{"id":5086,"date":"2010-02-10T19:00:13","date_gmt":"2010-02-10T17:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=5086"},"modified":"2010-02-10T19:00:13","modified_gmt":"2010-02-10T17:00:13","slug":"05-10-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-10-19\/","title":{"rendered":"19 \u2013 The Laws of the Tenth of Av"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Babylonians conquered the Beit HaMikdash<\/em> on the seventh of Av, setting it ablaze on the ninth of the month, late in the day, and it continued burning throughout the tenth of Av. Rabbi Yochanan commented that had he been alive at the time, he would have established the fast on the tenth of Av, because most of the Temple burned on that day. Some Amora\u2019im<\/em> (Talmudic Sages) adopted a stringency to fast on both the ninth and the tenth of Av. However, the prophets and sages established the fast on the ninth, because everything follows the beginning, and the disaster began on the ninth of Av (Ta\u2019anit<\/em> 29a, Yerushalmi Ta\u2019anit<\/em> 4:6).<\/p>\n Nonetheless, since the majority of the Temple actually burned on the tenth of Av, the people of Israel have a custom not to eat meat or drink wine on that date. According to Sefardic custom, the prohibition lasts the entire day, while Ashkenazim observe this custom only until midday (Sh.A.<\/em> and Rama<\/em> 558:1).<\/p>\n Most Acharonim<\/em> maintain that, in addition to refraining from meat and wine, one may not wash clothes, wear freshly laundered garments, take haircuts, listen to joyous music, or bathe in hot water on the tenth of Av. One may, however, wash oneself with lukewarm water. Some [authorities] rule leniently, prohibiting only the consumption of meat and wine, while permitting bathing, haircutting, and laundering, without limitation. Ideally, one should follow the stricter opinion, but one may act leniently under pressing circumstances.[25]<\/a><\/p>\n Another [prevalent] custom is not to say the SheHechiyanu<\/em> blessing on the tenth of Av, as is the law during the Three Weeks (Chida<\/em>, Kaf HaChayim<\/em> 558:8; see above 8.7-8).<\/p>\n When the tenth of Av falls out on a Friday, one is allowed to take a haircut, do laundry, and bathe, in preparation for the Sabbath, starting from the morning. And if one is pressed for time, he may even start preparing immediately after Tish\u2019a B\u2019Av<\/em> ends (M.B.<\/em> 558:3, A.H.S.<\/em> 558:2. In the next halachah<\/em> 1<\/a><\/sup>, we will discuss the laws of the night after the fast when [the fast] is postponed).<\/p>\n The custom is to postpone Birkat HaLevanah<\/em> (the Blessing of the Moon) until after the fast [of Tish\u2019a B\u2019Av<\/em>], because the blessing must be recited joyously, and we decrease our joy during the Nine Days. Many people are accustomed to saying it immediately after the Ma\u2019ariv<\/em> prayer at the conclusion of the fast, but it is improper to do so, le\u2019chatchilah<\/em>. After all, it is difficult to be happy then, when we have yet to drink, eat, wash our faces and hands, or put on [regular] shoes. Therefore, [each community] should set a time \u2013 an hour or two after the fast \u2013 for the recitation of Birkat HaLevanah<\/em>, and in the meantime, everyone will [have a chance to] eat something and wash up. This way, they will be able to say the blessing joyously. Where there is concern that pushing off Birkat HaLevanah<\/em> may cause some people to forget to say it, [the congregation] may say it immediately after the fast, but it is best to take a drink and wash one\u2019s face beforehand.[26]<\/a><\/p>\n