Shabbat Chazon Customs and Laws

Parsha Halacha | June 25, 2025

The Shabbat before Tisha Be’av is referred to as Shabbat Chazon, reflecting the first word of the haftorah reading. Because the word Chazon means vision, the great Chassidic master, Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, taught that every year on this Shabbat, G-d shows us a vision of the Future Bait HaMikdash. Even if we are not aware of this vision, our neshamot (souls) are aware of it, and this causes us to yearn for the rebuilding of the Temple.

If one needs to taste the meat or chicken dishes that one is cooking on Friday, one may do so.
One may also feed one’s young children the meat or chicken from the Shabbat food several hours before Shabbat.
In places where people customarily dance on Shabbat, they may do so on this Shabbat as well.
As mentioned above, most communities have the custom to wear Shabbat clothes on Shabbat.
One may wash clothes on Friday if one needs them for Shabbat. If possible, one should have a gentile do this.

Sefer HaSichot 5751, vol. 2, page 733

Sha’arei Halacha Uminhag, ibid, pg. 181

Rav Vozner in Kovetz MiBait Levi, vol. 13, page 49

Elyah Rabbah, 551:24

Nitei Gavriel, 93:7

Mishnah Berurah, 551:32

One should have a joyful Shabbat meal as one would every week.
In some communities, the Haftorah is chanted to the tune of Eicha. This is not the Chabad custom.
Some have the custom to call up the Rav of the community for the maftir.
One may eat meat and drink wine as usual on this Shabbat as mentioned above even if one accepted Shabbat early.
Regarding Havdalah, some say that it is best to have a child drink the wine or grape juice.

Others say that one may drink it themselves.

If there is no child available, one may drink the wine themselves.

According to the Alter Rebbe, one may only give the wine to a child who is fulfilling the mitzvah of Havdalah with his blessing.

Some have the custom to make Havdalah on grape juice or on other important beverages such as beer.

One should not eat meat at the Melava Malka.

The Laws and Customs of Tisha Be’Av will be addressed in a separate article, G-d willing.

May these days be transformed to days of rejoicing with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days!

If one needs to taste the meat or chicken dishes that one is cooking on Friday, one may do so.
One may also feed one’s young children the meat or chicken from the Shabbat food several hours before Shabbat.
In places where people customarily dance on Shabbat, they may do so on this Shabbat as well.
As mentioned above, most communities have the custom to wear Shabbat clothes on Shabbat.
One may wash clothes on Friday if one needs them for Shabbat. If possible, one should have a gentile do this.