Tisha B’Av means “the ninth (day) of Av.” This year it begins at sunset on August 9.
Tisha B’Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av.
Tisha B’Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av, is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which occurred on the ninth of Av.
Tisha B’Av means “the ninth (day) of Av.” This year it begins at sunset on August 9.
Tisha B’Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av.
Although this holiday is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temples, it is appropriate to consider on this day the many other tragedies of the Jewish people, many of which occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.
Tisha B’Av is the culmination of a three week period of increasing mourning, beginning with the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, which commemorates the first breach in the walls of Jerusalem, before the First Temple was destroyed.
Many of us wonder what rules we should follow on Tisha B’av. Joey Mosseri was nice enough to share his expertise with us.
Lately the style among the Sepharadim is either to duplicate and emulate the Ashkenazim and forbid practically everything during the three week period from 17 Tammuz through 9 Av, or, to say we as Sepharadim have never known of such a three week period and we do not have any customs of sadness during this time. If anything we only observed the first 9 days of Av or just the week of the fast.
I have tried to research this issue and in fact there is no one Sephardic custom! Each community abided by different stringencies and leniencies during these three weeks.
These weeks are known as the weeks of retribution (or tragedy, sorrow, suffering, etc.) as evidenced by the special haftarot read on the Shabbatot between 17 Tammuz and 9 Av. It’s interesting to note that Sepharadim, Ashkenazim, and Yemenites all read the same haftarot these weeks but the (ancient) Italian communities do not.
I have not been able to locate any reference to this three week period in the works of the Geonim or by HaRambam. The first place we find a mention of this period is by Rabbi Yosef Karo in his Bet Yosef were he quotes an Ashkenazi teshoubah which quotes the Sefer Hasidim (by Rabbi Yehoudah ben Shemouel HeHasid, 1148-1217) which states, “There are some pious ones from the initial pious ones who do not eat any new fruit during the three weeks because how can we say the berakhah of Shehehiyanou at such a sad time of the year.”
If we follow Maran Ribbi Yosef Karo in his Shoulhan Aroukh we find the following references to this three week period:
There are those that do not eat meat or drink wine during the week of the fast. There are those who abstain from Rosh Hodesh Av, and there are those who abstain from the 17th of Tammuz.
There are those who have the custom not to wash (their bodies) from Rosh Hodesh Av, and there are those who only abstain during the week of the fast, and there are those who suffer from 17 Tammuz until 9 Av.
It is good to be wary of reciting the berakhah of Shehehiyanou during Ben Hamessarim (three weeks) upon a new fruit or a new garment, but for a pidyon haben you say it.
One need be careful from 17 Tammuz until 9 Av not to walk by oneself from the 4th hour until the 9th hour (of the day).
Before I go on to quote Mouram, let me ask this question regarding Maran: If he placed not walking alone outside for several hours around mid-day on the same level (halakhically) as not eating meat, what is the reason we seem to totally disregard the first rule, and hold not eating meat as very important?
Basically everything that Maran wrote seems like good advice or a mentioning of assorted customs.
Mouram Ribbi Mosheh Isrelish adds his hagahot and says: And the custom is to be stringent and not get married from the17th of Tammuz until after the 9th of Av.
As for haircuts the custom is to be stringent and not allow them from the 17th of Tammuz.
How have these six statements affected Sephardic communities the world over? Were any stringencies adhered to or none at all?
I have searched out many sources and this list is by no means conclusive so if you have any other evidence or testimonies please let me know.
Izmir, Turkey: Chief Rabbi Haim ben Yisrael Benbenisti (1603-1673) wrote in his Shiyoure Keneset HaGedolah that the custom in his city (and other Turkish cities) was not to get engaged or married during the entire three weeks.
Rabbi Haim Palacci (19th century) wrote the same thing in his Leb Haim, Volume 2.
Cairo, Egypt: Chief Rabbi Refael Aharon Ben Shimon (1847-1928) in his Nehar Missrayim makes no mention of these customs at all in the section on fasts.
He does mention that there are some communities that recite certain qinot (dirges) on these three Shabbatot and there are those that read the haftarot of these weeks in a very sad heart-rending tune, but none of this is the custom in Egypt. Shabbat is Shabbat and there is no sadness or hints to it at all. It is interesting to note though (and many have missed this) that in the laws of sorcery and witchcraft he says the custom in Egypt is to get married at any time of the year but the majority of the community is wary of getting engaged or married during these three weeks because it is not considered a good sign. (I have been told that this can be applied to Alexandria as well.) Maybe by listing it here he is classifying it as a superstition.
Baghdad, Iraq: Rabbi Abdallah Somekh (1813-1889) in his Zibhe Sedeq Volume 3, tells us the custom in his city was to follow the advice of Shoulhan Aroukh and not say Shehehiyanou during the three weeks.
Baghdad, Iraq: Chief Rabbi Elisha’ Nisim Sasson Dangoor (19th century) tells us in his Gedoulot Elisha’ of the custom in Baghdad of leaving the brit milah (even during the 9 days) with singing, dancing, and musical accompaniment.
He questions the allowance of such a custom in light of all the stringent customs mentioned for this three week period but he does not stop it.
Baghdad, Iraq: Rabbi Yosef Haim (1834-1909) in his Ben Ish Hai tells us that even though the law only forbids marriage from Rosh Hodesh Av the custom is to forbid it from 17 Tammuz, but betrothals and engagements were permitted. The custom in Baghdad was to have betrothals from 17 Tammuz until Rosh Hodesh Av but after Rosh Hodesh no betrothals and no engagements. The Ben Ish Hai also tells us that it was forbidden to have any parties with music and dancing during the three weeks.
Baghdad, Iraq: Rabbi Obadiah Yosef quotes oral testimony he heard from Rabbi Silman Hugi Aboudi, who was Ab Bet Din Baghdad, and who reported that in fact, the custom of Baghdad was to allow weddings until Av.
Meknes, Morocco and Tlmecen, Algeria: Rabbi Yosef Messas (1892-1974) in his Mayim Hayim, Volume 2, is asked when do we not get married from 17 Tammuz or only from Rosh Hodesh. He responds quoting the Shoulhan Aroukh and the Hagahot of Mouram. He then goes on to say that what Mouram wrote (forbidding marriage for three weeks) is the custom throughout the world except for one time. There was a situation and he allowed a person to wed privately at the end of Tammuz.
Rabbi Messas also responds to a question about haircuts during the three weeks and says the custom is to disallow it all three weeks but since the French invaded North Africa many have returned to a custom of only forbidding haircuts from Rosh Hodesh Av and we did not bother them regarding this since this is only a custom of stringency and something that was established by the Ashkenazim which slowly mixed into the Sepharadim.
Aleppo, Syria: The following customs are from the book Derekh Eress, compiled by Rabbi Abraham Ades of Bene Beraq.
During all three weeks the custom between minhah and arbit is to sit on the floor and recite the last chapter of Lamentations (Eikhah) and Psalms (Tehilim) 137 and 79.
Engagements are permitted throughout the three weeks but weddings are not.
The berakhah of Shehehiyanou is not recited on a new fruit or a new garment throughout the three week period.
Damascus, Syria: Some abstain from saying Shehehiyanou on weekdays, however even these “pious individuals” would not abstain from saying it on Shabbat.
Jerba, Tunisia: No weddings for the entire three week period as written in Berit Kehounah by Rabbi Mosheh HaKohen. He also mentions no cutting of hair for the entire three week period.
So we see that there was no set custom for all Sepharadim. All of this only applies to the entire three week period. There are different laws and customs for the nine day period from Rosh Av until the fast and there are yet other laws and customs for the week of the fast.
I am not a rabbi or a poseq. I am just interested in discovering Sephardic laws and customs.
