Nine Days: Difference between revisions

# A person may not build or plant that are related to simcha's during the nine days.<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 551:2</ref>

#One may hire a contractor to make necessary repairs to his home during the three weeks. <ref>Piskei Teshuvot 551:8, even though construction for joy is not done as per Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 551:2, based on a gemara Yevamot 43a and Tosafot s.v. "milisa." </ref>

#One is permitted to shine their shoes for Kavod of [[Shabbat]] even during the week of Tisha B'av.<ref>Iggerot Moshe 3:80, Yabia Omer OC 3:31 </ref>

#One should refrain from eating food cooked with meat.<ref>Although Shulchan Aruch O.C. 551:10 says that some allow you to eat foods cooked with meat, Mishna Brura 551:63 and Kaf Hachaim 551:142 say that the custom is to refrain from doing so. Ish Matzliach footnotes to Mishna Brura 551:10:note 4 agrees.</ref> Nevertheless, one is permitted to eat food that was cooked in meat pots, as long as no meat was cooked with it, and one cannot taste the taste of the meat in his food. <ref>Mishna Brurah 551:63, Kaf Hachayim 551:142, Orchot Chaim 31, Nitei Gavriel 38:5. Shaar Hatziyun 551:68 writes that even if a small piece of meat that will not be tasted fell into a dish, it may still be eaten. </ref> Parve food which looks like meat may be eaten during the Nine Days. <ref>Nitei Gavriel 38:6</ref>

#Although the custom is not to drink wine during the nine days, one may drink beer, whiskey, liquor, cognac and arak. <ref>[http://www.dailyhalacha.com/m/halacha.aspx?id=2730 Drinking Liquor, Beer and Cognac During the Nine Days] by Rabbi Eli Mansour, Ish Matzliach footnotes to Mishna Brura 551:9:note 5 </ref>

#If, by mistake, one recited a blessing over meat or wine, he should taste a bit so that his blessing will not have been in vain. <ref>Sdei Chemed (Bein ha-Metzarim 1:4). See also the topic of mistakenly making a Bracha on food on a fast day at [[Fast_Days#Other_Halachas_of_fast_days]]. </ref>

#Since the minhag is not to drink wine, a question arises as to what we should do with [[Havdalah]]. For Sephardim one is permitted to use wine and drink it as usual <ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 551:10. Yalkut Yosef page 574 adds that one may drink the entire cup. </ref> while for Ashkenazim there are several possibilities. <ref>The Aruch HaShulchan 551:26 says some people have the Minhag to drink beer or another drink that qualifies as Chamar Medina. The Eshel Avraham 551 and the Chazon Ish (quoted in Imrei Yosher, pg. 4) says that those who say [[Havdalah]] every week over wine or grape juice should do the same during the Nine Days as well. Rav Moshe Harari in his Mikraei Kodesh 1:14 say it is preferable to use grape juice as this doesn't cause any joy, and Rav Moshe Karp in Hilchot UMinhagei Ben HaMetsarim chapter 4 note 74 says that in this situation an adult can drink it lechatchila. Rama Orach Chaim 551:10 says to preferably give it to a child. Mishna Brurah 551:70 says that it should be a minor above the age of [[chinuch]] but doesn't fully comprehend the concept of [[mourning]] the destruction of the beit hamikdash. Rav Moshe Feinstein quoted in Moadei Yeshurun page 154 says the adults should drink the [[Havdalah]] wine. Darkei Moshe 551:9 says in the name of the Maharil that this can be done lechatchila. See piskei teshuvot 551:35 and Hilchot UMinhagei Ben HaMetsarim chapter 4 note 74 for more poskim who say this. </ref>

#Even somebody who normally uses a cup of wine for [[Birkat HaMazon]], should not during the [[nine days]] except for on [[Shabbat]]. <ref>Rama Orach Chaim 551:10 with Mishna Brurah 551:69, Kaf Hachayim 551:152.  </ref>

#One who needs to eat meat for health reasons such as a child, a pregnant woman, a nursing woman, or an elderly or sick person is permitted to eat meat, but if he can eat chicken that is preferable. <ref>Mishna Brurah 551:64. Yechave Daat 1:41 adds that if they do, they are not required to make a [[hatarat nedarim]]. </ref>

#It is preferable not to even feed children meat during the [[nine days]], but if you do you may have on who to rely.<ref>Magen Avraham 551:31 says you can give children meat even during the week of [[Tisha BeAv]] because we never had the minhag for kids to mourn. However, he adds that this is only true for a child below the age of [[chinuch]], meaning a child who doesn't understand what we mourn. Mishna Brurah 551:70 and Shaar Hatziyun 551:76 say that although there is no requirement for the child to mourn for the beit hamikdash, the prohibition of feeding children prohibited items discussed in SA OC 343 extends to things that are only prohibited by custom and therefore one shouldn't feed meat to his kids unless for health reasons and the reason the Rama permitted [[Havdalah]] wine for children was for a mitzva. Iggerot Moshe 4:21:4 says even to feed the children meat on Friday afternoon before [[shabbat]] would not be allowed unless they usually eat their [[Friday night meal]] at that hour. Based on the Magen Avraham 551:31, Rabbi David Yosef in torat hamoadim Siman 5 page 190 says there is ample room to be lenient in this case. Aruch Hashulchan 551:26 as well says there is room to be lenient, especially in a case where it is a weak child who can gain a lot from eating the meat.  

* Rabbi Eider (The Halachos Of The Three Weeks p. 7) writes that generally the minhag not to eat meat even applies to children. But if it is hard to feed a child dairy and he is used to eating meat every day he can continue to eat meat in the Nine Days.</ref>

#The Ashkenazic minhag is not to go swimming even in cold water in the Nine Days.<ref>Sh"t Teshuvot VeHanhagot 2:263, Piskei Teshuvot 551:46</ref>

#Some Poskim agree that it is permitted to go swimming for exercise, but not for fun.<ref>

[http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/735559/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Halachos_of_the_Three_Weeks Rabbi Ayreh Lebowitz], Moadei Yeshurun (pg 128) quoting Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Halichot Shlomo (Moadim, vol 2, chap 14, note 7), MeBayit Levi (vol 13, pg 22, note 5) quoting Rav Wosner, Sh"t Rivevot Ephraim 3:333, 4:135:14, 6:285:2, and Shevet HaKehati 1:169:4. [http://books.google.com/books?id=k2lV5wQwwj0C&lpg=PA34&ots=yg-xJtgt00&dq=swimming%20during%20the%20three%20weeks&pg=PA12#v=onepage&q=swimming%20during%20the%20three%20weeks&f=false Rabbi Eider] quotes Rav Moshe Feinstein (Iggerot Moshe Even Haezer 4:84) as holding that even during the [[nine days]] if one is sweating or dirty and wants to wash off it is permissible to dip in the pool for a short time. Shaarim Mitzuyanim Bihalacha (kuntres acharon 122:12) is lenient with children swimming in private area during the [[nine days]], but not in public, like camps.</ref> The Sephardic minhag, however, is to refrain from swimming in cold water only during the week in which [[Tisha BeAv]] falls (Shevua SheChal Bo).<ref>Yalkut Yosef (Shevua SheChal Bo #14) writes that strictly speaking the Sephardic minhag would allow swimming in cold water during Shevua SheChal Bo, however, because of danger it's proper to refrain from it. This is the position of Rav Ovadya Yosef in Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:38. [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=2181 Rabbi Mansour on dailyhalacha.com] however, writes that swimming during Shevua SheChal Bo is forbidden because of bathing. See also Or Letzion.</ref>  

#The Ashkenazic minhag is to avoid pleasure bathing all nine days.<ref>Rama Orach Chaim 551:16</ref> The Sephardi minhag is only to refrain from bathing in warm water during the week which Tisha BeAv falls out.<ref>Yalkut Yosef 551:13. Shulchan Aruch O.C. 551:16 writes that the practice in some places is to refrain from bathing during the week which Tisha BeAv falls out and some places have the practice not to bathe during the entire Nine Days.</ref>

#On Friday before Shabbat Chazon some permit someone who always takes a shower on Friday to take a shower before Shabbat.<ref>Rivevot Efraim 4:139 citing Rav Moshe (Rav Eider's Ben Hametzarim p. 13) and Rav Henkin (Approbation of Nechema Yosef)</ref>