Prayers on Tisha BeAv

The Night of Tisha Be’Av, Monday night, August 12

• It is customary to remove the parochet (curtain) from the aron kodesh (holy ark) or at least to leave it drawn to the side.
• Some have the custom of also removing the cloth that covers the Bimah (table used for the Torah reading) and the cloth covering the chazzan’s shtender (lectern).
• The lights should be dimmed for Maariv and the reading of Eicha.
• One should sit on the floor (or a low bench) for the Maariv prayer and the reading of Eicha.
• The reader who leads the congregation in saying Eicha should pause slightly between each verse and slightly longer between each chapter. He should read the final verse in every chapter in a louder voice than the rest of the chapter. The last verse should be said aloud by the congregation and then repeated by the reader.
• After the reading of Eicha, several Kinot (lamentations) as well as Ve’atah Kadosh and Aleinu are recited.
• It is customary in many communities to learn about the story of the destruction after the Maariv (the evening service).
• One who is praying alone should also recite the Eicha and Kinot as well as the Kinot on the day of Tisha Be’Av.

The Day of Tisha Be’Av, Tuesday, August 13

Morning Prayers

• In the morning, we do not say the blessing of She’asah li Kol Tzorki since this blessing is to thank G-d for shoes and we may not wear (regular) shoes on Tisha Be’Av. The bracha is also not recited at night at the end of Tisha Be’Av. Others say that this bracha should be recited on Tisha Be’Av, while some say it should be recited at night at the end of Tisha Be’Av when one puts on his regular shoes. The Chabad custom follows the first opinion.
• We do not wear a Talit Gadol or Tefillin for Shacharit, only for Mincha.
• One should not say a blessing on his Talit Katan in the morning.
• One should not hold the tzitzit of his tallit katan for Baruch She’amar or for the reading of the Shema.
• It is customary not to recite the Song of the Day or Ein K'elokainu until the afternoon.
• We do not recite Tachanun (confessionary prayers). After the amidah, the Chazzan recites Half Kaddish.
• Only those fasting may receive an aliyah or be the ba’al koreh.
• After Shachrit it is customary to read Kinot until Chatzot (midday). The final chapter 'Eili Tzion' should be recited verse by verse responsively.
• The Sefer Torah should be returned to the Aron Kodesh before the recitation of Kinot.
• One may not walk outside or converse during the recital of the Kinot so as not to remove one’s mind from mourning.
• It is proper for each individual to recite Eicha privately after completing Kinot.
• After Kinot we recite Ashrei, Uva L'tzion (omitting the verse V'ani Zos Briti), Kaddish (without the verse of Titkabel), Aleinu, and the Mourner’s Kaddish.
• A mourner, during the shiva, may come to shul during the morning of Tisha Be’Av.
• If there is a brit on Tisha Be’Av, it should take place after the completion of Kinot. The parents, Mohel, and Sandak may wear Shabbat clothes during the Brit. They may not, however, wear leather shoes. (They may not eat until after the fast.)
• It is mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch that it is customary to visit the Beit HaChaim (the cemetery) after morning prayers of Tisha Be’Av. The Chabad Rebbes didn’t follow this custom. The reason for this may be because on Tisha Be’Av one may not go to the Mikvah, and it is customary in Chabad for men to immerse themselves in the Mikvah before going to any cemetery.

Afternoon Prayers

• At Mincha time, one may say the Tehillim of the day as well as the Chumash and Tanya.
• It is important to give additional Tzedakah on this day.
• The order of Mincha is:
  • The Parochet (curtain) should be replaced on the Aron Kodesh (holy ark).
  • One should don Tallit and Tefillin with a Bracha.
  • Chabad custom is to begin by reciting the three chapters of Shema, Shir Shel Yom (Song of the Day), Mourner’s Kaddish, Ein K’elokainu, Kaddish D'rabanan, Tehillim, Mourner’s Kaddish, followed by Korbanot, Ashrei, and Half-Kaddish.
• The Torah is brought out and three Aliyot are read. The third Aliyah is also Maftir. All the three men called up to the Torah should be fasting as should be the chazzan.
• Kaddish should not be recited before the Haftorah.
• The Haftorah is the same as the one said on other fast days (Dirshu). Sefardim say the Haftorah of Shuva Yisrael (same as Shabbat Shuva). After the Haftorah, one says the blessings on the Haftorah until “Magen David.”
• The prayers of Nachaim and Aneinu are inserted in the silent Amidah, in the blessings of Boneh Yerushalayim and Shome’ah Tefilah respectively.
• If one forgot to say Nacheim, some say it should be inserted in Shome’ah Tefilah, after “aneinu” and before “ki atah.” Others say it should be inserted in Retzeh, before V’techezenah. This is the main halacha. In any case, one should finish those berachot as usual. One who did not remember to say it during those blessings can add it to Elokai Netzor (the paragraph at the end of the Amidah).
• If one did not recite Nacheim at all, he need not repeat the Amidah.