02 Aug Learning Torah on Tishah B’Av

In this issue we

will discuss the

halachos that

apply to the

nine days.

During the nine

days we are not

allowed to do

many more

actions than

those that are customarily not

done from Shivah Asar

B’Tammuz through during the

time before Rosh Chodesh Av.

Issues such as painting, buying

clothing, showering,

swimming, cutting nails, eating

meat, washing clothing and

many other halachos will be

discussed in this issue. (Please

note: Hhaircuts, Wweddings,

Mmusic and reciting a

Shehecheiyanu apply to the

complete three- week period,

and we will not be discussing

them in this issue.)

The Source

The Gemara mentions that one

is not allowed to learn Torah,

Nevi’im, Kesuvim, Mishnah,

Gemara, Midrash, Halachos,

and Aggadah. This is recorded

in halachah as well.

Reason

There are two reasons given for

this restriction. One reason is

that Torah gladdens the heart,

as the pasuk says, Pikudei

Hashem misamchei lev.” The

Maharsha says that this is why

children may not learn Torah.

However, the reason for adults

is that learning topics not

associated with Tishah B’Av

takes one’s mind off the aveilus

and focus of the day. The

Aruch Hashulchan explains

this as follows: When learning

Torah, one has joy, and also the

discomfort in trying to figure

out what the Torah is saying.

The main learning of Torah is

joy, even if there is a little pain.

The discomfort of learning the

sad things allowed on Tishah

B’Av (see below), outweighs

the joy, so one is allowed to

learn these topics on Tishah

B’Av.

Permitted

One is allowed to read kinos,

Iyov, and the bad things

expressed in Yirmiyah. One is

permitted to learn Midrash

Eichah and the chapter of elu

migalchim in Moed Kattan

which discusses aveilus. One

may learn the story of the

second Beis Hamikdash, as

well as the story of the

destruction found in the end of

Yerushalmi on Ta’anis, and

the accounts of the destruction

of the Beis Hamikdash such as

that of Josephus. Anything

which is said in the normal

course of davening may be said

on Tishah B’Av as well.

Included in this is korbanos

(Parshas Tamid), Eizehu

Mekoman, and Rabbi

Yishmael. A ba’al korei can

look over the leining before he

leins it on Tishah B’Av. Krias

Shema and birchos Krias

Shema are also permitted.

Stories of righteous people may

be read. One is allowed to

study the kinos recited on

Tishah B’Av. Even when

learning permitted topics, if

there are pesukim of

consolation one needs to skip

them. Mussar sefarim may be

studied on Tishah B’Av in

order to arouse the heart to do

teshuvah and improve oneself.

Based on this, tens of

thousands of people all over the

world watch the Chofetz

Chaim Heritage Foundation

video and other such videos on

Tishah B’Av.Even while

learning the permitted topics, it

should not be done in depth.

The custom is to permit

learning the topics which are

allowed on Tishah B’Av even

with a chavrusa, or through

public lectures, classes etc.

Other Non-Permitted

Learning

Tehillim should not be recited

unless one is doing so for a sick

person and recites Tehillim

every day. A dayan should not

pasken a question regarding

monetary issues if it can wait

until after Tishah B’Av.

Children

There is a discussion if children

can learn Torah on Tishah

B’Av. Although the children

may not feel the joy of learning

Torah, it is still forbidden to

teach children (even permitted

topics), because of the joy of

the teacher in teaching Torah.

Others allow an adult to teach

the permitted topics. Some

maintain that a child under

twelve who does not derive joy

from learning may study any

Torah topic. Children age

twelve and above may not learn

non-permitted topics by

themselves since it brings joy.

Thinking

There are some who maintain

that one may not think in

learning if the topic is not on

the permitted list. Although

thinking is not considered like

talking, one feels joy while

thinking in learning.

Writing – Typing

According to some poskim one

is not allowed to write down

Torah on Tishah B’Av from

non-permitted topics. Writing

permitted topics is not an issue.

Obligation to Learn or No

Obligation

There is a discussion in the

poskim if one has an obligation

to learn the permitted topics on

Tishah B’Av, or perhaps there

is no obligation to learn even

the permitted topics since all

other areas of Torah are not

allowed. Some maintain that

once one read Krias Shema in

the morning, there is no

obligation to learn the

permitted topics. However,

most other poskim disagree

with this. Obviously, even

according to the ones who hold

there is no obligation to learn,

if one does learn the permitted

topics he gets reward like

learning Torah.

Erev Tishah B’Av

The opinion of some is that

after chatzos (midday) on Erev

Tishah B’Av one should only

learn the topics which are

permitted. In general,

refraining from learning after

chatzos on Erev Tishah B’Av is

only a chumra.

Tishah B’Av That Falls on

Shabbos

In addition, if Tishah B’Av

falls out on Shabbos and is

pushed off until Sunday, Pirkei

Avos is not recited. The reason

for this restriction is that when

one learns he will think about it

afterwards on Tishah B’Av

itself. Others question how it is

possible to forbid Torah on

Erev Tishah B’Av if we eat

during this time. We can eat

meat on Shabbos when Tishah

B’Av is pushed off, so why is

learning more stringent?

Therefore, they permit learning

on Shabbos after chatzos when

Tishah B’Av falls out on

Shabbos.