Laws of the Nine
Days
1. It is our custom
to refrain from
eating meat or
drinking wine
(except on Shabbos)
from Rosh Chodesh
through Tisha B'Av
and also until
noontime of the day
after Tisha B'Av.
2. If one must, it
is certainly better
to:
a. Eat chicken,
etc., instead of
meat.
b. Not eat freshly
slaughtered meat.
c. Drink grape juice
instead of wine.
d. Eat soup that
contained meat,
which now has been
removed.
3. The above is in
special situations.
To use meat utensils
for parve items is
permissible.
4. A nursing mother
who needs to eat
meat for the sake of
the baby's milk may
certainly eat meat.
5. At a seudas
mitzva i.e. Milah,
Pidyon HaBen, meat
and wine may be used
(even wine for
Bircas HaMazon)
6. One may eat meat
and drink wine at a
siyum mesichta if:
a. He did not plan
it for the nine
days. (I.e. rush his
learning to finish
now)
b. He usually eats
meat at a siyum
mesichta
7. The following may
participate in the
seudas siyum:
a. Friends or
relatives who would
usually attend this
type of seuda.
b. Women who would
usually come.
c. The wife and
children of the "baal
haseuda".
8. During the week
of Tisha B'Av, the
number of friends
that are invited
should be limited to
ten (aside from the
participants).
9. A seudas siyum on
Shabbos has no
restrictions.
10. There is no
restriction on other
alchoholic
beverages.
11. The custom of
not eating meat is
very strong and
should not be
treated lightly.
12. The Kaf HaChaim
quotes sources that
permit eating meat
left over from
Shabbos on Motzoei
Shabbos for Mlava
Malka.
13. The wine of
Havdala is given to
a child who is over
five years old but
not yet aware of the
importance of Tisha
B'Av. If none is
present, one may
drink it oneself.
14. To use wine in
cooking or baking
seems to be
permissible.
15. Wine vinegar
does not pose a
problem.
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Laws of Tisha B’Av
1. Learning Torah is
forbidden except for
areas of Torah that
discuss the
destruction or have
a saddening effect,
such as the laws of
mourning.
2. Even Thilim
should not be
recited until
afternoon.
3. Certainly one may
learn sifre mussar
for the purpose of
t’shuva.
4. Washing ones self
is forbidden. If the
hands of any of the
body are soiled one
may wash that area.
5. A woman who is
preparing food for
the evening or
washing a child
whose body is dirty,
may do so even
though her hands
become wet.
6. Deodorant may
only be used on the
body if there is a
bad odor.
7. Leather is
forbidden as part of
a shoe. If one needs
these shoes for
support it is
permitted.
8. This would also
apply to one who
must walk a long
distance and not
wearing the shoes
should cause damage
to his foot.
9. One should
certainly not engage
in frivolous talk on
Tisha B’Av this
distracts him from
the mourning.
Therefore, one
should not travel
in-groups, even to
the cemetary.
10. Certainly one
should not read
newspapers or listen
to the radio since
this also detracts
from mourning.
11. No work should
be done on Tisha
B’Av. Light
housework may be
done after noon.
12. At night and
until noontime one
should sit on the
floor or low stool.
It should be lower
than 12 inches.
13. One should cause
a little discomfort
in his sleeping
process i.e. remove
one pillow. If this
will cause him
discomfort all day,
he should not do it.
14. Talis and
T’filin are worn
only after noon. The
mishna brura states
we do not say Shma
then for it is as if
we are studying
Torah. Others
disagree.
15. One, who must
eat on Tisha B’Av,
still says “Nacham”
in davening and some
say to add it in
bircas hamazon. If
possible, one should
not eat bread so as
not have the
question of reciting
“nacham”.
16. The restriction
on meat, wine,
bathing, haircuts,
music and washing
clothes is in effect
until noon the
following day. Since
the mikdash burnt
until the next day
there is partial
mourning.
We should merit the
building of the Bais
HaMikdosh in our
time.
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