Laws of Tishah B'Av

On Tishah B’Av, it is prohibited to:

• Wear festive clothing or festive jewellery.
• Wear footwear containing any leather. One may wear non-leather footwear, including crocs. [If absolutely necessary for work purposes, a Rav should be consulted.]
• Go to Mikvah, bathe or wash any part of the body – even in cold water. Similarly, one may not wipe himself with a cloth that is damp enough to moisten what it touches. [One may rinse if necessary for medical or therapeutic purposes, or for pain-relief. One may also rinse any soiled areas, but only as necessary. Similarly, one may wash his hands up to the knuckles after exiting the restroom or touching an area of the body that is normally covered. One may also rinse one’s hands as usual before and during food preparation. All the above may be done with soap when applicable. One may also wash dishes, but it is best to do so whilst wearing gloves.]
• Apply makeup, ointment, lotions, perfumes or creams – unless necessary for medical or therapeutic purposes, or for pain-relief.
• Brush one’s teeth or rinse one’s mouth.
• Sit on a normal-height chair until Tishah B’Av midday (12:25pm) – unless one is frail or infirm, pregnant, while nursing, or when sitting in a vehicle.
• Intimacy – Harchakos must be kept even during the day.
• Greet another. If one was greeted, he may return the greeting in a subdued manner, or explain that it is Tishah B’Av.
• Give gifts (unless it is Tzedakah).
• Study, go to work, engage in business activity, or perform a job or task that requires concentration and will distract one from mourning. [Technically, these are permitted after midday, but it is best to refrain even then.] Nevertheless, one may do these in order to prevent a financial loss or to retain his job. Even then, one should defer any publicly performed work until after midday, if this is possible.
• Instruct a non-Jew to work publicly on his behalf (such as construction). However, one may instruct a non-Jew to do any other work, even if it will be performed in one’s own home.

One should not idle away one’s time, go on trips, read novels or articles, or partake in any leisurely or entertaining pastimes and activities.

One should not smoke. [At the very least, one should do so in private only, and keep it to a minimum. Of course, smoking is discouraged in general.]

One should be especially careful not to become angered.