עברית
Halachot and Customs
Cleaning the House on Tisha B'Av After Midday
Question
There are those who have the custom on Tisha B'Av after midday to clean the house and wear something new. I understood that the source of this custom is the expectation of redemption and the belief that the Messiah was born on Tisha B'Av. I wanted to ask about the halacha regarding this custom. Thank you.
Answer
Hello,
Although the Birkei Yosef (Siman 559, Sif 7) cites that I found written, many women engage on Tisha B'Av after midday to honor the home and prepare the beds and other household matters, and this is an ancient custom for women in Italian cities. Since they are weak in faith and their understanding is limited, they strengthened their hands to establish a belief in redemption so that they should not despair, Heaven forbid (it is not mentioned there that there is a custom to wear a new garment, and it is certainly a complete prohibition).
However, the book Hazon Ovadia on the Four Fast Days (page 4) writes that nowadays it has become customary for all women who take pride in their wisdom and full faith, that even if He delays, we will wait for Him, and this is through the education they receive in Beit Yaakov and similar schools. Therefore, they cannot be lenient, and their status is like that of men whose mourning continues until the night of the conclusion of Tisha B'Av.
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs.
