[Avodah] Cutting Nails During the 9 Days

[Prof. L. Levine]

The following is from today's OU Kosher Halacha Yomis.


Q. Taz (551:13) writes that one should not cut their nails during the week in which Tisha B’Av falls out (shevua she’chal bo). This year, the ninth of Av coincides with Shabbos, and the fast of Tisha B’Av is observed on Sunday. Which days are considered shevua she’chal bo?

A. As Tisha b’Av nears, we increase our public display of mourning. During the Three Weeks, the custom of Ashkenazim is to refrain from taking haircuts. Beginning Rosh Chodesh Av, we stop washing clothes. However, the Mishnah (Ta’anis 4:7) teaches that the actual rabbinic prohibition against taking a haircut or washing clothes is only the week in which Tisha b’Av falls out (shevua she’chal bo). Since cutting nails is a less public display of mourning, some poskim question whether there is any prohibition at all, but Taz (551:13) maintains that it is permitted only up until shevua she’chal bo. However, this year, because Tisha B’Av falls on Shabbos and is pushed off until Sunday, Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:4) cites two opinions as to whether there is a shevua she’chal bo this year. The first opinion is that this year, there is no shevua shechal bo. Accordingly, the only day that one may not cut their nails is Sunday (on which Tisha B’Av is observed). The second opinion is that one may also not cut their nails on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the preceding week. However, on Thursday and Friday, it is permitted to cut one’s nails in honor of Shabbos. Rav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l (Yechaveh Daas 3:39) writes that although some are stringent in this matter, the first opinion is the primary one. As such, this year, one may cut his nails until Tisha b’Av.

Another interesting application of this issue of defining shevua she’chal bo is the following:

Sefardim who have the custom to wash clothing and wear freshly laundered clothing until shevua she’chal bo, may do so this year, according to the permit of Rav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l for the entire week before Tisha B’Av. However, this particular leniency is not relevant for Ashkenazim, since they refrain from washing clothing and wearing freshly laundered clothing beginning Rosh Chodesh Av, not only during shevua she’chal bo.

Professor Yitzchok Levine
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