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Answer: The gemara (Bava Batra 60b) is the source of the halacha (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 56:1) to leave an amah X amah of wall unpainted. The gemara presents this and a couple of other small limitations on enjoyment as a balanced approach between showing no aveilut and those who stopped consuming meat and wine (which were parts of the Temple service).
The gemara states that one who acquires a fully painted home can leave it as is. Why is that so? The simple reading of the Radbaz (II:640) is that only a person who improperly painted is required to peel off paint. The Magen Avraham (560:1) says that one can leave it as is only if it might have been built in a permitted manner, e.g., even if he bought the house from a Jew, perhaps it was fully painted by a previous, non-Jewish owner. He and most poskim (see Mishna Berura 560:4) posit that if it was painted improperly, then even a subsequent owner must peel a section of paint.
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions (654)
Rabbi Daniel Mann
467 - Chalaka (Upsherin) on Chol Hamo’ed
468 - A Renter Having a Zecher L’churban
469 - Breaking a Plate with a Religious Text
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Some say that a renter is not considered like a temporary owner, and a non-owner who happens to be staying in a home is not required to make a zecher lachurban (Migdal Hashein 61; Avnei Yashfei I:116 disagrees). Thus, even if the owner sinned, the renter need not rectify like a buyer would. There is even an opinion that if it is built to be immediately sold or rented, the owner is not required to leave a zecher lachurban (Migdal Hashein ibid.; Igrot Moshe, OC III:86). While this makes more sense if the owner was not planning to sell or rent to a Jew, it is possible to exempt in both cases (ibid.; Mishneh Halachot V:71 disagrees). If so, the renter is not obligated since the gemara states that living there does not create an obligation to peel paint. If the renter paints himself, then he must leave over an unpainted area (Pri Megadim, 560, EA 4; Sha’arei Teshuva 560:3).
Most agree that if the owner does not permit, the renter may not and therefore is certainly exempt from peeling off paint (see opinions in Dirshu 560:10). If he lets on condition that the renter repaint fully before he leaves, there are two further reasons for leniency – 1. If he would otherwise not have to paint at the end, it is unclear whether the halacha was meant to require an outlay of money; 2. The full painting at the end (at least if the next resident is Jewish) might be worse than leaving things as they were (Avnei Yashfeh ibid.).
This final point highlights a chakira about the zecher lachurban. Is it a requirement to have a zecher lachurban to remind one about the Beit Hamikdash, or does the act of fully beautifying one’s house contradict our national aveilut? The term zecher lachurban implies the former approach (which Igrot Moshe ibid. posits). Actually the gemara does not mention it, but many Rishonim (including the Tur, OC 560) do. Parts of the gemara and several halachot or opinions imply that the idea is an aveilut prohibition (see Rashi, Bava Batra 60b). It is likely that a violation of the prohibition turns the house into a chillul Hashem that needs rectification. Among the cases that might depend on this chakira are: painting but having an alternative zecher (see Mishna Berura 560:3 and Sha’ar Hatziyun 8); having a palatial house with an unfinished area (see Radbaz ibid.); can there be a need for more than one such area (Mishna Berura ibid.). We cannot elaborate.
Because of some broad possibilities for leniency (including that our paint might not count (ibid. 2)) and the idea that we are generally lenient on this halacha (Radbaz ibid., Igrot Moshe ibid.), a renter may be lenient except when he paints in the midst of the rental period.
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions Ask the Rabbi: Forgot to Remove Tefillin Before Musaf of Rosh Chodesh
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions Ask the Rabbi: Having a Non-Jew Build a Sukka and Assemble Arba’a Minim
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
