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The question was asked in Halacha about continued restrictions on the 10th day of Av which is one day after Tisha BeAv. Is it permissible to take hot showers, take hair cuts, shave, do the laundry, eat meat, and drink wine on the day after Tisha BeAv? These are all forbidden on Tisha BeAv, but what about the 10th of Av? And if still restricted, then what is the reason?
According to Maran, taking hot showers, shaving, getting a hair cut, and doing the laundry is permissible immediately once the fast ends. However, for Sephardim, the restriction prohibiting eating meat and wine is still applicable all through the day after Tisha BeAv as well. That is Maran’s understanding, as well as Rav Chida, and various other Acharonim. The Ashkenazim are more lenient and allow the consumption of meat and wine starting at Chatzot (mid-day) on the 10th day of Av. They do not wait until the night after the 10th of Av which is when Sephardim may begin eating meat and drinking wine again.
So now let’s discuss why there is a continued prohibition of meat and wine while there is no continued prohibition of hot showers and laundry. Chacham Ben Tzion gives a very beautiful explanation on this. He explains that the prohibition of bathing and doing laundry is a rule by the laws of mourning. Since Tisha BeAv is a day of mourning we therefore apply the same rules of a mourner. The mourning period is over at the conclusion of Tisha BeAv, and as result the mourning rituals conclude as well once the 10th of Av settles in at night. But, the prohibition of eating meat and wine does not stem from the laws of mourning. A mourner is permissible to eat meat and wine. So we refrain from eating meat and wine for another reason. It has to do with the fact that we can no longer bring the sacrificial meat and wine onto the altar ever since the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash which took place on Tisha BeAv. And since the Korbanot brought on the 9th of Av would be consumed on the 10th of Av, we therefore continue the prohibition trough the 10th because we are not able to eat the sacrificial meats and wines any longer as well.
Another reason for these continued restrictions is because the Gemara writes that the Bet Hamikdash actually started to burn late in the afternoon on the 9th day and burn throughout the 10th day. As matter of fact, one Rabbi said that if he was around at the time of the institution of the fast, he would of made it on the 10th of Av. So you see the 10th of Av also is a very serious day for mourning.
Two additional matters need to be pointed out about the 10th of Av. First, according to Rav Chida, saying Shehechiyanu on the 10th day of Av is also prohibited. Therefore, do not put on any new clothes, buy a new car, or things like that until the 11th of Av. Second, just like we learnt during the 3 weeks that one is forbidden to listen to music for pleasure, so too would it be forbidden on the 10th of Av. So listening to music and saying Shehechiyanu would not be permissible until the 11th of Av.
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