Siman 559

If Tisha B'Av falls on Shabbat or on Sunday—one does not say "Tzidkatkha" at Mincha on Shabbat, nor Pirkei Avot. And it appears that when it falls on Sunday—one does say Pirkei Avot. Similarly, one is not to say "Tziduk HaDin" on Tisha B'Av. And some say that one does say "Tziduk HaDin," as it is no worse than other kinot (Taz, subsection 1 in the name of the Rashal). And it is permitted to deliver a eulogy for a deceased sage, for the entire day is a day of weeping (ibid. subsection 6). And one says "Atah Chonantanu" in the Maariv prayer, as on every Saturday night. And the reason we do not recite Havdalah over a cup—is because it is forbidden to drink it. And if one forgot to say "Atah Chonantanu"—it was explained above in siman 294, see there.

And we pray Arvit slowly, and in the manner of weeping like mourners, and so we do during the reading of Eikhah. And in each Eikhah he raises his voice more, and pauses slightly between every verse, and at the end of every "Eikhah" slightly more. And the last verse of every "Eikhah" he says in a loud voice, and when the reader reaches the end at the verse "Hashivenu" – the congregation says it in a loud voice, and afterwards the reader finishes, and the congregation repeats and says it in a loud voice, and so too the reader. And there are those who wrote that we recite the blessing before Eikhah "on the reading of the Megillah" (Magen Avraham subsection 1), but our custom is not so. And the individual should say "Eikhah" also during the day. And among us, the reader reads all the "Eikhahs" during the day, after the Kinot and the prayer.

On the night of Tisha B'Av we pray Arvit, and we say Eichah and Kinot. After the Shemoneh Esrei, the sheliach tzibbur says Kaddish with "Titkabel," and after the Kinot he does not say "Titkabel." And so too the next day in Shacharit – he does not say "Titkabel"; so it is written in the Minhagim (Taz and Magen Avraham subsection 1). And I wonder about this: for if so, behold we say "Titkabel" in Arvit like on other days, and what relevance is there to say that he does not say "Titkabel" after the Kinot? Where have we found that they say "Titkabel" twice in one prayer? And in my humble opinion, it would seem not to say "Titkabel" after the Shemoneh Esrei in Arvit, and this is the change from all other days. Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in his great book brought indeed that there are places that do so, see there. And that which the Tur wrote, that they say a full Kaddish – it can be said that his intention is not regarding "Titkabel," but rather that he should not say a half Kaddish. And see what I wrote in siman 693. (And we do not bless the sons when it falls on Motzaei Shabbat.)

And after Eikhah and Kinot we say Seder Kedusha, and we begin with "And You are Holy." And even if it falls on Saturday night we do not say "Vayehi Noam," for there is no pleasantness on this day. Furthermore: "Vayehi Noam" was established regarding the erection of the Beit HaMikdash, and now it is destroyed due to our sins. And likewise we do not say "Veyiten Lekha," nor "Lamnatzeach BiNginot." And we remove the parokhet from before the Aron, based on "He has fulfilled His word" (Eikhah 2:17), which is translated as "He tore His purple garment." And on the night of Tisha B'Av and its day we sit in the beit knesset on the ground until the Mincha prayer. And we are accustomed until midday, and until after Kinot, for it is proper to extend them until midday. And not specifically on the ground, but rather one places something under himself, or on a small stool low to the ground. And we do not light many candles at night, but only one candle before the chazzan, so that he may read by its light. And if this is not sufficient for the congregation – they should light in scattered places, only as much as they are able to see, and no more (see Taz subsection 5). And in a place where the congregation does not recite, but only hears from the shaliach tzibur – they should not light before them at all, only one more candle, so that perhaps if the candle of the shaliach tzibur is extinguished, they may light it from this candle (Magen Avraham subsection 4 in the name of the Maharil). And also in Shacharit we omit in "Uva LeTzion" the verse "And as for Me, this is My covenant."

We do not say Tachanun nor Selichot on Tisha B'Av, because it is written: "He has called a Moed against me" (Lamentations 1:15). And we do not perform Nefilat Apayim. We explained the reason for this matter in siman 552, see there. And we do say "Mizmor L'Todah," but we do not say "Mizmor... Ya'ancha" nor "El Erech Apayim" when it falls on a Thursday. And we rise early to the beit din, and we do not call people to the beit knesset, but rather they come on their own. And we read in the Torah "Ki Tolid Banim" and the haftarah is in Jeremiah "Asof Asifam," and we read with the melody of Lamentations, except for the final verses. And it is stated in Masechet Soferim that each of those called to the Torah, before he ascends to the Torah, recites the blessing "Dayan HaEmet"; but this is not the custom. However, one who says it—should say it without the Name and Sovereignty. And we do not say "Pitum HaKetoret" that is after the prayer, for those who are accustomed to do so every day. And there is one who wrote that even what is before the prayer—they should not say, and likewise all the passages of the sacrifices (Magen Avraham, subsection 7). And this is a wonder, for the Tur and Shulchan Aruch in siman 554 explicitly wrote the opposite, see there. And there is no need to change one's place on Tisha B'Av. And after they finish the Maftir—they return the Sefer Torah to the Heichal, and sit on the ground, and say Kinot.

There are various customs in Masekhet Soferim, and the Tur brought them, and this is his wording: Some read the book of Kinot in the evening, and some delay until the morning after the reading of the Torah, for after the reading of the Torah – one stands and wallows in ashes, and his garments are torn, and he reads with weeping and wailing. If he knows how to translate it – it is better, and if not – he gives it to one who knows how to translate, so that all the people, and the women and the children, will understand. For women are obligated like men, and all the more so male children. And the one who reads on Tisha B'Av says "Blessed is the true Judge." And some place the case of the scroll on the ground, and say "The crown of our head has fallen." And they rend their garments and eulogize, like a person whose deceased relative lies before him. And some change their places, and some descend from their benches – and all of them wallow in ashes. And they do not say "Shalom" to one another etc.; thus far his words. And it is in Masekhet Soferim chapter eighteen.

One recites kinot with weeping and lamentation. And during the time of the kinot – one should not speak at all, nor go outside, so as not to divert his mind from the mourning. And it is a kal vachomer that he should not converse with a non-Jew. It is customary to recite some verses of consolation after the kinot, in order to conclude with good matters. And if there is an avel in the city – he goes at night to the beit knesset, and also during the day, until they finish the kinot, and even within three days. And there are those who wish to say specifically after three days, but it is not so (see Magen Avraham, subsection 8). It is customary to go to the graves immediately when they exit the beit knesset, for even the dead suffer in the suffering of the living. Therefore, one should only go to the graves of Israel. And the Arizal – his mind was not at ease with going to the graves (see Magen Avraham, subsection 15), except for the funeral of the deceased. And we have already written that now that they go in groups and engage in idle chatter – it is better not to go.

If there is an infant to circumcise—they circumcise him after finishing the Kinot. And there are those who do not circumcise until after midday, but the custom is not so. And in a place where they recite the blessing over the spices at a circumcision—they shall not recite the blessing now. And the sandak, and the mohel, and the father of the child—wear their tallit at the time of the circumcision, but they shall not wear Shabbat garments. And the mohel shall recite the blessing over the cup, and the mother of the infant shall drink from the cup, if the circumcision is in the house of the mother. And if not—he shall give it to children to drink. And when the mother drinks—she must hear the blessing, and she must not interrupt between the blessing and the drinking. And even though we wrote that they do not wear Shabbat garments, nevertheless the ba'al berit wears other garments, but not actual white ones. And the father of the son, and the mohel, and the sandak—all of them are called "ba'alei berit," and they are permitted to wear other garments after they have finished the Kinot, and they come to circumcise. But not actual white ones. (And that which our teacher, the Rema, wrote in section 8: "Shabbat garments"—it seems to me that it is not meant precisely, for if so, how can he say "not actual white ones"? And so it is proven in the Mordechai at the end of Ta'anit, see there.)

From the law of the Gemara (end of the third chapter of Eruvin): When Tisha B'Av falls on Shabbat and is postponed to Sunday, and a brit milah occurs on it—the ba'alei habrit pray Mincha while the day is yet large, Mincha Gedola or Mincha Ketana (see Magen Avraham subsection 13). And they wash their faces, their hands, and their feet, and they make a feast of meat and wine, and they eat, because it is their yom tov. Nevertheless, we have not seen and we have not heard of anyone who would do so. And specifically among us, where most feasts are at night. And not only Tisha B'Av, but even any fast, and even a postponed fast—one does not make any feast, whether of a milah or of a pidyon haben, until the night. And such is the simple custom, and one should not change it. And know that one does not slaughter, and one does not prepare the needs of a feast, until after midday, unless it is needed for the purpose of a seudat mitzvah, where the preparation would not suffice after midday, for then they may prepare even before midday. And this thing is not common. And also one does not spread the beds, and one does not sweep the house, until after midday. And it is proper not to sweep the entire day.