Laws of Tisha B’Av 2012

Appropriate Laws for Tisha B’Av this year:

1) On this Shabbat - Shabbat Chazon - one is permitted to eat meat and drink wine at all of the meals, including seudah shlishit.

2) Seudah shlishit must be finished by 8:15 pm.

3) Preparations for the fast may not be made on Shabbat. Non-leather shoes or Kinot/Eichah books may not be brought to Shul on Shabbat afternoon. One should bring them to shul either on Friday evening before sunset or on Saturday night after Shabbat (9:00 PM).

4) Atta Chonantanu is recited  during the Shmonah Esrei of Maariv, however, Havdalah is not recited after Maariv, nor is the blessing over spices. Havdalah is delayed until Sunday night before eating.

5) The blessing Borei Meorei HaEish (blessing over fire) is recited after Shabbat, preferably after Maariv and before Eichah, however one may recite this blessing upon returning home after services or anytime during the night.

6) Someone who needs to eat on Tisha B’Av for health reasons should first recite the Havdalah (over soda or juice), omitting the blessing over spices.

7) Upon rising in the morning of Tisha B’Av you may wash your fingers as far as the upper knuckles and wipe your eyes with damp fingers.

Tallit and Teffilin are not worn at Shacharit but they are worn during Mincha.

9) One may learn: Lamentations with its midrash and commentaries, portions of the Prophets that deal with tragedy or destruction, the third chapter of Moed Katan (which deals with mourning), the story of the destruction (in Gittin 56b-58a, Sanhedrin 104, and in Josephus), and the halachot of Tisha B’Av and mourning

10) The fast ends at 8:52 and following Maariv, Havdalah is recited over wine.

11) Since this Sunday is the 10th of Av (the 9th is Shabbat and the observance of Tisha B’Av is postponed to Sunday the 10th), haircuts, laundering and bathing are permitted Sunday night, the 11th of Av.
However, meat and wine (other than for Havdalah) are prohibited until Monday morning.