by Rabbi Avram Rothman
Activities of Pleasure
1 One should not purchase an object of joy that will be available after Tisha B’Av for the same
price.
2 Building for beauty or pleasure not required for dwelling should be suspended.
3 Painting, wallpapering and general home decoration should not be done.
4 Similarly, one should not plant for pleasure.
Eating Meat and Drinking Wine
1 The custom is to refrain from eating meat, poultry or drinking wine during the nine days.
2 The prohibition of meat includes foods cooked with meat or meat fat. However, foods cooked in
a clean pot used for meat may be eaten.
3 Eating meat and drinking wine is permitted for Shabbat. Even one who starts Shabbat early on
Friday afternoon or extends the third meal of Shabbat into Saturday night may also eat meat and
drink wine at those times.
4 Similarly, one may drink the wine of Havdalah.
5 Meat and wine are also permitted at a meal in honour of a mitzvah like brit milah, redemption of
the first born, and a siyum.
6 A person who requires meat because of weakness or illness, including small children and
pregnant or nursing women who have difficulty eating dairy, may eat meat. However, whenever
possible poultry is preferable to meat.
Laundering
1 Laundering is prohibited even for use after Tisha B’Av.
2 The prohibition of laundering includes linens, tablecloths, and towels.
3 A person who has no clean clothes may wash what he needs until the Shabbat before Tisha
B’Av.
4 Children’s diapers and clothing that constantly get dirty may be washed by need even during
the week of Tisha B’Av, in private.
5 Laundering for the purpose of a mitzvah is permitted.
6 One may polish shoes with liquid or wax polish, but should avoid shining shoes.
Wearing Freshly Laundered Clothing
1 It is forbidden to wear freshly laundered clothing during the nine days. This includes all clothing
except that which is worn to absorb perspiration.
2 Therefore, one must prepare before the nine days by wearing freshly laundered clothing for a
short time so that they may be worn during the nine days. Socks, undershirts and underwear
need not be prepared.
3 One may wear freshly laundered Shabbat clothing, as well as use clean tablecloths and towels.
Changing bed linen though is prohibited.
5 Since one may wear freshly laundered garments on Shabbat, if one forgot or was unable to
prepare enough garments before the nine days, he may change for Friday night and then again
on Shabbat morning. These garments may then be worn during the week.
7 Fresh garments and Shabbat clothing may be worn in honour of a mitzvah for example at a brit
milah for the parents, mohel, and sandek.
Wearing, Buying and Making New Clothes, Repairing Garments
1 While wearing new clothing is permitted until the 1st of Av, during the nine days it is prohibited.
2 One may not buy new clothes or shoes even for use after Tisha B’Av, except in a case of great
necessity, for example for one’s wedding.
3 If one forgot or was unable to buy special shoes needed for Tisha B’Av, he may do so during
the nine days.
Bathing and Swimming
1 The custom is not to bathe for pleasure even in cold water.
2 Bathing in cold water for medical reasons or to remove dirt or perspiration is permitted. (Where
cold water is required, hot water may be added to cold water as long as the mixture is not
comfortably warm.)
3 Soaping or shampooing and washing with hot or warm water are prohibited - unless it is
required for medical reasons or to remove the dirt and perspiration.
4 Swimming is prohibited except for medical reasons. Similarly, one may take a quick dip in a
pool to remove dirt or sweat.
6 One who bathes every Friday in honour of Shabbat with hot water, soap and shampoo may do
so on the Friday before Tisha B’Av.
Important Numbers
