The Mishna in Masechet Ta’anit establishes a prohibition against eating meat and drinking wine during the Se’uda Mafseket, the final meal before the Tisha B’Ab fast. According to the law of the Mishna and Talmud, this is the only restriction that applies concerning the consumption of meat and wine during this period. However, as we know, it is customary to abstain from meat and wine already earlier, from the onset of the month of Ab. According to the Shulhan Aruch and the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1807), one should begin abstaining from meat and wine from the second day of Ab; in their view, meat and wine are permissible on Rosh Hodesh Ab.
Several different views exist as to when meat and wine become permissible after Tisha B’Ab. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 558) writes that it is proper to refrain from meat and wine even after Tisha B’Ab, throughout the following day. This means that meat and wine become permissible only at sundown on the 10th of Ab. The Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles of Cracow, 1525-1572), however, notes that the custom of the Ashkenazim is to permit meat and wine already at Halachic midday – which generally occurs at around 1pm – on the 10th Ab. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) documents yet a third practice, noting that it was customary in Baghdad to slaughter animals during the afternoon of Tisha B’Ab and break the fast on meat. This was the custom in Damascus, as well. The work Derech Eretz, which records the customs of the Jewish community in Halab (Aleppo), writes that there were those in Halab, too, who broke their fast on meat, but the Torah scholars and G-d-fearing people waited until midday the following day. The Ner Le’siyon (p. 481; listen to audio recording for precise citation) records this information and concludes that one should refrain from meat and wine until midday on the 10th of Ab.
Clearly, the prevalent practice in our community is to abstain from meat and wine until midday on the 10th of Ab. And thus although those who eat meat already on Mosa’eh Tisha B’Ab certainly have a basis on which to rely, it is preferable to follow the accepted Minhag and refrain from eating meat and drinking wine until midday – which, as mentioned, is around 1pm – on the day after Tisha B’Ab.
Summary: Although different views exist as to the time when meat and wine become permissible after Tisha B’Ab, the prevalent practice in our community is to abstain until midday (approximately 1pm) on the day after Tisha B’Ab.
