HALACHA
SOME LAWS OF TISHA B’AV THIS YEAR
Chabad.org
On Shabbat, all public displays of mourning are strictly prohibited. On this day we eat, drink and rejoice as is customary—and even more so.
It is forbidden to study with Shabbat midday (aside for those sections of Torah which are permitted to be studied on Tisha B’Av). As such, on this Shabbat we do not recite a chapter of the Fathers, as is the custom in many communities on summertime Shabbat afternoons.
No mournful “separation meal” is conducted before the fast. Instead, shortly before sunset we partake of a sumptuous and joyous pre-fast meal. Care must be taken, however, that this meal ends before sunset.
We sit on chairs of regular height and wear normal footwear until nightfall. Only washing, eating and drinking are prohibited starting with sunset.
Havdalah is recited on Sunday night. In the evening prayers, the usual Shabbat night insertion, “Atah Chonantanu,” is included. The prayer “Vihi Noam” is omitted. Those who have not recited the evening prayers should say, before doing any activity that is forbidden on Shabbat,“Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh l’chol”(“Blessed is He who separates between the holy [day of Shabbat] and the mundane [weekday]”).
Sometime on Saturday night (ideally right before the reading of), kindle the candle and recite the appropriate blessing. (We do not recite the blessing of the spices.)
Immediately after the “Barchu” passage is recited in the Saturday night prayer service, remove your leather shoes and don non-leather footwear.
Recite the havdalah Sunday night before eating—omitting the blessings on the spices and candle.
All restrictions related to the Nine Days continue until Monday, 1:00 pm.
Tisha B’Av prohibitions continued:
- Eat or drink. All adults – even pregnant and nursing women – fast on this day. One who is ill, or a pregnant woman who feels excessive weakness, should consult with a rabbi. An ill person who is not fasting should refrain from eating delicacies and should eat only that which is absolutely necessary for his physical wellbeing.
- Wear leather footwear, or footwear that contains any leather (even if it is only a leather sole).
- Sit on a normal-height chair until midday. (“Halachic” midday is the halfway point between sunrise and sunset; (click here for the exact times in your location.)
- Bathe or wash oneself—”even to insert a finger in cold water.” Exceptions: One who becomes soiled may rinse the affected area with cold water. It is permitted to wash up after using the restroom. When preparing food – for children, or for the post-fast meal – one may wash the food, even if it also, incidentally, washes the hands.
- When ritually washing the hands in the morning, the water should be poured on the fingers only until the knuckle joints.
- Apply ointment, lotions or creams. It is permissible, however, to bathe a baby and apply ointments to his skin.
- Engage in marital relations or any form of intimacy.
- Send gifts, or even greet another with the customary “hello” or “how are you doing?”
- Engage in outings, trips or similar pleasurable activities.
- Wear fine festive clothing.
- Engage in time-consuming labor on Tisha B’Av morning except in cases of great need.
- After midday, work is permitted, but it is ideal not to work, as on this day, one’s focus should be on mourning and repentance.
- Study Torah, because “the commandments of G-d are upright, causing the heart to rejoice” (Psalms 19:9). It is, however, permitted – and encouraged – to study sections of the Torah which discuss the laws of mourning, the destruction of the Temples, and the tragedies which befell the Jewish people throughout our history. This prohibition actually begins at midday of the day before Tisha b’Av.
Our Sages taught: who mourns for Jerusalem will merit to witness the celebrations when she is rebuilt.
