HALACHA OF THE WEEK: TISHA B’AV
On Tisha B'Av we are prohibited to: eat and drink, learn Torah, wash ourselves (even in cold water) or apply lotions for pleasurable purposes, have marital relations and wear shoes with leather.
• MAARIV - We remove the curtain from the Aron HaKodesh, dim the lighting, and sit on the floor or on a low stool. We do not sit on regular chairs or benches until after midday. We recite Maariv in a low and subdued voice; followed by Eichah and Kinnot.
• SHACHARIT - We wash our hands up to the end of the knuckles (as one is drying his fingers, while there is still some moisture on them, one may rub them across the eyes); make the Bracha "al netilat yadayim" as well as all of the other appropriate morning Brachot. Tallit and tefillin are not worn until midday, however, a tallit katan, is worn - but without a bracha. Following Torah reading (Deut. 4:25-40), the Haftarah is read (Jeremiah 8:13-9:23) in the melody of Eichah. After the Torah is returned to the Aron, Kinot are recited. (At the end of shacharit, we do not say the shir shel yom.
• MINCHA - The parochet is returned to the aron. tallit and tefillin are worn. The Psalm of the Day is recited, followed by Mincha and Torah reading/Haftarah.
• MAARIV - We recite the usual weekday Maariv.
ADDITIONAL LAWS of TISHA B’AV DAY
1. While Torah learning is generally prohibited on Tisha B’Av, one may learn:
• Eicha with its midrash and commentaries;
• Nevi’im that deal with tragedy or destruction;
• The third chapter of Moed Katan (which deals with mourning);
• The story of the destruction (in Gittin 56b-58a, Sanhedrin 104, & in Josephus),
• The halachot of Tisha B'Av and mourning.
2. Greeting someone with "shalom aleichem" and the like is prohibited. One who is greeted should answer softly and, if possible, inform the person of the prohibition.
3. The custom is to refrain until midday from any time-consuming work that diverts one’s attention from the mourning of the day.
4. The use of lotions for medicinal purposes is permitted as is the use of deodorants.
5. If a person becomes dirty, washing is permitted to remove the dirt.
6. The non-seriously ill or elderly, as well as pregnant and nursing women should generally fast even if it is difficult. However, if a doctor determines that fasting may injure health, a rabbi should be consulted. Furthermore, swallowing capsules or bitter tablets without water is permitted.
MOTZAEI TISHA B'AV: Many of the limitations of the "Three Weeks" and the "Nine Days" continue until midday of the 10th of Av including music, drinking wine and eating of meat. However, this year because the 10th of Av is also Erev Shabbat it is permitted to get a haircut and do laundry immediately after Tisha B’Av.
DVAR TORAH
In this week’s parsha, Moshe Rabbeinu repeats the Ten Commandments with many minor changes. One of those changes is an additional phrase inserted into the commandment to honor your father and mother – “as the L-rd your G-d has commanded you.”
Why was this phrase added, and why in Sefer Devarim? According to the Mesech Chochmah, the answer is that honoring is something that should come naturally to everyone. After all, they helped raise us, cared for us, and set us on the right path. For this reason, the Talmud Yerushalmi refers to this mitzvah as an “easy mitzvah.”
But that’s not the reason we should perform this mitzvah. Instead, the real reason is that G-d commanded us to honor them “as the L-rd your G-d has commanded you.”
This is why the Torah waited until this week’s parsha – because this week’s parsha was given to the Jews at the end of forty years in the desert. During those years, rearing children was easier than ever. Food came from heaven, water from a miraculous well, clothing was divinely cleaned and never wore out. And still, the Torah demanded that parents be honored. Why? Not because they were owed this honor – but because G-d commanded us!
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DAYTIME DIALOGUES
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