Q1) The Mechaber (551:3) rules that on the week of Tisha B’Av, it’s forbidden to wear freshly washed clothes. The Rema adds that for Ashkenazim this halachah applies already from Rosh Chodesh Av. The Kaf HaChaim (551:91) writes: The minhag is to wear clothes before Rosh Chodesh to remove the freshness, and then they can be worn during the nine days. Like we find in Hilchos Aveilus (Yoreh Deah 389:1) by an avel, that if “another person wears his clothes for one hour it’s enough”. The Shach (s.k. 4) says, that “one hour” doesn’t literally mean an hour, it simply means “an amount of time, and it doesn’t need to be an entire hour”. The question is, so how long?
A1) The poskim (R’ Shlomah Zalman Auerbach, Halichos Shlomah 14:13, and R’ Elyashiv) say that it depends on each person, and how long it takes for that particular person to feel that his clothes are no longer fresh. This depends on the person, the place, and the time. Some people leave their house in the heat of the day and after a few steps already start to sweat, and others sit at home learning with aircon and their clothes stay as fresh as ever, therefore, each person has to work out what removes the freshness of his/her clothes. R’ Shlomah Zalman adds: The amount of time of “an hour” which we find in Hilchos Aveilus may be because someone else is wearing the clothes, if one himself is doing it, it could be that the amount of time needed would be longer.
Q2) Does wearing numerous items of clothing at once help?
A2) The Da’as Kedoshim (Yoreh Deah 389) writes that it helps to wear numerous items of clothing at once. However, lechatchilah [ideally] it would seem that it’s not ideal to wear five items of clothing at once, unless one actually feels that the items of clothing are no longer fresh. The Da’as Kedoshim learns that when the Shach says “an amount of time” it literally means even a second (see Da’as Kedoshim, Yoreh Deah 389:3), therefore it makes sense that he holds one can wear numerous items at once, however, lechatchillah one should wear each item separately.
Q3) Do I need to wear my clothes before the nine days, or can I just put them on the floor for a few second before I wear them?
A3) The Shu”t Shevet HaLevi (1:135) and R’ Shlomah Zalman (Halichos Shlomah, Perek 14, Orchos Halachah 45) both say, that one shouldn’t be lenient with putting clothes on the floor. Doing so is a “trick to avoid the remembrance of public mourning”, and unless one is a very sensitive person, in which case he is allowed to have a shower, then it should be avoided. However, under pressing circumstances, for example, one has no other clothes, or he is a guest somewhere and they have given him fresh bedding, then one can rely on the above. (However, see Shu”t Minchas Yitzchok (10:44) and Shu”t Teshuvos V’Hanhagos (5:170).)
Q4) Is there a mitzvah of chinuch for young children to prepare their clothes?
A4) Some say that children who have reached the age of chinuch should refrain from wearing freshly washed clothes during the nine days. Although normally we aren’t mechanech children with dinim of aveilus, when it comes to public aveilus we do (see Magen Avraham 551:38), or because it helps cause agmas nefesh to those who see the child (Mishnah Berurah 551: 81). However, the Gevuras Ari (Ta’anis 30a) writes, that on Tisha B’Av itself there is no dinim of aveilus for a child, therefore, certainly during the nine days there is no dinim either.
Q5) What’s the halachah if one is a guest in a hotel or in another person’s house, does he need to be given dirty bedding?
A5) The poskim (Shevet HaLevi cited in Kovetz MiBeis HaLevi Vol 3. pg. 29; Shu”t Minchas Yitzchok 10:44; Shu”t Tzitz Eliezer 13:61 and the L’Horos Nossan 7:36-38) rule that it is ok for a guest to be given fresh bedding. However, some say (Minchas Yitzchok, and L’Horos Nossan) that lechatchilah the guest should request that they don’t change his bedding during the rest of his stay. If, they don’t listen and do it anyway, bedieved he may use it. However, lechatchilah he should put the bedding on the floor before using it.
Q6) Is one allowed to change and wear fresh underwear during the nine days?
A6) From the Mishnah Berurah (551:6) it seems that there is no heter to change into fresh underwear during the nine days, except in honor of Shabbos (this is how the Steipler – cited in Orchos Rabbeinu vol. 2, pg. 130 and Kaf HaChaim 551:91 took on). Consequently, if one wants to change his underwear during the nine days, or to wear new socks he must prepare before the nine days. However, some say that the Mishnah Berurah is only talking about countries where it doesn’t get so hot, however, in Eretz Yisroel and other hot countries it’s not a problem (Shu”t Salmas Chaim 217). Therefore, many poskim are lenient and allow wearing fresh underwear during the nine days (see Shu”t Rivevos Ephraim 3:340 quoting R’ Moshe Feinstein; Teshuvos V’Hanagos 5:170; Netei Gavriel 34:5 and others).
Q7) Is a woman allowed to get her sheital washed and combed in the nine days?
A7) The Rivevos Ephraim (6:291, s.k. 3) writes that since a sheital is not a garment it’s allowed. However, many poskim argue and say that it’s forbidden and a sheital is included in the issur of washing clothes during the nine days. However, a woman is allowed to comb her sheital at home like normal.
Q8) Is one allowed to use deodorant during the nine days?
A8) Those that are accustomed to use deodorant to remove the bad smell that emanates from their body, may do so during the nine days as well. However, on Tisha B’Av they should refrain (Netei Gavriel, end of Perek 42, quoting R’ Moshe Feinstein and the Divrei Yatziv). Whilst we are on the topic of deodorant, it’s worth mentioning the Shevet HaLevi (11:283) who writes that it’s forbidden for bochurim to use perfumes which give off a nice fragrance (see Berachos 43b). He adds, that we should forbid shops from selling such perfumes to bochurim, and they should only be allowed to sell to women. According to this, the heter to use deodorant during the nine days, and year-round, is only one that removes a bad smell, but not one that gives off a nice fragrance.
Q9) There is a famous halachah (see Rema 551:10) that if one makes a siyum during the nine days, he is allowed to eat meat. However, the heter to eat meat is only at the siyum, once the siyum is finished one is no longer allowed to eat meat. The question is, why is it different to the siyum that firstborns make on erev Pesach. On erev Pesach there is an issur for firstborns to eat, however, once they make a siyum they can now eat the entire day. Why don’t we say the same thing when it comes to eating meat during the nine days, and say that if one makes a siyum he can continue to eat meat the entire day?
A9) The Shu”t Eretz Tzvi (Orach Chaim Vol. 2 siman 79) explains: During the nine days, there is an issur on the eating of meat, therefore, once the siyum is over, there is no longer a heter. By Ta’anis Bechoros, however, there is no issur on the eating of food, rather, it’s a fast and one can’t eat. However, once one has eaten he is no longer fasting, therefore, he can continue to eat. (On a regular fast, many hold that even if one has eaten he should continue to fast. The reason for this is, Ta’anis Bechoros has one inyan [aspect], the fast and nothing else. However, a regular fast has two parts, 1) The fast, 2) Not eating, therefore, even if one can no longer keep part 1, he can still do part 2.)
Q10) If one accidentally makes shehakol during the nine days on a piece of meat, what should he do? Should he eat a little bit of the meat to save himself from making a berachah levatolah [blessing in vain], or should he still be careful and not eat any of the meat?
A10) The Orchos Chaim (551:25) quotes the Sdei Chemed who quotes the Piskei Rekanti (siman 15) who writes: “If one accidentally made a berachah on meat during the nine days, he should eat a little bit of it. Eating a small piece of meat doesn’t violate the minhag of not eating meat, as it doesn’t cause one to be excited and forget about mourning, and avoiding making a berachah in vain is more important”. The Shevet HaLevi (10:81) also writes: If one forgot and made a berachah on meat during the nine days, he may eat a little bit to avoid making a berachah in vain.
Q11) Is one allowed to give a bar mitzvah present during the nine days?
A11) The Shu”t Vayevorech Dovid (Orach Chaim 71) rules that it’s allowed. He cites proof from the Mishnah Berurah (554:41). The Mishnah Berurah writes: “It’s forbidden to send presents to a friend on Tisha B’Av as it is like greeting him”. From the fact that the Mishnah Berurah says it’s forbidden on Tisha B’Av, it would seem that during the rest of the nine days it would be allowed. The Piskei Teshuvos (551:3) also writes that one is allowed to give presents during the nine days.
This week’s sheet is dedicated in the zechus that רפאל שמואל בן משה שמעון should see much hatzlocha in his learning.
Q12) During the nine days one isn’t allowed to wash clothes. The question is, is one allowed to polish his shoes, or is it the same as washing clothes and therefore forbidden?
A12) The Shu”t Salmas Chaim (312) writes: “It’s forbidden to scrub (לצחצח) shoes during the nine days. From his words, it would seem that both blackening and shining is a problem. However, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 3:80) writes: Shining shoes would seem to be forbidden, however, to blacken them without shining, if the blackness has worn off, I don’t see any reason to forbid. And for Shabbos, for those who have the minhag to wear Shabbos clothes, one can be lenient and even shine them. On the other hand, the Shu”t Yabia Omer (Vol. 3, Orach Chaim 31) writes that polishing shoes is like washing clothes, therefore, it’s forbidden even to just blacken shoes during the nine days. R’ Shlomah Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomah, Yemei Bein HaMetzorim, Perek 14, s.k. 17) also writes that one shouldn’t scrub his shoes during the nine days, however, for kavod Shabbos it’s allowed.
