Tisha B'Av Compendium

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משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה

According to the Chasam Sofer (O.Ch. 160), the Halacha of משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה refers to only one single Halacha:

Not to build a בנין של שמחה during the Nine Days (starting ראש חודש).

All the other restrictions, even according to the רמ"א, do not begin on ראש חודש אב. They begin at the beginning of the week of Tisha B'Av, known as שבוע שחל בו.

Ashkenazim begin the restrictions from ראש חודש because the רמ"א writes:

ואנו נוהגין להחמיר

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Women & Ma'ariv on Motzei Shabbos

According to Mori V'Rabi, Harav Hagaon R. S. Miller שליט"א:

Even women who normally do not daven Ma'ariv should make an exception when Tisha B'Av falls on Motzei Shabbos and should daven Ma'ariv.

She should also have at least Havdalah B'Tefillah when there is no Havdalah over a cup of wine.

This is reportedly also the Psak of Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach זצ"ל.

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The Strange Tisha B'Av Minhag

The ברכי יוסף (חיד"א) O.C. 559:4 writes:

"There were places where the Minhag on Tisha B'Av was to get a person to bend over. They covered him with a sheet, placed the Sefer Torah on his back, and called up the three Aliyos."

There were Gedolim who tried to abolish this Minhag because:

• It seems very unusual.
• There was concern that the person might pass wind.

The Chida disagrees and says that this Minhag has roots and cannot be abolished.

The שו"ת דבר שמואל (249) also defends this Minhag, even though he did not know the exact source and admitted that it seems strange.

Possible Source:

מסכת סופרים י"ח:ז states that the Minhag on Tisha B'Av was to wrap the Sefer Torah in black cloth, place it on the floor, and say:

נפלה עטרת ראשנו

The אבודרהם writes that on Tisha B'Av the Sefer Torah is not placed in its usual location on the Bimah.

Perhaps this explains the unusual Minhag: They did not want to place the Sefer Torah on the Bimah or directly on the floor. Since many shuls did not have tables, the only remaining place was on the back of a person.

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Saying "מזל טוב" on Tisha B'Av

According to שו"ת שלמת חיים (R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld זצ"ל):

Saying "מזל טוב" to בעלי שמחה on Tisha B'Av is permitted and is not considered שאילת שלום.

The ספר לקט יושר (student of the תרומת הדשן) quotes:

The prohibition of שאילת שלום applies only when the actual word "שלום" is used. Other greetings such as Good Morning or Good Evening are permitted.

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The Causes of the Destruction of Yerushalayim

לא חרבה ירושלים אלא בשביל

1. שחללו את השבת
2. שבטלו קריאת שמע
3. שביטלו בה תינוקות של בית רבן
4. שלא היה להם בושת פנים
5. שהושוו זקן וגדול
6. שלא הוכיחו זה את זה
7. שביזו תלמידי חכמים
8. שפסקו ממנה אנשי אמנה
9. עבודה זרה
10. שנאת חנם
11. קמצא ובר קמצא
12. ענוותנותו של רבי זכריה בן אבקולס
13. שהעמידו דיניהם על דין תורה
14. לא עבדו לפנים משורת הדין

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Is There an Obligation to Learn Torah on Tisha B'Av?

The ספר שבט יהודה יו"ד שפ"ד discusses whether learning permissible Tisha B'Av topics is:

• A continuation of the obligation of Torah study, limited to certain subjects.
• Or merely permission given to someone who wishes to learn.

The שבט יהודה concludes that there is no obligation of תלמוד תורה on Tisha B'Av.

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The Four Questions of Tisha B'Av

The Gemara says the destruction came because of the story of קמצא ובר קמצא.

1. Why was Kamtza blamed? He did nothing.
2. Why wasn't the host the main person at fault?
3. Why weren't the Rabbis who remained silent blamed?
4. The Gemara says it was the fault of רבי זכריה בן אבקולוס.

The simple explanation:

The Gemara is not blaming only one individual. Rather, the entire chain of events caused the destruction.

• בר קמצא – informing against the Jews
• קמצא – according to the בן איש חי
• The host – refusing to allow בר קמצא to stay
• The Rabbis – remaining silent
• רבי זכריה בן אבקולוס – refusing the Korban

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A Unique Tisha B'Av Halacha

According to the Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 559:5), the only day of the year when speaking to an עכו"ם is forbidden is during Kinos on Tisha B'Av.

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Two Tisha B'Av Halachos for Talmidei Chachamim

1) Erev Tisha B'Av

The Rambam (Hilchos Taaniyos 5:9) writes that the Chassidim Harishonim would eat only dry bread with salt soaked in water on Erev Tisha B'Av.

The Rambam says it is proper for Chachamim to do so, and writes that he personally never ate cooked food on Erev Tisha B'Av unless it fell on Shabbos.

2) Greeting Others

The Rambam (Hilchos Taaniyos 5:11) writes that Talmidei Chachamim do not give Sholom to each other on Tisha B'Av.