DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 780 KB)
Preparing Clothes Before the Week of Tisha B'Av

Halacha imposes several restrictions during the week of Tisha B'Av to remind us of the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash. These restrictions apply from the Motza'ei Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av through Tisha B'Av itself.

One of these restrictions is a prohibition against doing laundry during this week, which includes sending clothes to the cleaners (Shulchan Aruch 551:3). Additionally, it is forbidden to wear freshly-laundered garments during this week. Therefore, one must prepare ahead of time, before the week of Tisha B'Av, to ensure that he has enough changes of clothing that are not freshly washed. One does this by wearing all the garments he will need during that week for a couple of minutes (the time he takes to sweat) before the Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av. A person must therefore ensure to begin wearing ahead of time all the clothes he will need during the week of Tisha B'Av. This Halacha applies as well to tablecloths, towels, bed sheets, handkerchiefs and suits. It does not, however, apply to shoes, and thus one may wear a new pair of shoes during the week of Tisha B'Av.

As for shining shoes on Tisha B'Av, Chacham Bentzion Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998) writes in his work Or Le'Tziyon (vol. 3, chapter 27) that the prohibition against washing clothing was not intended to include shoes, and thus one may shine his shoes during the week of Tisha B'Av.

Summary: From the Motza'ei Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av through Tisha B'Av, it is forbidden to wash clothing, send clothing to the cleaners, or wear freshly laundered clothes. Therefore, one must ensure to wear whatever garments he will need for a couple of minutes (after he sweats if it is hot, otherwise 20 minutes) at some point before the week of Tisha B'Av. One may wear new shoes or polish shoes during the week of Tisha B'Av.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Construction in One’s Home on Tisha B’Ab and Doing Laundry and Wearing Freshly-Laundered Clothing During the Week of Tisha B’Ab
Tisha B’Ab – Is Kaddish Recited Before the Haftarah?
Tisha B’Ab – The Status of Tea and Coffee vis-à-vis the Se’uda Mafseket
Moving Into a New Residence and Buying or Leasing a Car During the Nine Days
The Se’uda Mafseket Before Tisha B’Ab
Tisha BeAv- Do We Wear Tefillin On Tisha BeAv
May the Mohel, Sandak and Father Eat on Tisha B’Ab Which is Delayed Until Sunday?
Listening to Music and Haircutting on Fast Days
May an Ashkenazi Have a Sepharadi Wash His Clothes During the Nine Days?
Tisha B’Ab – If Someone Flies to a Different Time Zone During the Fast
Tisha B’Ab – The Custom to Dim the Lights and Announce the Number of Years Since the Hurban
Tisha B’Ab on Mosa’eh Shabbat – Reciting Habdala if One is Exempt From Fasting
May Women and Children Take Haircuts During the Week of Tisha B’Ab?
If a Person Travels Into a Different Time Zone on Tisha B’Ab
Meat, Milk, Wine, and Chicken Stock During the Nine Days
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found