The Nine Days are the first nine days of the Jewish month of Av. During this time, a strict level of mourning is observed, in accordance with the Talmudic dictum (Ta'anit 26): "When the month of Av begins, we reduce our joy." They are days of intense mourning culminating in Tisha B'Av which commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem.
The last Saturday preceding the 9th of Av is called the Shabbat of the Vision Shabbat Chazon named after the reading of the Haftorah that is read on this day.1
During The Nine Days, Jewish law (Halakha) forbids various activities, including drinking wine, eating meat, pleasure-bathing, and wearing freshly laundered clothes. These prohibitions are in addition to those already adhered to during The Three Weeks, which take place concurrent to The Nine Days. Those restrictions include listening to music, getting a haircut or shaving, participating in weddings.2
Many kosher meat restaurants alter their menus during The Nine Days, replacing meat and chicken dishes with fish and vegetarian options in order to remain open while the meat prohibition is in place. 3
Prohibitions During the Nine Days
- Pleasure Bathing. In Ashkenazi tradition, warm baths are not taken and swimming is not permitted; in Sephardic tradition, observances regarding garments and bathing, start the Sunday before Tisha B'Av and are not followed on years when the fast falls on Sunday.
- Washing clothes or wearing freshly laundered clothes. Washing freshly-washed clothes for Shabbat or underwear for any day is permitted.
- Wearing new clothes and eating a new fruit requiring the blessing of shehechiyanu (forbidden by some throughout the Three Weeks).
- In addition, a major purchase (such as a new home or automobile) is not recommended, but is permitted if unavoidable
- Many refrain from lengthy travels.4
Joyous Occasions
During joyous events mandated by Jewish law, such as the circumcision festive meal or the completion of a tractate of the Talmud, one would be permitted to take part in a meal with meat. For that reason many Jewish communities make festive meals after members in their local community would complete the tractate of the Talmud before them.5
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994) asked that even those who may not have an event in their community, they should be able to take a part in the festive occasion via the radio. Chabad has been broadcasting the completion of tractates since that time and recently has been broadcasting them via Chabad.org/Siyum.6
End of restrictions
The restrictions of the Nine Days customarily continue up until midday on the day after Tisha B'Av. But when the actual ninth day of Av falls on Shabbat and Tisha B'Av is postponed until the following Sunday (the 10th), the restrictions end at nightfall when the break fast occurs. Still, consumption of meat or wine are not permitted for the break fast, other than wine for Havdala.
References
- ^ "The Nine Days Laws and Customs". http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144574/jewish/The-Nine-Days.htm.
- ^ "Aspects of Mourning During the Three Weeks". http://www.aish.com/tishabav/tishabavdefault/The_Three_Weeks.asp.
- ^ Steinberg, Avi (July 25, 2004). "Living with Nine Days' tenets For young Jews, a time for choices". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/07/25/living_with_nine_days_tenets/. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
- ^ "The Nine Days Laws and Customs". http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144574/jewish/The-Nine-Days.htm.
- ^ "Participating in a Siyum During the Nine Days". http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/150597/jewish/Siyum-During-the-Nine-Days.htm.
- ^ "Daily Siyum - Live Broadcast". http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/708670/jewish/Live-Broadcast.htm.
External links
The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the copyrighted Wikipedia "The Nine Days" article.
