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Parshas Matos-Maasei 5784

Laws of the Three Weeks and Nine Days (3)


The Nine Days. During the Nine Days we decrease our joy (ממעטין בשמחה). If one has a lawsuit with a non-Jew in court, they should postpone it until the month of Elul or at least until after Tisha B’av (1). One should not be concerned to finalize a shidduch and get engaged during the Nine Days. One can make a simple l’chaim or vort with basic foods served (e.g. cake and fruit). Dancing is not allowed. Singing is permitted (2).

Eating Meat and Drinking Wine. One may not eat meat or poultry during the Nine Days (3). One may not eat food cooked with meat (or chicken) even without the pieces of meat itself (clear chicken soup or chulent). Some say that parve food that was wrapped well in foil and cooked with meat (kugel in chulent), should not be eaten (4). One can eat parve food that was cooked in a clean meat pot, even if the pot was used within 24 hours. This includes sharp foods like onions (5). One can feed meat or chicken to children below the age of chinuch (approx. aged five). One who is unable to eat dairy (lactose intolerant) can eat chicken (6). A pregnant woman may eat chicken if necessary. On Erev Shabbos Chazon, one can taste and spit out food cooked with meat (chicken soup or chulent) but not the meat itself, in order to see if it is cooked properly (7). A beracha is not said. If one normally feeds their children the Shabbos meal (which contains meat) before Shabbos starts, they may do so within an hour or two of Shabbos (8).

Making a Siyum. One who finishes the following can make a siyum: Masechta Mishnayos learned well (9) (however the minhag is to only make a siyum on the completion of a seder Mishnayos); one Sefer of Tanach; one Sefer of Zohar; Chelek of Shulchan Aruch (10). The above is only when learned well and with a pirush (e.g Tosfos Yom Tov) and not when it is learned quickly in order to eat meat; Masechta of Gemara, either Bavli or Yerushalmi. Even a smaller Masechta such as Tamid, or Horiyos. One may only eat meat or drink wine as part of the siyum. Some say that a Masechta that was divided up between many people is not valid for a siyum (11). Ideally, one should not leave over part of their learning in order to make a siyum during the Nine Days.


(1) משנה ברורה תקנא:ב (2) שם:טז, קובץ הלכות י:ב (3) שו"ע יו"ד תקנא:ט (4) קובץ הלכות י:ב, אמנם עיין שושנת ישראל ג:ב (5) פסקי תשובות תקנא:רי, עיין תשובות ר' עקיבא איגר יו"ד פט:ג (6) משנה ברורה תקנא:סד (7) שושנת ישראל ג:ו (8) אגרות משה או"ח חלק ד' כא:ד (9) רמ"א יו"ד רסד:כו, בנין שלמה נ"ט, ארחות חיים תקנא:לה (01) משנה הלכות ו:קסו, שו"ת בית אב ב:נב (11) ויברך דוד א:כד, שיעורי הלכה מג:ח בשם הגמו"ר אלישיב זצ"ל והגמו"ר חיים קניבסקי זצ"ל, עיין קנין תורה ה:נב


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