Dose of Halacha

The Rema (OC 553:2) writes that when Tisha B’av is on (or pushed onto) motzaei Shabbos , one must wait until after saying barchu before changing into one’s non-leather shoes. One should undo them before maariv, and then slip them off, ideally without handling them (Mishna Berura 553:6). Only the chazzan should change them before maariv. R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomo, Tisha B'Av 15:n15) wrote that when one goes to a Shul that is davening after nacht, they should change their shoes before maariv. R’ Ephraim Greenblatt ( Rivevos Ephraim 1:380:2) writes that one shouldn’t come to shul on Shabbos wearing non-leather shoes because one isn’t allowed to display mourning on Shabbos. Likewise, one can’t carry them on Shabbos, as that would be hachana, preparing for after Shabbos. Thus, one should bring them to shul before Shabbos. (ibid 3 :356; 3:606:7). The berachos on havdala are split up. One doesn’t say hagefen until Sunday night when one can drink wine as...

Question: I forgot to prepare shirts and polish my shoes before the nine days. What can I do? Answer: The Gemara (Taanis 26b; 29b) writes that one mustn’t clean or iron one’s clothes during the week of Tisha B’av. The Rema (OC 551:3) writes that the custom (for ashkenazim ) is not to do so for the nine days from Rosh Chodesh Av. The Rema (OC 551:14) writes that one may wash a child’s clothes, especially if they regularly get them dirty. Some (Piskei Teshuvos 551:n232) write that this only applies to younger children’s clothes and the Mishna Berura (551:82) writes that one shouldn’t wash their clothes in the week of Tisha B’av. Additionally, one isn’t supposed to wear freshly washed clothing. The poskim write that this doesn’t apply to clothing that are worn on the skin and changed daily. Thus, while most poskim write that this prohibition applies also to shirts, R’ Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg (quoted in Divrei Chachamim OC:459) held that one can wear fresh shirts, too. One who ...

Question: Can my child have a haircut during the three weeks or eat meat during the nine days ? Answer: The  Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:14) rules that adults may not cut children’s hair during the nine days . The Mishna Berura (551:81 quoting the Elya Rabba) writes that this applies for the three weeks (between 17 th Tammuz and 9 th Av). While the Mishna Berura (Shaar Hatziyun 551:91) discusses whether young children can have a haircut, depending on the reason behind this prohibition, the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 551:31) and R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe YD 1:224) allow children younger than six to get a haircut if necessary. R’ Ephraim Greenblatt ( Rivevos Ephraim 1:336:2; 2:155:19) writes that one who has the minhag to give their son an upsherin shouldn’t schedule the haircut during the three weeks . Certainly, if a child has lice, one doesn’t need to wait to cut their hair (Nitei Gavriel, Bein Hametzarim 19:8). The Magen Avraham (OC 551:31) writes that so long as chi...

Question: Can one brush one’s teeth on a fast day? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 14a) relates that there were amoraim who would taste some food while fasting. The rishonim debate whether this applies only to a private ta’anis or even a public one (See Tosafos; Rosh). The Shulchan Aruch (OC 567:1) writes that one who’s really hungry on the four minor fast days (i.e. not on Tisha B’av or Yom Kippur) may taste some food and spit it out. The Rema doesn’t allow it on any ta’anis . While the Shulchan Aruch (OC 567:3) forbids one to rinse one’s mouth with a little water and spit it out on a (public) ta’anis , the Magen Avraham (OC 567:6) writes that this is only according to the Rema who forbids tasting food. The Shulchan Aruch would allow one to rinse with less than a revi’is of water (on a minor fast). While the Kaf Hachaim (OC 567:13) forbids rinsing even with less than a revi’is, most poskim are more lenient, especially when one is uncomfortable. Thus, the Rema (Darchei M...