The 9th of Av (Ninth of Av) - Tisha B'Av

BS"D

In a Nutshell

Mourning the destruction of the Temple and the exile of Israel, we abstain from eating and drinking, bathing, the wearing of leather footwear, and marital relations -- for the night and day of Av 9 (this year, from sundown on August 9 to nightfall August 10, 2008). It is customary to sit on the floor or on a low seat until AFTER mid-day. Torah study is restricted to laws of mourning, passages describing the destruction of the Temple, and the like. The Tefillin are worn only during the afternoon Minchah prayers. Consult a Halachic authority for more specific guidance in observance of this day or read on for the laws in detail.

The Day Before The Ninth of Av

Towards the end of the day, one should eat the final meal. At this meal, one should not partake of two types of cooked food even if they are of the same variety - e.g., two kinds of noodles. Even if the cooked food is usually eaten raw, it has the status of a cooked food in this case.

- It is customary to eat a boiled egg or lentils at the final meal in sign of mourning. One should not partake of any other cooked foods and should eat bread, dairy products, or fruit. Some follow the custom of eating a piece of bread dipped in ashes.

It is customary to eat the final meal while seated on the floor or on a low stool. According to some, there is hidden significance in placing a mat or cloth underneath oneself and not sitting directly on the floor. One need not remove his shoes before eating the meal.

After the final meal, if the sun has NOT yet set, one may continue eating - provided that one did not intend or state that he had accepted the fast upon himself. lf one intended not to eat again because he was full, however, he can eat again since he had not intended to accept the fast yet. It is proper to declare or to intend specifically, that one has not accepted the fast upon himself until sunset.

The study of Torah is prohibited on The Ninth of Av, for the verse (Psalms 19:9) states: The statutes of G-d are upright, they rejoice the heart, and one who is mourning is forbidden to rejoice. The custom is to refrain from studying Torah from noon on the eve of The Ninth of Av.

Some people have a custom to eat a full meal - without meat or wine - in the early afternoon [before the final meal] so that the fast not cause them harm.

This custom also serves as a commemoration of the festive character of both the eve of The Ninth of Av and The Ninth of Av itself during the period of the second Beit-Hamikdash. During this period, the four fast days which commemorate the destruction of the first Beit-Hamikdash were celebrated as holidays, and the people would eat, drink, and rejoice even on The Ninth of Av itself. We who have not yet merited consolation commemorate this festival in remembrance of what was and what will again be in the future when the Beit-Hamikdash is rebuilt - may it be speedily and in our days. This custom shows our faith and trust in G-o-d and our anticipation of salvation.

The afternoon prayers are recited earlier than usual, to allow ample time for the final meal, and Tachanun is omitted since the verse (Lamentations 1:15) refers to The Ninth of Av as being a Festival.

On the eve of The Ninth of Av one should not take carefree walks in public places in a spirit of lightheartedness, so that he will not come to laughter and frivolity.

Three people should not partake of the final meal together. lf they did so, they should not recite the Grace after Meals together.

One may eat as much fresh fruit or vegetables as desired during the final meal, although some do not eat vegetable salad as a side dish. One may drink tea or coffee afterwards.

Any food which consists of two varieties which are usually cooked together in one pot is considered to be a single cooked dish. The pious, however, eat only a salted piece of dry bread with a cup of water. The Talmud (Ta'anit 30a) records:

This was the custom of R. Yehudah bar Ilai: On The Day Before The Ninth of Av they would bring him a dry, salted piece of bread and he would sit next to the oven [the most unattractive place in the house (Rashi)] and he would eat it together with a cup of water, like one whose dead relative was lying before him.

Special instructions for when the fast falls on Sunday and thus begins right after Shabbat, Saturday night.

On Shabbat, Saturday afternoon one must finish eating before sunset, we do not eat the egg and bread dipped in ashes as on Shabbat we may not observe mourning customs. Recite the evening prayers (Maariv), and include the usual Shabbat night insertion of "Ata Chonantanu". Those who do not recite the evening prayers should recite the following verse: "Baruch Hamavdil Bein Kodesh LeChol" "Blessed is He Who distinguishes between the holy and the mundane". Havdalah is not recited, but one lights a candle and recites the blessing on the creation of fire (Bore Me'orei Haesh).

On Sunday night - The full Havdalah is recited at the conclusion of the fast, however the blessings on the creation of fire and on the spices are omitted.

The laws of The Ninth of Av

There are five things forbidden on the Ninth of Av: eating and drinking, washing oneself, anointing oneself with oil, wearing leather shoes, and cohabitation.

There is no difference between the night of the Ninth of Av and the day. One may eat only before sunset on the eve of the Ninth of Av; twilight is considered to be night and eating is forbidden.

All are required to fast on the Ninth of Av, including pregnant women and nursing mothers. One who is ill, however, may eat even if his illness is not life-threatening. However, an ill person should refrain from eating delicacies and should eat only that which is absolutely necessary for his physical well-being.

If the Ninth of Av falls on a Sunday and a sick person needs to eat during the fast, he should recite Havdalah before eating [since Havdalah was not recited the previous night because of the Ninth of Av].

- One may not rinse his mouth on the Ninth of Av until the end of the fast.

- Washing for pleasure is forbidden both in warm and in cold water. However, if one's hands are dirty, he may wash them. He may also wash his hands upon arising in the morning as he does every day, as well as after using the bathroom. However, he may not wash the entire hand but should only wash his fingers. While his fingers are still moist, he may wipe his eyes with them. lf his eyes are dirty, he may rinse them as he usually does.

- When cooking and preparing food, one may wash the food since the intention is not to wash one's hands.

- The prohibition of wearing shoes applies to those made of leather. Shoes made of linen or rubber may be worn. However, if they are covered by leather or if they have leather soles, they may not be worn. lf one is walking on a path full of thorns or in an area populated by gentiles [where his appearance would be ridiculed], he may wear regular shoes in that place.

It is permissible to bathe a baby and apply oil to his skin in the same manner as one usually does.

- All of the prohibitions mentioned are applicable from sunset of the eve of the Ninth of Av until the end of the fast.

As noted earlier, the study of Torah is prohibited on the Ninth of Av because Torah study brings a person joy. However, one is permitted to study the third chapter of tractate Mo'ed Katan which deals with the laws of mourning and excommunication. One may also study the Midrash to the Book of Eichah with its commentaries; and Job with its commentaries, for these works awaken a sense of sorrow in the reader. One may also study the chapters of admonition and calamities recorded in Jeremiah; however, one should be careful to skip those verses that speak of consolation. One may also study the aggadah about the Destruction recorded in tractate Gittin.

- One should not greet a friend and ask how he is on the Ninth of Av, and one should not even say "good morning." lf one is greeted by a friend, however, he should respond so as not to cause bad feelings, but in a lowered tone of voice. It is also forbidden to send gifts on the Ninth of Av.

- It is customary on the Ninth of Av to refrain from doing any work which must be done over an extended period of time, for engaging in such activity distracts one from feeling a sense of mourning. One should refrain from this type of work on the night of the Ninth of Av and until midday the next day. After midday, such work is not customarily forbidden but nevertheless it is proper for each person to be stringent with himself and avoid such work until the fast is over.

- From the night of the Ninth of Av until midday, one should sit on the floor or on a low stool less than three handbreadths high.

One should avoid walking through the streets or marketplace so that he will not come to talk idly and thus distract himself from the sense of mourning. One should surely avoid activities which might lead to levity.

- Some observe the custom of not sleeping on a bed on the Ninth of Av; instead they sleep on mattresses placed on the floor. In any event, one should vary his sleeping habits; for example, if one usually sleeps with two pillows he should use only one. Some people place a stone under the pillow or mattress as a means of remembering the Destruction.

- It is customary to begin only after midday to prepare food that will be eaten when the fast is over.

- One should not smell perfumes or spices on the Ninth of Av, nor smoke, in public.

- One should not wear fine clothing on the Ninth of Av even if the clothing is not new.

- Many observe the custom of washing their floors and cleaning their houses after midday on the Ninth of Av, in anticipation of the redemption which we await. Moreover, it is a tradition that the Mashiach will be born on the Ninth of Av.

It is said that one who eats or drinks on the Ninth of Av without having to do so for health reasons will not merit to see the joy of Jerusalem. And one who mourns over Jerusalem will merit to see her happiness, as the verse (Yeshayahu 66:10) promises: Rejoice with her greatly, all who mourn for her.

Ma'ariv

In the evening, the regular weekday Ma'ariv service is said. After Shemoneh Esreh, Kaddish is said and Eichah - Lamentations - is read, followed by the recital of Kinot. Following Kinot, we say V'Attah Kadosh which is followed by Kaddish. The stanza of Titkabel is omitted from this Kaddish and from the Kaddish recited at the end of Shacharit as well. At Minchah, however, Titkabel is included in the Kaddish.

Titkabel is omitted because it is a petition that our prayers be accepted. Since we read in Eichah (3:8) that "My prayer has been shut off", how can we petition G-d to accept our prayers if they have been shut off! Some do not omit Titkabel from the Kaddish recited after Shemoneh Esreh because Eichah has not yet been read.

Our Sages (Eichah Rabbah) write: G-d said [to the angels at the time of the Destruction]: What does a mortal king do when he is in mourning? He extinguishes the lanterns [in his palace]. I too will do the same, as the verse (Yoel 2:10) states: The sun and moon have become darkened.

- At night only a single light is lit at the pulpit of the synagogue and the parochet is removed from the ark. It is replaced before Minchah. In many Sephardic communities, it is customary to extinguish all lights in the synagogue and to light one small lamp. The chazan then announces the number of years that have passed since the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. For example, on the Ninth of Av of the Hebrew year 5757 (1997), he would announce that one thousand, nine hundred and twenty-nine years have passed since the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash.

In Sephardic communities and in most Ashkenazic communities as well, Eichah is read from a printed book rather than from a scroll and no berachah is recited before the reading. Ashkenazic communities that follow the custom of the Vilna Gaon read Eichah from a parchment scroll and recite the blessing of Al Mikra Megillah beforehand. When Eichah is read in the morning, no berachah is recited.

- Rama writes that each time the word eichah is read [Le., at the beginning of the chapters], the reader should raise his voice.

Levush writes that the custom not to read Eichah from a parchment scroll - even though the obligation to read it publicly is greater than that of other megillot - is based on the fact that Eichah scrolls were rare. The scribes did not customarily write this Megillah, as an expression of the yearning and great anticipation of the time when the Ninth of Av shall be transformed into a day of rejoicing and happiness. Hence, because of the shortage of parchment scrolls, it became customary to read Eichah from a printed book.

- The congregation listens attentively to the reader's recitation of the Megillah. When the verse of Hashivenu is read [the next to the last verse in Eichah], the congregation recites the verse aloud followed by the reader. The reader then reads the last verse whereupon the congregation repeats Hashivenu once again as does the reader.

lf the Ninth of Av falls on Saturday night, the prayer of Vihi No'am is omitted. The theme of this prayer is the completion of the Mishkan and it is thus inappropriate on the Ninth of Av when we mourn the destruction.

- V'Attah Kadosh is recited after reading Eichah - even when the Ninth of Av does not fall on a Saturday night. The first verse of this prayer - "And a redeemer shall come to Zion" - is omitted, since tradition teaches that the redemption will not come at night. The verse "And this is my covenant" is also omitted for we are forbidden to learn Torah, and so that it does not appear as if we were establishing a covenant with G-d over the Destruction.

- One who is in mourning [sitting shivah]should go to the synagogue for the reading of Eichah and for the recital of Kinot. Some rule more stringently and hold that during the first three days of the seven-day mourning period, one should not leave the house at all. This applies particularly to the night of the Ninth of Av, since only a small number of Kinot are read in the synagogue then.

Shacharit

- Some follow the custom of omitting the blessing of "Who provided me with all my needs" in the morning blessings. This berachah is recited instead at night, after the fast, when regular shoes are put on again. Some omit the blessing of "Who crowns Israel with glory" in the morning and recite it only when they put on tefillin at Minchah. Most Ashkenazic communities recite the blessings in the morning, in the usual manner.

The large tallit is not worn in the morning, but the smaller tallit [i.e., the tzitzit usually worn under the shirt] is worn as usual. We do not put on tefillin for Shacharit, but put them on at Minchah instead. The basis for this latter ruling is the fact that tefillin are referred to as being our "glory" and on the Ninth of Av our glory is absent. The source for the former ruling is the verse in Eichah (2:1 7) which states: He has carried out his declaration, which the Targum interprets as "He has torn his tallit," a play on the Hebrew words. Some communities have a custom of donning the tallis and tefillin at home, reciting the Shema, and then going to the synagogue for Shacharit. Others don the tallit and tefillin for Shacharit but remove them before reading Eichah and reciting Kinot.

The Shacharit service is the same as during a regular weekday except for minor changes which relate to the fast. When repeating Shemoneh Esreh, the chazan inserts Anenu between the berachot of Go'el Yisrael and Refa'enu as is done on every fast day. Those who follow the Sephardic rite, recite Anenu in the silent Shemoneh Esreh in the berachah of Shema Kolenu. Tachanun is not said on the Ninth of Av since the day is referred to as being a mo'ed - a holiday. Birkat kohanim [the priestly blessing] is omitted during Shacharit but is recited at Minchah.

The psalm of the day and Ein K'Elokeinu are omitted at the end of Shacharit. It is customary to say these prayers before donning Tefillin at Minchah. As regards the insertion of the Nachem prayer in Shemoneh Esreh: In some communities this is said by the Chazan dur­ing the repetition of the Shemoneh Esreh of Shacharit. In Ashkenazic communities, Nachem is recited only at Minchah.

The Torah is taken from the Aron Hakodesh and three people are called up. The reading is from the portion of Vaetchanan, beginning with the verse (Devarim 4:25) It shall be when you bear children, which speaks of the destruction of the land. A chapter from Yirmeyahu (8:13-9:23), which speaks of the Destruction, is read as the day's HaftArah.

After the Torah reading, Kinot are recited which are followed, in some communities, by the repetition of the reading of Eichah - without a B’rachah. Afterwards, we say Ashrei, skip la-Menatze'ach since the Ninth of Av is referred to as a mo'ed - a holiday - and proceed with U'Va L'Tziyon. Within the latter prayer, the verse "And this is My covenant" is omitted.

Some communities have the custom that when the first person is called to the Torah, he quietly says Baruch Dayan ha-Emet -"Blessed is the True Judge" [without mentioning the name of G-d] - the blessing generally recited upon hearing of a death or of very bad news, immediately prior to reciting the requisite B’rachah on the Torah reading.

- When a Brit Milah occurs on Tisha B'Av, it is performed after the recitation of Kinot and the wine is given either to a small child or to the mother of the baby. If the Ninth of Av falls on Shabbat and the fast is therefore delayed until Sunday [and the Brit is on Sunday], then after midday the father, the Mohel, and the Sandak may change into clean clothing and may also eat. A large festive meal is held only that night, however.

- Some have a custom of visiting the cemetery on the Ninth of Av. The elders of Jerusalem used to walk around the walls of the city so as to awaken a sense of pain by seeing the ruins of the city.

- It is customary to give charity on every fast day, for our Sages have said that the reward for the fast comes through the charity that is given to the poor on that day.

Minchah

At minchah, we don the tallit and tefillin and read the portion of Vayechal (Shemos 32) followed by the haftarah of Dirshu Hashem (Yeshayahu 55:6-56:8) as on every fast day. In the Shemoneh Esreh the Nachem prayer is added to the blessing of Boneh Yerushalayim and Aninu is added to the blessing of Shome'a Tefillah. Why is Nachem added in Minchah rather than in Shacharit? Because it was in the afternoon - at the time when Minchah is recited - that the Beit haMikdash was set afire [and it continued to burn until the end of the tenth of Av]. Others say that the reason for the omission of Nachem during Shacharit is that in the morning one is considered to be like one whose dead relative lies before him unburied, that is, he is not receptive to words of consolation. We therefore wait to say Nachem until Minchah, when a person is capable of being consoled.

- People who are ill, or minors, who eat on the Ninth of Av, nevertheless recite Nachem at Minchah. One who forgot to say Nachem or Aninu does not repeat Shemoneh Esreh.

The night following the Ninth of Av

- It is customary to wash one's hands at night, when the Ninth of Av is over, since in the morning of the Ninth of Av, one was permitted to wash only until the joints of the fingers.

- As mentioned earlier, if the Ninth of Av falls on a Sunday, and as a consequence the Havdalah blessing over wine was not made at the end of Shabbat, it is made at the end of the Ninth of Av. We recite Havdalah over wine - even though it is customary to refrain from drinking wine until after midday on the tenth of Av, since most of the Sanctuary was actually destroyed on the tenth. When making Havdalah, we recite only the B’rachot on wine and Hamavdil. The B’rachah on the candle is omitted since it was said after Shabbat, and is pertinent only then, for fire was created on Motza'ei-Shabbat. The B’rachah on spices is also omitted, for that B’rachah too is pertinent only at the end of Shabbat, when we give strength to our soul which mourns the loss of the additional soul which departs with Shabbat.

A Kiddush-Levanah [the sanctification of the new moon] is recited immediately after Ma'ariv following the Ninth of Av. However, some people do not wait until the Ninth of Av and hasten to perform this mitzvah as early in the month as possible.

One should refrain from eating meat, drinking wine, bathing, or cutting one's hair until midday on the tenth (10th) of Av. The Talmud refers to Sages who would fast on both the ninth and the tenth of Av. However, if the Ninth of Av falls on a Thursday - in which case the tenth would fall on a Friday - one may wash and cut one's hair in the morning in honor of Shabbat.

If the Ninth of Av falls on Shabbat, in which case the fast is delayed until the tenth, then, although one may not eat meat, drink wine, or recite Shehecheyanu at night after the fast, one may do so immediately on the following morning, without having to wait until midday. One may wash, shave, and cut one's hair on the night AFTER the fast.

*** Above portions were copied from Chabad.org ***

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The 3 weeks: Shiv'a-Assar (17th) B'Tammuz & Tish'a (9th) B'Av

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Here’s some information about these 3 weeks between Shiva Assar B’Tammuz (17^th of Tammuz) and Tisha B’Av (9^th of Av):

The Three Weeks: July 20-August 10, 2008 A full three weeks of our year-the three weeks "between the strictures" of Tammuz 17 and Av 9-are designated as a time of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the resultant Galus-physical exile and spiritual displacement-in which we still find ourselves. Click here for the Laws and Customs of the Three Weeks

17th of Tammuz: July 20, 2008 The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, Shiva Assar B'Tammuz, the day when Moses broke the tablets as he saw the Jewish people worshipping the golden calf "coincidentally" proved to be the same day when the Romans broke through the walls of Jerusalem to begin their destruction of the Second Temple in the year 69 CE.

The Nine Days: August 2-10, 2008 "When the month of Av begins, we reduce our joy..." (Talmud, Ta'anit 26) Beginning on the 1st of Av, we customarily refrain from a number of activities which are associated with joy. See: The Laws and Customs of the Nine Days.

Tisha B'Av: August 9-10, 2008 The 9th of Av, Tisha B'Av, commemorates a list of catastrophes so severe it's clearly a day specially cursed by G-d. The First Temple was destroyed on this day. Five centuries later, as the Romans drew closer to the Second Temple, ready to torch it, the Jews were shocked to realize that their Second Temple was destroyed the same day as the first.

When the Jews rebelled against roman rule, they believed that their leader. Simon bar Kochba, would fulfill their messianic longings. But their hopes were cruelly dashed in 135 CE as the Jewish rebels were brutally butchered in the final battle at Betar. The date of the massacre? Of course-the 9th of Av!

The Jews were expelled from England in 1290 CE on, you guessed it, Tisha B'Av. In 1492, the Golden Age of Spain came to a close when Queen Isabella and her husband Ferdinand ordered that the Jews be banished from the land. The edict of expulsion was signed on March 31, 1492, and the Jews were given exactly four months to put their affairs in-order and leave the country. The Hebrew date on which no Jew was allowed any longer to remain in the land where he had enjoyed welcome and prosperity? Oh, by now, you know it--the 9th of Av.

Ready for just one more? World War II and the Holocaust, historians conclude, was actually the long drawn-out conclusion of World War I that began in 1914. And yes, amazingly enough, the First World War also began, on the Hebrew calendar, on the 9th of Av, Tisha B'Av.

What do you make of all this? Jews see this as another confirmation of the deeply held conviction that history isn't haphazard; events-even terrible ones-are part of a Divine plan and have spiritual meaning. The message of time is that a rational purpose, even though we don't understand it.

Don't forget to read The Laws and Customs of Tisha B'Av.

Shabbat Nachamu, August 16, 2008

The Shabbat following the Ninth of Av is the Shabbat of joy over our anticipated consolation. It is called Shabbat Nachamu, for the prophetic portion that is read is taken from Chapter 40 of Isaiah which begins with the words "Nachamu, Nachamu Ami" - "Console, console my people, says your G-d." Click here for more on Shabbat Nachamu.

The Fifteenth of Av: August 16, 2008

The 15th of Av is undoubtedly the most mysterious day of the Jewish calendar. A search of the Shulchan-Aruch ("Code of Jewish Law") reveals no observances or customs for this date, except for the instruction that beginning on the 15th of Av, one should increase one's study of Torah, since at this time of the year the nights begin to grow longer and "the night was created for study." And the Talmud tells us that many years ago the "daughters of Jerusalem would go dance in the vineyards" on the 15th of Av, and "whoever did not have a wife would go there" to find himself a bride.

And this is the day which the Talmud considers the greatest festival of the year, with Yom Kippur (!) a close second!

Furthermore information:

The Three Weeks The twenty-one day period between the seventeenth of Tammuz and the ninth of Av is referred to as Bein Ha-Metzarim - "within the straits," based on the verse (Eichah 1:3) which states: All of her pursuers overtook her within the straits. The Sages (Eichah Rabbah 1) explained that within the straits refers to the days of affliction which occurred in the period between the seventeenth of Tammuz and the ninth of Av. In this period, many calamities befell the Jewish people throughout the generations. It was during this period of within the straits that both the first and second Temples were destroyed. This period was therefore established as a time of mourning for the destruction of the Sanctuaries. During this period, we lessen the extent of our rejoicing. Marriages are not held, we refrain from listening to music, dancing, taking pleasure trips, and from taking haircuts or shaving. According to the Sephardic custom, which is based on the opinion of Beit Yosef, haircuts are permitted until the week in which Tisha B’Av actually falls. It is customary not to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing during this period. Thus, we do not wear new clothing or eat fruit which we had not yet eaten that season so that we will not be required to recite Shehecheyanu. However, when faced with an opportunity to fulfill a mitzvah which will pass - e.g., a circumcision or a Pidyon Haben - then the blessing is made. Similarly, if a new fruit is available during this three-week period and might not be available afterwards, Shehecheyanu is recited. Since it is customary to permit the recital of the blessing on Shabbat, it is preferable to save the new fruit until Shabbat. A pregnant woman who has a craving for a new fruit, however, or a sick person who needs it for his health, may recite Shehecheyanu during the three weeks. It is customary to be even more careful than one usually is in avoiding dangerous situations. Pious people set aside a period of time for reflection and mourning over the destruction of both Temples. In some communities it is customary to recite the Tikkun-Chatzot even at noon. The Lubavitcher Rebbe also urged that the Three Weeks should be a time of increased giving of charity and Torah study (in keeping with the verse (Isaiah 1:27), "Zion shall be redeemed by law, and her returnees by charity"), particularly the study of those portions of Torah that deal with the laws and the deeper significance of the Holy Temple.

The Nine Days

When the month of Av begins, we further limit our rejoicing to the point where we even avoid anything that can lead us to rejoice. Thus, we do not plant trees meant for beauty or shade. Similarly, we do not undertake any construction or home improvement projects for the sake of luxury, such as redecorating or painting our homes. However, if one has no place to live, he may build a home in this period.

It is prohibited to purchase, sew, weave, or knit new clothing -even if one intends to wear the clothing only after the Ninth of Av. One may not purchase even a used garment if it is because of its beauty. The prohibition of purchasing a new garment is more stringent than wearing a new garment which had been purchased previously.

It should be noted, however, that these restrictions refer only to situations where no mitzvah is involved. For the purpose of fulfilling a commandment - e.g., purchasing new clothing for a bride and groom or building a home for them - these things are permitted. If there is reason to fear that the price of clothing will rise after The Ninth of Av, one may purchase whatever clothes he wishes but should not wear them until after The Ninth of Av.

Beginning from Rosh Chodesh Av, one may not wash clothing even if the clothing will not be worn until after The Ninth of Av. If one has only one set of clothes, however, they may be washed after Rosh Chodesh, until the week during which The Ninth of Av falls.

A person who perspires profusely and needs to change his shirt daily should prepare a number of shirts and wear each of them briefly before Rosh Chodesh. He may then wear them during the week in which The Ninth of Av falls.

In addition to the prohibition of getting their own hair cut, adults are also proscribed from cutting their children's hair, beginning from the seventeenth of Tammuz, and from washing their children's clothing beginning from Rosh Chodesh Av. The clothing of infants, however, may be laundered - even during the week in which The Ninth of Av falls. lf possible, one should not launder large quantities and one should not do so publicly.

It is prohibited to wear new shoes from Rosh Chodesh. However, shoes purchased specifically for The Ninth of Av - e.g., shoes made from canvas or rubber - may be worn even if they are new.

One may make a wedding engagement during this period but no celebration with a festive meal should be held.

From Rosh Chodesh until after The Ninth of Av, it is prohibited to eat meat or drink wine, for during this period the sacrifices and libations in the Beis Hamikdash ceased. Through custom this prohibition has been expanded to include food cooked with meat. However, one may eat food that was prepared in a meat pot. The Sephardic custom is to keep these stringencies only in the week in which The Ninth of Av falls. At a festive meal served at a circumcision, Pidyon ha-ben, bar mitzvah, or at the conclusion of the study of a Talmudic tractate, etc. - one may eat meat and drink wine.

Starting from Rosh Chodesh, it is customary for the ritual slaughterers to put their knives away. Meat is slaughtered during this period only for the ill, for Shabbat, or for use at a festive meal.

It is customary not to use wine for the Havdalah service, but rather to use beer. The Chabad custom is to recite the Havdalah on wine and have a child who is old enough to understand the importance of the blessing, drink the wine.

Starting from Rosh Chodesh Av [according to Sephardic custom beginning with the week in which The Ninth of Av falls] one may not bathe the entire body - even in cold water. We do not bathe in a pool, a river, or the ocean. However, if Rosh Chodesh Av falls on a Friday, one may bathe in warm water in honor of Shabbat.

The above prohibition refers specifically to bathing for pleasure. One who must bathe for health purposes - e.g., a person whom the doctors ordered to bathe - or a laborer who performs work that makes him dirty, may do so during this period.

On the Friday before Shabbat Chazon - the Shabbat immediately before The Ninth of Av - it is prohibited to wash one's entire body even in cold water. One may wash his face, hands, and feet in cold water. One who customarily washes himself before Shabbat with warm water may use warm water also on this Friday, but only to wash his face, hands, and feet.

One who customarily immerses himself in a Mikveh on Friday may do so on the Friday of Shabbat Chazon as well. However, one who only occasionally immerses himself on Fridays should not do so on this Friday.

Shabbat Nachamu

The Shabbat following the Ninth of Av is the Shabbat of joy over our anticipated consolation. It is called Shabbat Nachamu, for the prophetic portion that is read is taken from Chapter 40 of Isaiah which begins with the words Nachamu, Nachamu Ami - "Console, console my people, says your G-d."

Usually, the Haftarah reading on Shabbat pertains to a theme in the respective Torah portion which is read. However, when a given Shabbat has a different character - e.g., on a Festival or Rosh Chodesh - the Haftarah reading reflects the specific theme of the day instead.

Thus, on the three Sabbaths between the Seventeenth of Tammuz and The Ninth of Av, the Haftarot reflect the sense of calamity that characterizes the period. The first two are drawn from Jeremiah, while the third is from Isaiah.

The Haftarah of Shabbat Nachamu is the first of the "seven consolations" - the seven Haftarot which are read on the seven Sabbaths following The Ninth of Av. These Haftarot are taken from Isaiah and record the prophetic messages of consolation which Isaiah offered Israel.

There are 144 verses altogether in the seven Haftarot of consolation, and 143 verses contained in the portions of admonition in the Torah recorded in Bechukotai, Ki-Tavo, Nitzavim, and Ha'azinu - and we see that the consolation exceeds the admonition.

A Double Consolation "Console, console my people" - the word Nachamu - "console" - is repeated, and thus it is said: Let those above console her and those below console her; let the living console her and let the dead console her; console her in this world and console her in the World to Come; console her for the ten tribes and console her for the tribes of Binyamin and Yehudah. The verse (Lamentations 1:2) uses the Hebrew root meaning "to weep," in two forms, for emphasis (Bacho Tivkeh) - thus we should weep twice: over the destruction of the first Temple and over the destruction of the second. For all these reasons, the consolation - Nachamu, Nachamu – is mentioned twice.

*** Above portions were copied from Chabad.org ***

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