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<p>In Avodah Digest V26#140, RRW wrote:<br>
> Given Bathing for pleasure is restricted before Av 9, either all 9 days<br>
or at least shavua shehol bo... <<br>
The relevant s'if in SA OC is 551:16....<br>
<br>
> The dilemma - how to stay "clean" w/o stepping on this restrction?<br>
> The Navy Method to the Rescue<br>
> A friend of mine served on subs and destroyers. The Navy needed to<br>
preserve precious fresh water. He described the Navy shower as follows:<br>
> Step 1: Pull a ring and water flows to soak one's body<br>
> Step 2: The sailor then lathers himself with soap w/o any water flowing<br>
> Step 3: The sailor pulls the ring again and rinses off all of the soap<br>
anddirt.<br>
> (I'm guessing that Steps 1-3 might be repeated in an extreme case)<br>
> Thus we have a shower technique that effectively cleans while minimizing<br>
"hana'ah" <<br>
LOL -- that's how I _normally_ shower (except that I utilize knobs rather than a ring)!<br>
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I think the concept is, in the absence of mitzva-directed intent (e.g. k'vod Shabbos), to do without. What RRW describes is not "doing without" but rather is the proper method for that place (minimizing water usage) -- I use it in general because of my approach to not wasting resources (a similar approach on a smaller scale is to not keep the water running while brushing one's teeth), and I would imagine that such an approach was necessary not that many decades ago on land as well as on (or under) the sea even in places which nowadays have improved water-supply and plumbing facilities to the extent that the residents have forgotten what was meant by "sitting in the shvitz" or heating water for the bath[ing ]tub. The bottom line is the same: whatever one is used to doing re r'chitzah (as well as certain other activities) during a normal workweek when not driven to do something lichvod a particular holy day or commandment, yeish nohagin not to do it beginning at some point prior to 9Av. <br>
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All the best from<br>
--Michael Poppers via RIM pager</body></html>