By: Rabbi Chaim Yeshaya Freeman
4 restrictions of the 9 days:
1.) Wine or meat (S.A O.C 551:9)
2.) Bathing or showering (Rema O.C 551:16)
3.) Making new clothing (Shulchan Aruch O.C 551:7)
4.) Washing clothing or wearing freshly washed clothing (Rema O.C 551:3)
Defining the terms-
1.) Wine or meat-
- Chicken and grape juice are also prohibited (S.A O.C 551:10)
- Beer and hard liquor are permitted
- Meat dish without pieces of meat (ex: clear chicken soup) is prohibited (Mishna Berura 551:63)
- Pareve food cooked with meat utensils are permitted (Mishna Berura 551:63)
- The accepted minhag is not to feed meat to children of any age during the Nine Days. Rav Moshe Feinstein opines that it is acceptable until six years old (Shiurei Halacha pg. 25)
- If one normally feeds their children the Shabbos seudah before Shabbos starts then one may do so (Igros Moshe O.C 4:21[4])
- Shabbos food may be tasted before Shabbos, however it should then be spit out (Shiurei Halacha pg. 31)
- One may start eating meat and drinking wine before shkiyah if he made early Shabbos.
- Even if one has a custom to eat meat every week during Melave Malka, he may not do so during the Nine Days. This includes Shabbos leftovers (Igros Moshe O.C 4:21[4])
- It is permissible to drink wine if it is a mitzvah. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch is of the opinion that one may drink the havdalah wine. The Rama, however, says the custom is to give the wine to a child to drink. According to the Rama, one may only give the wine to a child if he’s between the ages of 6-10 years old. If no child is available then he should drink the wine himself (S.A O.C 551:10)
- Meat and wine are permitted at a seudas mitzvah such as a bris or siyum (Rema O.C 551:10)
2.) Bathing and showering-
- Washing one’s hands and face are permitted in cold water (Mishna Berura 551:94)
- Swimming - not permissible (Shiurei Halacha pg. 34)
- Mikvah is permitted for men and women (Mishna Berura 551:95)
- One is allowed to shower or bath if they are dirty or perspiring, but not if one is only uncomfortable. However, the water should not be fully hot, and it should be done as quickly as possible. Soap and shampoo should only be used when needed (Igros Moshe E.H 4:84[4])
- Nowadays, people are so accustomed to showering often, the poskim permit regular hot showers on Erev Shabbos (Shiurei Halacha pg. 32)
3.) Making or buying new clothing-
- This applies even if it doesn’t require a She’hechiyanu bracha.
- Repairing clothing is permitted such as replacing a button (Kaf Hachaim O.C 551:107)
4.) Washing clothing or wearing freshly washed clothing-
- It is permissible to put clothes into the washing machine right before the Nine Days and have the machine run during the Nine Days (Shiurei Halacha pg. 41)
- Using a dryer during the Nine Days is permissible (Shiurei Halacha pg. 41)
- One may give fresh linen and towels to a guest.
- One may wear fresh underwear and socks if there is discomfort (Rivavos Ephraim 3:340 citing Rav Moshe)
- Polishing is permissible if done in honor of Shabbos.
- It is permissible to give fresh clothing and wash the clothing of children until the age that they are mature enough not to get their clothing filthy (approx: 8-9 years old) (Rema O.C 551:14)
- The custom is to wear Shabbos clothing and freshly washed clothing on Shabbos.
- It is permissible to wear clean clothing during the Nine Days if they were pre-worn, before the Nine Days. An item is considered pre-worn if it had been worn for at least 5 minutes. In case of need, an item can be considered pre-worn if it is put onto a dirty floor (Shiurei Halacha pg. 44)
Taken from the Kollel Avreichim Hollywood
