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Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Peninei Halakha
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The Three Weeks
- The Laws of Tisha B'Av
The Sages state: "Anyone who works on Tisha Be-Av will never see any sign of blessing from it" (Ta’anit 30b). The reason for this is that working distracts one from mourning. However, the Sages did not prohibit work on Tisha Be-Av explicitly. Rather, some places had a custom prohibiting it, while other places had a custom permitting it. Thus, the Sages ruled that the local custom determines one’s obligation, which means that one may not work on Tisha Be-Av in a place where it is customary to refrain from working (Pesaĥim 54b). Nowadays, the entire Jewish people have accepted the custom to refrain from working on Tisha Be-Av until midday. It is proper to continue doing so after midday, as well, in order to remain focused on the mourning. Therefore, we work after midday only if there is a great need (see sa and Rema 554:22, 24; mb ad loc. 49).
The types of work that are prohibited on Tisha Be-Av are those that take time and occupy one’s thoughts, like sewing, mending clothing, repairing furniture, fixing electrical appliances, and commerce. However, tasks that take little time to complete, like lighting or extinguishing a candle, tying or untying a knot, and traveling for a necessary purpose, are permitted, because they do not distract one from mourning. Writing is also considered work, because it is a distraction, but one may copy over things that are related to Tisha Be-Av.
One may sell food items on Tisha Be-Av, so that people have food for the meal after the fast. At midday, one may begin preparing for the post-fast meal. Some women have a custom to clean the house meticulously after midday, in anticipation of the Messiah, who is supposed to be born on Tisha Be-Av, and one should not denounce their actions (Birkei Yosef 559:7).
A Jew may instruct a non-Jew to do work for him on Tisha Be-Av. However, one may not instruct a non-Jew to do work that is done in public, like building a house or doing business in a store, because it appears disrespectful to the communal mourning (mb 554:46).
One may do work on Tisha Be-Av if delaying the task will cause significant monetary loss, similar to the law on Ĥol Ha-mo’ed (sa 554:23).17
sa implies that the prohibition on working, which is based on custom, applies for the entirety of Tisha Be-Av. The distinction I made between various types of work based on the duration of the task is found in Terumat Ha-deshen and Rema 554:22. The logic behind this distinction is that when it takes time to execute a task, it distracts one from mourning. This is the criterion that should be used to determine the law in every question in this matter. The Aĥaronim debate whether one may write on Tisha Be-Av, as bhl, s.v. "al," and Kaf Ha-ĥayim 554:110 demonstrate. My ruling in the main text follows the fundamental principle of the halakha: that it all depends on whether the task causes a distraction from mourning. If one is concerned that he will forget a novel idea that he thought of, he may write it down, in accordance with the law that permits one to do work in a situation of potential loss.↩︎
Rabbis in Midrash
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.
