ערב תשעה באב

1. ערב תשעה באב is identical to any other day of the nine days with two restrictions, A) from חצות היום onward we don’t learn תורה but those matters that are permitted to be learned on תשעה באב, and B) certain restrictions apply to what may be eaten on the last meal of the day-the סעודה המפסקת.
2. One begins the סעודה המפסקת in the afternoon or early evening (but well before sundown) after תפילת מנחה.  One is not restricted, however, to one meal in the afternoon.  One may eat as many meals as he wishes.  The laws of the סעודה המפסקת apply only to the last meal before the תענית in the afternoon.
3. One eats the סעודה המפסקת in the manner of an אבל, not seated at a table, but sitting on the floor or a low stool.  However, we do not need to remove our shoes to eat the meal.
4. One is restricted to eat no more than one cooked food at this meal.  The custom is to eat (along with the bread) hard boiled eggs.
5. There is an additional custom to dip a bit of the food in ashes and state “this is the meal of תשעב באב”.
6. One may not eat fish at this meal.  Even in places where there is no custom not to eat meat during the nine days, one may not eat any meat during this meal, nor drink wine or even grape juice.
7. One is permitted to eat raw fruit or vegetables without any restriction.
8. If there are several persons eating the meal at the same time, they should eat apart from one another so as not to be obligated in ברכת הזימון.
9. One may eat or drink after the סעודה המפסקת.  The fast does not begin until sundown.
10. We do not recite תחנון on ערב תשעה. באב.

תשעה באב

1. תשעה באב, is a day of national mourning.  We remember five terrible events that occurred on this day. 1) The גזרה was issued that we would not enter ארץ ישראל until after 40 years after the חטא of the מרגלים.  2) The first בית המקדש was destroyed. 3) The second בית המקדש was destroyed. 4) Betar fell to the Romans.  5) The site of the בית המקדש was plowed over.
2. תשעה באב is a תענית ציבור.  In addition to not eating and drinking, we are not permitted to wash (even with cold water, even one אבר) to anoint with oil, (or other liquids that are meant to be absorbed into the skin), to wear leather shoes, and to have marital relations.  As it is a day of אבילות, we are also not permitted to learn תורה.
3. One is permitted to learn הלכות אבילות, ספר איוב, sections of תוכחה and מוסר in ספר ירמיהו, איכה, מדרש איכה, פרק אלו מגלחים, and פירושים on איכה and איוב.
4. One is permitted to read the קרבנות before תפילה as is the daily custom.
5. Pregnant and nursing women who are healthy are obligated to fast.
6. If one becomes soiled on תשעה באב, one is permitted to wash off the soiled area with cold water, even on תשעה באב.  For the same reason, one may wash one’s hands (up to the knuckles) in the morning to wash away the טומאה.
7. One may use a damp (but not wet) cloth to wipe one’s hands and face.
8. One should not greet his friend on תשעה באב.
9. The standard custom with regard to working is to prohibit working until חצות היום. Work done before חצות, even where permitted, will not result in a סימן ברכה. Work that does not entail effort is permitted, such as turning on lights and driving.
10. If work is needed to prevent a financial loss, it is permitted even before חצות היום.
11. One does not wear תפילין on תשעה באב until חצות היום.  One does not wear the טלית גדול in the morning, but only a טלית קטן.
12. Some have the custom not to sleep with a pillow on תששה באב, or if accustomed to sleep with on two pillows, to sleep on only one.
13. A person should show his/her sorrow by limiting expressions of wealth and dignity.
14. In the evening of תשעה באב after מעריב we read איכה and following איכה we recite קינות. The איכה is read in subdued light based on the פסוק:  במחשכים השיבני כמתי עולם. (He has placed me in darkness like the dead of the world.)
15. After קינות at night we recite ואתה קדוש as on מוצאי שבת.
16. In the morning of תשעה באב we recite קינות after the קריאה of כי תוליד בנים and הפטורה of אסף אסיפם . תחנון is not recited since תשעה באב is called a מועד.  קינות should be recited until nearly חצות היום.  Some have a מנהג to recite איכה a second time after קינות.
17. We skip the פסוק of ואני זאת בריתי in ובא לציון and begin with ואתה קדוש instead.
18. If there is a ברית on תשעה באב, the ברית takes place after קינות.  The father, the mother, the מוהל, and the סנדיק may wear בגדי שבת, and if the mother is present, she should be the one to drink the כוס של ברכה (otherwise it is given to a child to drink).  If the תענית is a נדחה, then these three may eat a סעודה after חצות, since this is their יום טוב.
19. After חצות we are permitted to sit down on chairs, conduct business (with the same restrictions as any of the other of the nine days) and wear our טלית and תפילין.  Consequently, many have the custom of being מתפלל מנחה at מנחה גדולה (the earliest opportunity) so as to fulfill the מצוה of תפילין as soon as possible.
20. For מנחה we read ויחל and are מפטיר with דרשו ה' בהמצאו as any other תענית.
21. At מנחה we add the paragraph of נחם in the ברכה of בונה ירושלים and change the final ברכה to מנחם ציון ובונה ירושלים.  All those who are fasting should also recite עננו at מנחה by שומע תפילה.
22. Following the fast of תשעה באב, the laws of the nine days are still in effect (for the most part) until noon of the tenth.  If י' אב falls on Friday one is permitted to bathe and take a haircut לכבוד שבת.
23. When the בית המקדש shall be rebuilt, תשעה באב shall convert to become a יום טוב. May this happen speedily in our days!