Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

22 07, 2026

Ending Tisha B’Av Fast Early During International Flight

July 22nd, 2026|Moadim, Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

A congregant booked tickets for their family (six people) from South Africa to Chicago on Tisha B’Av. Due to the time zones, the travel would result in a 36-hour fast: the fast starts around 5:00 pm South Africa time, the flight leaves at 10:00 pm, they land in Chicago a little after noon, and the fast ends in Chicago at about 9:00 pm. This would make an effective 36-hour fast. The family cannot afford to change the flights due to large change fees. Is there a position to rely on that they could end their fast 25 hours after they

21 07, 2026

Sunscreen and Ointment on Tisha b’Av

July 21st, 2026|Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

May a woman apply sunscreen on Tisha b’Av (she is not photosensitive)? May she apply antibiotic ointment or Vaseline to a rash when it flares up to reduce itchiness?

ANSWER

Ointment applied to a rash is definitely permitted.

21 07, 2026

Laundering Borrowed Linens During Nine Days for Respect of Grandmother

July 21st, 2026|Family, Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

A student borrowed linens from her grandparents in Jerusalem to use at her midrasha over the summer. She is flying back to the US and wants to wash the linens before she leaves. This would be before Shabbat of the week in which Tisha B’Av falls.

Her grandparents are currently in the US and would not use the sheets until well after Tisha B’Av. If the granddaughter does not wash the linens now, however, her elderly grandmother will have to wash them when she returns to Israel, during shavua shechal bo (the week in which Tisha B’Av

21 07, 2026

Making a Siyum on Mishnayot with Artscroll Commentary During Nine Days

July 21st, 2026|Orach Chayim, Talmud Torah, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

Does completing a masechet of Mishnayot with the Artscroll commentary constitute a significant enough accomplishment for a 14-year-old to make a siyum and eat meat during the Nine Days? May he recite the hadran and special kaddish?

ANSWER

If it was a meaningful accomplishment and took ongoing time and investment, then yes.

See Iggrot Moshe Orach Chaim 1:157:

בדבר אם יש להחשיב סעודת מצוה לפטור הבכורים מהתענית ערב פסח ולאכול בשר מר”ח אב עד התענית גם כשמסיימין בחבורה שלומדים מקרא בעיון …אבל מ”מ נראה

21 07, 2026

Playing Live Music During Three Weeks for Hospital Patient

July 21st, 2026|Minhag, Moadim, Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

I am doing a unit of CPE at a hospital this summer, and a Jewish patient (knowledgeable, but not Orthodox) asked if I could play some music on the guitar for him. Since we are currently in the Three Weeks, I am not sure how to proceed, though I am inclined to oblige. Does the patient’s request, and my desire to optimally perform the mitzvah of bikkur cholim, outweigh the prohibition on music? Does my background as a professional musician matter
here, even though this is not a paid gig? How about

Fasting on Tisha B’Av When Breaking The Fast Will Cause Extreme Nausea

7 05, 2023

Fasting on Tisha B’Av When Breaking The Fast Will Cause Extreme Nausea

May 7th, 2023|Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

https://pixabay.com/photos/dishes-white-plate-stemware-938747/

QUESTION

Houston, TX

A woman from my shul has the following issue with fasting:

Although she is fine while fasting, experiencing only headaches, she becomes extremely nauseous when she eats after the fast, and can’t keep any food down for a few hours. What should I tell her regarding fasting on Tisha BeAv?

ANSWER

This is a tricky one, since it is not the fasting that makes her nauseous, but the eating afterward.

One way to approach this would

Meat During the Nine Days for Those with Advanced Dementia

30 04, 2023

Meat During the Nine Days for Those with Advanced Dementia

April 30th, 2023|Minhag, Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

https://pixabay.com/photos/barbecue-barbeque-bbq-beef-1239434/

QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

For those with advanced dementia, does the Minhag of avoiding meat during the nine days not apply?

I would think they wouldn’t gain anything from the Minhag, as they wouldn’t understand the reason for it. And avoiding meat might make it harder to get the nutrition they need.

18 07, 2021

Havdalah on Tisha b’Av By Someone Not Fasting

July 18th, 2021|Kiddush, Seudah, Havdalah, Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

If someone is not fasting for Tisha b’Av, should they make full Havdalah after Shabbat?

ANSWER

If a person is going to eat on Tisha b’Av because they are sick, they should make Havdalah before they eat, whether that be at night or the next day. It is a full Havdalah, except we don’t do besamim and we don’t say the pesukim before. So it is only the cup, borei me’orei (if making Havdalah Saturday night), and HaMavdil.

שערי תשובה סימן תקנו

עבה”ט וכ’ בר”י בשם תשו’ כנה”ג ח”ב חולה שאוכל בט”ב יבדיל תיכף במוצאי שבת והב”י שם דעתו נוטה קצת שיכול

18 07, 2021

Washing off Makeup on Tisha b’Av

July 18th, 2021|Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks|

QUESTION

New York, NY

When Tisha B’Av falls on Sunday, is a person allowed to remove makeup that she was wearing on Shabbat on Tisha B’Av using a wipe?

ANSWER

If the makeup is smudgy, etc., then it is permissible as per Shulchan Arukh OC 554:9. If she just wants to remove it, it is hard to permit. A permissible way would be to wipe it off as much as possible with a dry tissue, and then the rest looks pretty smudgy and dirty, and that can use a wipe.

Finally, it’s not obvious to me that the small amount of moisture on the wipe

13 06, 2021

May an Aveil Purchase a New Car? Can someone do so during the 3 weeks?

June 13th, 2021|Aveilut, Berakhot, Orach Chayim, Tisha B'Av - 3 Weeks, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

A man in aveilut needs a new car. The old car the family has used is breaking down more and more frequently. Is this something that should wait another 10-12 months? What if his wife purchased the car and recites שהחינו? Would the halakha be the same during the 3 weeks?

ANSWER

The practice of not saying shehecheyanu is recorded in the case of the 3 weeks (Shulchan Arukh OC 551:17). Poskim explicitly state that this does not apply to a mourner. See Magen Avraham OC 551:42 and Mishnah Berurah 551:98. The reason is that the problem with shehecheyanu is not the simchah per se,

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