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The Seudas Havraah on Tisha B'Av
Sources address the laws of mourning and eating when a funeral occurs on Tisha B'Av, examining how the obligations of an avel (mourner) interact with the restrictions and practices of the fast day itself.
אַתֶּם אַל תְּעַרְבְּבוּ שִׂמְחָתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם
Foods for Se'udah Mafseket Before Tisha B'Av
Jewish law prescribes specific restrictions and permitted foods for the final meal eaten before the Tisha B'Av fast. The sources address prohibitions on meat and wine, limits on cooked dishes, and customary mourning foods such as eggs and lentils.
לא יאכל אדם בסעודה המפסקת בשר ולא ישתה יין
The Messiah's Birth and Tisha B'Av
These sources explore the rabbinic tradition connecting the birth of the Messiah to Tisha B'Av, the day the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed. They examine how Jewish thought frames the moment of deepest exile and destruction as simultaneously containing the potential for redemption and rebuilding.
משיח נולד בט״ב
Tanakh Study Permitted on Tisha B'Av
Jewish law restricts the study of Torah and rabbinic texts on Tisha B'Av as an expression of mourning, but permits the reading of certain biblical and other texts. The sources address which passages of Tanakh and other works may be studied on this fast day, including Job, Lamentations, and passages of doom from Jeremiah.
אָסוּר לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים
Sephardic Halacha for Tisha B'Av
The sources address Sephardic observance during the week of Tisha B'Av, covering restrictions on the eve, the fast day itself, and the following day. Key topics include dietary prohibitions, permitted and forbidden activities, mourning practices, and distinctions between Sephardic and Ashkenazi customs regarding meat and wine.
משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה
Laws of Mourning During the High Holidays
Halachic sources addressing the restrictions placed on an avel (mourner) during the Days of Judgment, including limitations on leading services and performing ritual roles such as blowing the shofar.
ואבל אסור לעבור לפני התיבה בר״ה ויוה״כ
Halachos and Minhagim of Chanukah Candle Lighting
These sources explore the halachic requirements and practices governing Chanukah candle lighting, including the timing of the mitzvah, proper placement of the menorah, and the purpose and validity of the candles according to classical rabbinic sources.
מצות הדלקתו משקיעת החמה עד שיכלה הרגל מן השוק
Shaving and Grooming for a Bris During the Nine Days
Sources address the permissibility of grooming and shaving in connection with a circumcision ceremony that falls during the Nine Days of Av, including exceptions made for the honor of the mitzvah and Shabbat.
מילה שהיא מר״ח עד ט׳ באב נוהגין שהמוהל ובעל ברית ואבי הבן לובשין
Shaving and Grooming During the Nine Days
Sources address the halakhic restrictions on haircuts and shaving during the Nine Days of mourning for the Temple's destruction, and discuss whether exceptions apply for pressing needs such as a circumcision ceremony.
וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין שֶׁאֵין מִסְתַּפְּרִין בְּיָמִים אֵלּוּ
An Avel as Baal Tokea on Rosh Hashanah
These sources examine whether a mourner (avel) during shiva may serve as the shofar blower for the congregation on Rosh Hashanah. They address the halakhic requirements for who is fit to blow shofar and the restrictions that apply to mourners leading communal religious functions.
אחר תוקע ולא שליח צבור
Chanukah: History, Halakha, and Spiritual Meaning
These sources explore Chanukah from multiple angles: the historical events of the Hasmonean victory and rededication of the Temple, the halakhic requirements for lighting candles, and deeper theological interpretations of the holiday's spiritual significance and symbolism.
מלכות בית חשמונאי ונצחום
Lighting Chanukah Candles After the Proper Time
Sources address whether one can fulfill the Chanukah lighting obligation and recite a blessing if the candles are lit after the designated time window—from sunset until the cessation of marketplace traffic. The sources establish the parameters of the obligation and the conditions under which a blessing may be recited.
עִם שְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה רֶגֶל מִן הַשּׁוּק