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Shaving for a Brit During the Nine Days
Sources address whether grooming restrictions during the Nine Days and the week of Tisha B'Av apply to those observing a brit milah, and under what circumstances leniency or stringency applies to the brit subject and participants.
מִילָה דּוֹחָה אֶת הַצָּרַעַת
The Five Calamities of the Seventeenth of Tammuz
The Mishnah in Taanit enumerates five tragedies that befell the Jewish people on the seventeenth of Tammuz, including the breaking of the tablets, the cessation of the daily offering, the breach of Jerusalem's wall, the burning of the Torah, and the placement of an idol in the Temple. These sources draw together biblical accounts from Exodus, Jeremiah, and Kings alongside Talmudic sources that contextualize and explain each calamity.
חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים אֵירְעוּ אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז
Spiritual Forces During the Nine Days
These sources explore the nature of divine and supernal influences that govern specific times of year, particularly the month of Av leading to Tisha B'Av. They discuss whether Jewish people are subject to astrological forces, how different moments carry distinct spiritual qualities, and the relationship between merit, repentance, and the removal of protective barriers during periods of national mourning.
אֵין מַזָּל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל
When Tisha B'Av Restrictions End
These sources address the halakhic timing of when prohibitions associated with Tisha B'Av fall away, including the special case when the fast falls on Friday and restrictions are lifted on Thursday out of respect for Shabbat. The sources detail which restrictions apply throughout the day and the precise moments when they cease.
אם חל על ערב שבת מותרין בחמישי
Sources for Tisha B'Av Teaching
This collection spans biblical, rabbinic, and medieval sources on Tisha B'Av, covering the historical calamities commemorated, halakhic observance practices, the theological meaning of the destruction, and textual foundations including Lamentations and prophetic warning.
בְּתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב נִגְזַר עַל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ
The Spiritual Work of the 17th of Tammuz
Sources examine the five calamities commemorated on the 17th of Tammuz and the inner work of the fast day itself. The sources present fasting as an act of communal repentance, self-examination, and spiritual recommitment in response to national breaches and the rejection of divine rebuke.
לְבַטְּשָׁהּ וּלְהַשְׁפִּילָהּ לֶעָפָר
Spiritual Work During Tammuz
Sources explore the spiritual significance of the month of Tammuz and the Three Weeks, focusing on themes of repentance, introspection, and restoration of vision after the historical tragedies commemorated on the Seventeenth of Tammuz. The month emphasizes rectifying failures of faith and spiritual clarity through heightened prayer and self-refinement.
לְעוֹרֵר הַלְּבָבוֹת לִפְתֹּחַ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה