Forbidden Activities

Torah Study

As mentioned above, one may not study Torah on Tisha Be’Av. See above as to what topics may be studied. Even when studying the topics mentioned above, one may not delve deeply into them and develop new insights.

• One who will read from the Torah may review the Torah portion before the reading.
• One should not think Torah thoughts.
• One may only render a Halachic ruling if it is necessary for that time.
• One should also not read secular articles or the news or do anything which will distract him from the mourning of the day.
• Some permit one to learn from works that inspire a person to Teshuvah (e.g., Mussar and Chassidut).
• One who normally recites Mishnayot after the prayers and then says a Kadish Derabanan should say the Mishnayot of Ta’anit or Mo’ed Kattan that one may study on Tisha Be’Av. At Mincha on Sunday afternoon, one may say the regular Mishnayot.
• Some say that one may do regular Torah study that is done by a community on a daily basis such as Chok LeYisrael or chitat (Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya) after Mincha on Tisha Be’Av afternoon.

Sitting

• From nightfall on Motzei Shabbat until midday on Sunday (1:26 pm in Miami), one may not sit on a regular chair. One may sit on the floor, a pillow, or a low stool.
• One may stand if he wishes. However, if one wishes to sit, he should sit in the prescribed manner.
• A pregnant woman or elderly person for whom it is difficult to sit on a low stool, may sit on a regular chair.
• One may sit as usual while traveling by car. When traveling by bus, one should stand, if possible.
• One may not sit on a bed.
• One who does hagbah (lifting the Sefer Torah) may sit while holding the Torah afterwards. Similarly, a sandek (one who holds the baby during a brit) may sit during the brit.
• A nursing mother may sit as usual while nursing.

Sleeping in the Normal Fashion

• When going to sleep at night, one should be somewhat uncomfortable. For example, if one usually sleeps with two pillows, he should use one instead. If he usually uses one, he should use none.
• Some have a custom to sleep on the floor with a stone as a pillow.
• I heard that the Lubavitcher Rebbe would sleep with his mattress on the floor on Tisha Be’Av.

Eating and Drinking

• From sunset on Motzei Shabbat until nightfall on Sunday, it is forbidden to eat or drink.
• One who is sick and confined to bed need not fast. Some say that even a sick person should fast unless he is in great pain. In case of doubt, one should discuss it with one’s doctor and rabbi.
• One who needs to break their fast should make havdalah before doing so. It is preferable for a child to can drink the wine (or grape juice) of havdalah. If this isn’t possible, one may drink it themselves.
• A woman who has given birth within the last thirty days is not required to fast. Some say that a woman who gave birth more than seven days before Tisha Be’Av should fast providing she feels well enough to do so.
• Generally, a nursing mother or pregnant woman should fast. One who feels that she is unable to fast should consult her doctor and a rabbi.
• It is advisable to drink a lot of water in the days leading up to the fast. If one has a special condition, a Rabbi should be consulted.
• One who needs to swallow medication may do so.
• One who needs liquid with which to swallow a pill should use a bitter liquid (such as vinegar mixed with water), if possible.
• It is best not to rinse one’s mouth on public fast days. One who is uncomfortable may use mouthwash but should be careful not to swallow any of it.
• Children before Bar or Bat Mitzvah need not fast. Some say that children nearing the age of Bar or Bat Mitzvah should be trained to fast for several hours.
• One who forgot and “broke” their fast should stop eating as soon as they remember and should continue to fast until the end of the day. It’s best to also fast on a different day to atone for this error.

Wearing Leather Shoes

• One may not wear leather shoes.
• One should not wear shoes that have leather uppers or leather soles or any leather anywhere in the shoes.
• Leather belts and other leather garments are allowed.
• Shoes made of non-leather (canvas etc.) are allowed.
• Children should likewise refrain from wearing leather shoes.

Washing

• One may not wash any parts of the body.
• An area which becomes dirty may be washed.
• One should wash Negel Vasser (the morning hand wash) until the knuckles only.
• Children (or others who are exempt from fasting) who are washing for bread may wash as usual. The same applies to Mayim Acharonim.
• The same applies to Kohanim who are washing to say the blessing of the Kohanim (in the Sefardic tradition of doing a daily Priestly blessing or in Israel) as well as to the Leviyim who are washing the hands of the Kohanim.
• After washing Negel Vasser in the morning, one may dry one’s hands and use his somewhat moist fingers to wipe his eyes.
• If one’s eyes are encrusted, he may wash them as necessary.
• After using the bathroom, one should wash his fingers until the knuckles. One who normally washes six times alternately after using the bathroom may do so on Tisha Be’Av as well but only until the knuckles.
• One who touched a part of his body that is normally covered may wash that hand up to the knuckles. One should refrain from touching these areas in order to minimize washing on Tisha Be’Av.
• One should wash his hands up until his knuckles before praying.
• A kallah, within 30 days after her wedding, may wash her face.
• A woman may wash herself as necessary in order to do a hefsek tahara.
• One who is preparing food (for children or for after the fast) may wash that food even though their fingers will get washed as well.
• In addition, one may wash their hands to clean them before preparing food as needed.
• Neither men nor women may immerse in a Mikvah on this day.

Marital Relations

• One may not have marital relations.
• On the night of Tisha Be’Av (Motzei Shabbat) a couple should observe the laws relating to a time of Niddah (harchakot).
• A woman whose mikvah night is on Motzei Shabbat should postpone the Mikvah until Sunday night. She should prepare for mikvah on Erev Shabbat in the afternoon. And then do another brief preparation before immersing after Tisha Be’Av. Some say she should prepare after the Fast of Tisha Be’Av is over. One whose Mikvah night is the night after Tisha Be’Av (Sunday night) should do her preparations after nightfall.

Creams and Oils

• One may not use any cream, oil, or lotion on one’s skin.
• A Kallah may use creams on her face for thirty days after her wedding.
• One may use deodorant as necessary.

Jewelry

It is customary for women not to wear jewelry on Tisha Be’Av with the exception of jewelry that one wears all of the time.

Smelling Spices

It is best not to smell fragrant spices on Tisha Be’Av. (For this reason we do not make a blessing on spices after Shabbat.)

Greetings

• One may not greet others on Tisha Be’Av (e.g., by saying “hello,” “how are you?” or “good morning”).
• For this reason, we do not wish each other Gut Voch or Shavuah Tov (a good week) on this Motzei Shabbat.
• If one is greeted by someone else, one should respond softly and inform that person (if appropriate) that on Tisha Be’Av greeting is forbidden.
• It is permissible to nod one’s head in greeting.
• One should not inquire as to how someone else is doing as a matter of course. If they are sick however, one may ask how they are doing.
• One who needs to take leave of a friend on Tisha Be’Av should say “May we meet at the rebuilding of the Bait HaMikdash.”
• One should not give gifts on Tisha Be’Av unless the recipient is poor and in need of the item.
• One may give money or food to the poor on Tisha Be’Av.

Work

• One should not do work on Tisha Be’Av before midday. This is referring to any work that takes time and would distract one from mourning.
• It is best not to work even after midday as the Talmud says that “Whoever works on Tisha Be’Av will not see a blessing from that work.”
• Simple work (e.g., turning the light on) may be done even in the morning.
• If not working will cause one to have a great financial loss, one may work even in the morning.
• It is customary not to begin preparing the meal with which to break the fast until after midday. If it will be a seudat mitzvah (a mitzvah meal, e.g. the feast after a brit milah) and there will not enough time to prepare it, one may begin before midday.

Smoking and Anger

• It’s best not to smoke on Tisha Be’Av (or ever). If one finds this difficult, they may smoke in the afternoon in private.
• “On a fast day one should guard themselves from anger and from any other sin.” (Eliyahu Rabbah)