Dear B’nai Shalom members, families, and friends:
As the entire Jewish community worldwide is engulfed by the specter of the all-encompassing “Drie Vochen” — the “Three Weeks,” the grief-filled three week period from the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz until and including the full fast of Tisha B’av, with the hope that this year will be the last time Tisha B’av is observed as a day of mourning and sadness, I share with you some interesting, helpful information concerning the laws and traditions of the fast of Tisha B’av.
Along with only Yom Kippur among the six public fast days on the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’av is a full fast day, beginning with sundown on the eve of Tisha B’av, and ending with full darkness the next night, creating a twenty-five hour fast. This year, the fast will begin Monday evening, July 31, 2017 at 8:10 p.m. and will conclude on Tuesday night at 8:48 p.m.
Tisha B’av is an all-encompassing fast day. No eating, drinking, brushing of one’s teeth, gargling, washing out one’s mouth, or rinsing are permitted. In addition, the same strictness applies to the wearing of leather shoes for the duration of the fast day, anointing oneself w/ salves, creams, colognes, perfumes, or powder (many authorities permit the use of deodorant), bathing, showering, or washing one’s body or hands beyond the second knuckle. If one’s hands become soiled, naturally one is allowed to do whatever is necessary to remove the soiled portion of one’s hands. Marital relations are not permitted and one is prohibited from greeting one another in the normal fashion of “hi, hello, how are you doing, what’s new, nice to see you,” etc. Similarly, we do not leave the presence of another with the usual send-offs of “see you soon, take care, be well, talk to you later,” etc. If one DOES get greeted by a person in one of these ways, everything should be done to avoid embarrassing the person who initiated the contact with the least cheerful response possible.
In our homes and in our synagogues, until the halachic midday time (of approximately 12:50 p.m.), we do not sit on regular chairs or at a regular height. Rather, we sit low, similar to one who is sitting shiva, G-d forbid, and can use cushions, boxes, crates, or seats with the pillows missing to assist us in sitting near the ground. Sephardic Jews have the tradition of actually sitting directly on the floor. Naturally a person with back problems or someone who would have considerable difficulty getting up from a low position may sit on a regular chair.
When we sleep at night, we try to remove the extra comforts to which we are accustomed the other nights of the year. Therefore, if one is used to sleeping with one pillow, he/should attempt to sleep with none. If one normally sleeps with two pillows, he/she should try to sleep with just one.
At the morning Shacharit service, whether in shul or if davening privately, men do NOT put on their tallit or tefillin. Davening takes place WITHOUT tallit and/or tefillin being worn at the Shacharit service. The tallit katan (also known as the Arba Kanfot garment or the “Tzitzis.”) IS worn and the bracha is NOT said until after the halachic midday time (of approximately 12:50 p.m.)
The tallit and tefillin are then worn at the afternoon Mincha service, with the appropriate blessings said upon their being worn.
No Torah is learned during the twenty-five hours of Tisha B’av with the exceptions of the Book of Job, the laws of Aveilus (mourning), or a depiction of the history and chronicles of the destruction of the first and second Temples.
Interestingly, during our morning Shacharit and afternoon Mincha services, we recite neither the “Avinu Malkeinu” prayer which IS said on all other fast days nor the daily Tachanun which is also recited on the other fast days associated with the episodes connected to the destruction of the first and second Temples. This is largely in part due to the fact that in the Megillah of Eicha (the Scroll of Lamentations) read on the evening of Tisha B’av, the Megillah refers to the day of Tisha B’av as a “Moed,” a futuristic reference to the fact and belief that according to our tradition, that after the Mashiach (Messiah) comes, Tisha B’av will cease to be a grief-filled day of fasting and mourning but will arise to become a day of great celebration and joy. In as much as we do not say the Tachanun prayer on a day of great joy, and because we anticipate the time when this complete transformation will take place, we refrain from saying either Tachanun or Avinu Malkeinu.
May we all be privileged to see the coming of the Mashiach, speedily in our days, and may the sadness and tragedies of Tisha B’av be swiftly transformed into a day of great celebration and joy.
With Torah blessings always,
Rabbi Dr. Yaacov Dvorin