskim.

On Erev Shabbos Chazon, one may also wash in “somewhat warm” water l’kavod Shabbos.

THE EIGHTH OF AV

Pleasure trips are forbidden on Erev Tishah B’Av after chatzos (halachic noon) (Vilna Gaon on Rema, end of 553).
The custom is not to learn Torah after halachic noon on the eighth of Av. The reason is that Torah causes the heart to rejoice (see Tehillim 19:9). Some, however, are lenient in regard to learning Torah.

THE SEUDAH HAMAFSEKES

On the eighth, before Tishah B’Av begins, we eat a mourner’s meal called the “seudah hamafsekes.” The custom is to eat one cooked item such as a cold hard-boiled egg, bread and ashes. We eat it while lying on the floor and we do not eat the meal in a group. We may wear leather shoes while eating the meal, although the mood during this meal should be somber.

THE NINTH OF AV
Because the loss of the Beis HaMikdash was such a national tragedy, the halachos of Tishah B’Av combine the laws of Yom Kippur and the laws of mourning.
Thus, we apply the five inuyim of Yom Kippur:

1) No eating or drinking
2) No washing
3) No anointing
4) No wearing leather shoes
5) No marital relations

In addition to the Yom Kippur inuyim:

1) We are not permitted to study Torah except for the passages that bring on sadness.
2) We do not extend greetings to others.
3) We do not work.
4) We do not sit on a chair.
The latter two, however, may be performed after chatzos (halachic noon).

When one does need to wash hands, such as after going to the restroom, one washes just until the knuckles.

When sleeping at nighttime, one should be less comfortable than one is accustomed to being (SA 555:2). Thus, if one generally sleeps with two pillows, one pillow should be removed. A pregnant woman, however, does not have to do this if she will be uncomfortable.

CUSTOMS IN SHUL

In shul the custom is to dim the lights, based upon the verse in Eichah (3:6): “He placed me in darkness.” We also remove the curtain from the ark that covers the sefer Torah. This is on account of the Midrash that interprets the verse in Eichah (2:17): “He tore His royal garments.” After Maariv, Eichah is read and then a number of Kinos are recited.

On the next day, a number of Kinos are recited. It is the custom to recite them until halachic noon, so that one will not come to do work before then (SA OC 559:3 MB 13)

Men do not put on the Tallis and Tefillin for Shacharis in the morning, but do put them on for Mincha. This is based upon the Midrash(Vayikra Rabbah 6) that states:

“betza imraso – He carried out His words (Aicha 2:17) – He threw out His precious cloth, this refers to Talis –- hishlich mishamayaim eretz tiferes yisroel, – He threw earthward from Heaven the glory of Israel (Aich 2:1) – this refers to Tefillin.”

Most of these Kinos were written during the Crusades. After the Holocaust, a number of Kinos were added. It is the custom of many shuls to recite the new ones as well.

THE TENTH OF AV UNTIL CHATZOS
Since the burning of the Beis HaMikdash continued until the 10th of Av (indeed, most of it burned then), we refrain from eating meat and drinking wine until halachic noon on the 10th (SA OC 558). Most authorities do not allow the recital of the blessing of Shehecheyanu on Motzaei Tisha B’Av.

The Mishnah Berurah rules that we refrain from bathing, cutting our hair, listening to music and washing our clothes until halachic noon on the 10th. Nor do we drink wine, unless one normally does so on bentsching.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky (cited in Kuntrus Toras Moadim p. 13) permits cold showers, the cutting of nails, and doing childrens’ laundry on Motzaei Tisha B’Av.

If the 10th of Av falls on a Friday, then we may launder immediately after Tishah B’Av is over.

Haircuts and bathing, however, should wait until Friday morning (Eliyahu Rabbah 559:31). Music is only permitted at halachic noon. If necessary, bathing and hair cutting can be done on Motzaei Tishah B’Av if one will be unable to do them on Friday. Dayan Fisher zt”l (Even Yisroel Vol. VII #27) allowed bathing and haircuts on Thursday evenings. One should consult a Posek as to whether one can be lenient.

The Shulchan Aruch states:

Whoever mourns over Yerushalayim will merit to see her in her joy (OC 554:25)

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