[Avodah] Re A 9 Days Shower - The Navy to the Rescue?

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

I asked:
> "Why do you perceive a need to "minimize hana'ah"? As long
> as one is not going out of his way to do more than what is
> needed for effective cleaning, where do we see a need to
> also minimize the hanaah?"

R' Rich Wolpoe responded:
> Why do you suppose that posqim are makpid to not wash
> negel vasser on tisha b'av and yom kippur?
> Either not at all (rambam) Or Not beyond the knuckles
> (rov posqim)? If the extra hana'ah is deminumus then why
> bother? Shma mina that the hana'ah (ideally) should be
> minimal. Shma minah

Are you suggesting that the same rules apply during the nine days as on TB and YK? Are you suggesting the for the whole nine days we should wash negel vasser only to the knuckles?

No, I didn't think you were. It was a rhetorical question.

We both understand that the nine days are not as restrictive as TB and YK. The question is where to draw the line.

For example, Mishna Brura 551:94 says that it is mutar to wash the hands and face (and feet) with cold water during the nine days. If he had meant that one could wash dirt away, there's no chidush, and there's no difference between those areas and other parts of the body. So it seems clear to me that he means we can wash those areas even if they are NOT dirty. In other words, specifically to get a certain amount of hanaah from the washing.

My point is that on TB and YK, when there is a halacha not to wash, then even when washing is necessary, it must be kept to the absolute minimum. But I see nothing in the poskim to suggest that this is also true of the nine days. Yes, there are lots of situations discussed and judged and ruled, regarding when one may and may not wash during the nine days. But I don't think I've seen anyone write that "in situation xyz, one may wash, but he must go out of his way to minimize the hanaah."

Akiva Miller

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