Laws & Customs of Tisha B'Av (with shul schedules)
Congregation Or Menorah
Halacha
Corner
Hilchot Tisha B’Av (B’kitzor)
The fast of the Ninth of
Av Laws and Cusotms:
One does not work on the evening and on the day of the 9th of
Av until mid-day
(Chatzot Hayom 12:58pm on Wednesday) and in the afternoon only privately.
The fast begins at Shekiya or sunset on Wednesday 8:19pm and extends until the stars appear
on the following evening
Thursday at 8:59pm.
The Megillat Eichah (The Book of Lamentations) is read in shul at night and special lamentations called
Kinot (dirges) are recited mainly in the morning.
Fasting prohabitions include no eating, no
drinking, no washing above the fingers, no annointing with creams/lotions or
sprays, no marital relations or contact, no wearing of shoes that contain any
leather.
It
is customary from the onset of the fast until mid-day of the Ninth of Av
to sit on a low chair close to the ground as a sign of mourning. One is not to
bathe at all or even wash one’s hands completely (just up to knuckles) unless
they became dirty. As a sign of mourning the tefillin are not worn during the
morning service but are put on at the Minchah (afternoon prayers).
It is forbidden to wear the tallit gedol on this day until
Mincha time. No bracha is made on
a talit katan at all. Tzitzit are to be tucked in until after Chatzot
12:57pm .
One should attend Mincah with Talit & Tfillin – Torah &
Haftorah are also recited at Mincha.
It is customary only to study on that day Torah topics, which are mournful such as the Book of Jeremiah or the Book of Job or Talmudic homilies that tell of the destruction of the Temple. The fast of the Ninth of Av concludes when the stars appear, but some mourning rituals are continued until mid-day (Shaot Zmaniyot) of the Tenth of Av because the Temple continued to burn on that day as well. According to the Sefaradim eating rituals such as the prohibition from eating meat and drinking wine continue from the tenth of Av until after midday.
Wednesday Night 8/22/26 - 8:10pm Mincha
followed by Maariv & Eicha
Thursday 8/23/26 - 8:30am with selected Kinot
Thursday Mincha - 1:35pm (with Talit & Tfillin)
Thursday Night Maariv/Kiddush Levana - 8:35pm
(Followed by "Break The Fast")
-------------------------------------------------------------------
More on the subject...
Erev Tisha B'Av (Wednesday - Daytime):
If a brit or redemption of the first-born occurs on the
day before Tisha B'Av,
if meat is being served the meal must be held before noon.
Since the heart rejoices in the study of
Torah, from noon some people refrain from learning topics other than what is
relevant to Tisha B'Av or mourning. However, many people learn all topics of
Torah until sunset.
Since Tisha B'Av is called a moed (holiday
or appointed day, Lamentations 1:15), no
tachanun is said at mincha in the afternoon before Tisha B'Av
(nor on Tisha B'Av itself)
The custom is to eat a final meal after before sunset, consisting of bread,
cold hard-boiled eggs and water.
The meal is eaten while seated on the ground or a very low seat,
a portion of the bread or the egg should be dipped in ashes and eaten,
and no mezumen is made in the blessing after the meal. After the meal, one may
sit normally until sunset. Shoes may be worn all day until sunset.
THE LAWS OF
TISHA B’AV
and the fast:
Tisha B'Av - beginning Wednesday Night at Sunset
Eating and Drinking
All
eating and drinking is forbidden. This includes rinsing the mouth and brushing
teeth, except in a case of great distress. Rinsing with mouthwash or brushing
teeth without water is questionable.
Swallowing
capsules or bitter tablets or liquid medicine without water is permitted.
The
ill or elderly as well as pregnant and nursing women are required to fast even
if it is difficult, unless a doctor says that fasting may injure health, in which case a competent
rabbi should be consulted.
A
woman within seven days of childbirth may not fast, and within thirty days
should not fast.
Boys
up to twelve years old and girls up to eleven are not required to fast the
entire day.
There are various opinions as to whether they should fast part of the day.
Those
not required to fast should eat only what is needed to preserve their health.
(When
Tisha B'Av is observed on Sunday, one who must eat recites Havdallah over beer
or an non-wine alcoholic drink)
Bathing and Washing
All
bathing for pleasure is prohibited even in cold water including the hands, face
and feet.
Ritual
washing upon waking, after using the bathroom, touching covered parts of the
body or before praying is permitted, but only up to the knuckles.
One
may wash dirty or sullied portions of the body (including cleaning the eyes of
glutinous material), and if necessary may use soap or warm water to remove the
dirt or odor.
Washing
for cooking or for medical reasons is permitted.
A
woman may not immerse on Tisha B'Av since relations are prohibited. Washing to
commence the clean days is permitted.
Anointing
Anointing
for pleasure is prohibited including oil, soap, alcohol, cream, ointment,
perfume, etc.
Anointing
for medical reasons is permitted,
as well as some say using deodorant to remove bad odor.
Marital Relations
Since
cohabitation is prohibited, a husband and wife should not come in contact
during the night or day of Tisha B'Av.
Wearing Leather Shoes
Even
shoes made partially of leather are prohibited. Shoes made of cloth,
rubber or plastic are permitted. One need not incur ridicule of non-Jews
because of this prohibition. Therefore if a permitted substitute not were
found, one may wear leather shoes. He should deprive himself of comfort by
placing sand in the shoes and must remove them when they are no longer needed.
Wearing leather shoes is permitted for medical reasons.
Learning Torah
Since
the heart rejoices in the study of Torah, it is prohibited to learn topics
other than those relevant to Tisha B'Av or mourning. One may learn:
Lamentations with its midrash and commentaries, portions of the Prophets that
deal with tragedy or destruction, the third chapter of Moed Katan (which deals
with mourning), the story of the destruction (in Gittin 56b-58a, Sanhedrin 104,
and in Josephus), and the halachot of Tisha B’Av and mourning. à
Additional Restrictions
One
should deprive himself / herself of some comfort in sleep. Some reduce the
number of pillows, some sleep on the floor. Pregnant women, the elderly and the
ill are exempt.
Sitting
on a normal chair is forbidden until midday. One may sit on a low bench or
chair, or on a cushion on the floor.
Greeting
someone with "good morning" and the like is prohibited. One who is
greeted should answer softly and, if possible, inform the person of the
prohibition.
One
should not give a gift except to the needy.
Things
that divert one from mourning such as idle talk, reading the newspaper, taking
a walk for pleasure, etc. are prohibited.
Smoking is prohibited until afternoon, and then only for one who is
alone and in private if necessary.
The
custom is to refrain until at least midday from any time-consuming work that
diverts one from mourning. In a case of financial loss, consult a competent
rabbi.
Prayer/Tfillah
Ashkenazim
do not wear tefillin at Shacharit, nor is a blessing made on tzitzit. At
Mincha, tefillin is worn and those who wear a tallit gadol make the blessing
then. At Mincha, the prayers Nacheim and Aneinu are added to the Shmonah Esrei
during the blessing "Veliyerushalayim" and "Shma Koleinu"
respectively. "Sim Shalom" is said in place of "Shalom
Rav." If one forgot them and completed that bracha, he need not repeat the
prayer.
End of Restrictions &
Limitations:
The limitations of the "Nine Days" continue until midday of the 10th
of Av. This includes the prohibition of music, haircuts, shaving, eating meat
and wine, laundering and bathing.
Certain things may be done on Thursday night and Friday Morning when Friday is
the 10th of Av. Please ask the Rabbi if you have any questions.
the night after Tisha B'Av with a minyan if possible, preferably after having eaten something. In the merit of mourning properly over Jerusalem, may we be rewarded to rejoice in its rebuilding!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.ormenorah.com