Siman 560

At the end of the third chapter of Bava Batra (60b), we learned three baraitot. The first: One may not plaster, and one may not decorate with moldings, and one may not paint with colors in this time. If one purchased a courtyard that was plastered, molded, or painted—it remains in its status. If it fell—one may not return and rebuild it. And this is the explanation: One may not make a house with white plaster, because of the mourning for Yerushalayim. And one may not mold forms shaped in plaster. And there are those who explain that this is plastering, except that it is whiter (Rashbam, s.v. "ve-ein mekhayirin"). And one may not paint forms of various types of colors (ibid.). If one purchased a courtyard that was plastered, etc.—it remains in its status, for it was done before the destruction. Therefore, there is no practical halachic difference for us in this detail. It was further taught: A person may not plaster his house with plaster. But if he mixed straw or sand into it—it is permitted.

It was further taught: Since the Temple was destroyed—ascetics increased in Israel, not to eat meat, and not to drink wine. Rabbi Yehoshua joined them… He said to them: My children, come and I will say to you: Not to mourn at all is impossible… and to mourn excessively is impossible… rather, thus the sages said: A person plasters his house with plaster, and leaves a small portion. And how much? An amah by an amah, and opposite the entrance.

And behold, to uphold all the baraitot so that they do not conflict with one another, it appears clear that this is the matter: the first baraita prohibits plastering with lime, and the second baraita permits it if one mixed sand or straw into it. And the first one also holds this, but it deals with a case without the mixture of sand or straw. And in such a case, where one mixed sand or straw into it—there is no need for a remainder at all. And the third baraita, which requires a remainder of an amah by an amah—this is without the mixture of sand or straw. And so wrote the Ran at the end of Ta'anit, and this is his wording: We learn... one plasters his house with lime, and leaves a small amount. This implies that if he mixed sand or straw into it—there is no need to leave a remainder; thus far his words. And so wrote the Nimukei Yosef in Bava Batra there, and this is his wording: If he mixed sand into it—it is permitted, because it blackens it slightly, and in such a case there is no need for the remainder of an amah. For regarding the remainder of an amah—it is permitted even with pure lime; thus far his words.

And according to this, we have cause to advocate for the majority of Israel, who are currently not careful regarding this law to leave an amah by an amah when plastering the walls of the house with lime. For it is known that now they mix much sand into the lime, nearly half and half. If so, by the strict law, no remainder is required at all. And even though the Rif and the Rosh, as well as the Rambam and the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch, only cited the latter Baraita, they were not concerned with being lengthy. But even in their words it is possible to say so, that with the mixing of sand no remainder is required. And there is clear proof for this: for behold, the Ran and the Nimukei Yosef are the commentators of the Rif, and if it entered one's mind that this was not the opinion of the Rif—how could they not have mentioned this? Rather, it is certainly as our words. (And also in the Beit Yosef he mentioned something similar to this, and the Bach disagreed with him, see there. And I wonder why he did not mention this at all in the Shulchan Aruch? And it requires further study.)

This is the wording of our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in section 1: From the time the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the sages who were in that generation enacted that one may never build a building that is plastered and paneled, meaning decorated like the building of kings. Rather, one plasters his house with clay, and coats it with lime, and leaves an amah by an amah opposite the entrance without lime. And one who purchases a courtyard that is plastered and paneled—it remains in its status, and we do not obligate him to peel the walls; thus far his words, and it is from the wording of the Rambam at the end of the fifth chapter of Ta'anit, see there. And he explains that plastered and decorated is completely forbidden. And the Tur disagrees on this, see there. And regarding what he wrote, "plasters with clay": it appears that such was his version of the text. And in a beit knesset and a beit midrash—leaving a space is not required (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And "opposite the entrance" means literally opposite, for example, if the entrance is in the east—one must specifically do it on the western wall. And one who does it on the wall where the entrance is located, above the entrance—it is nothing. And the great Acharonim wrote that it is not effective to blacken an amah by an amah, but specifically to leave it empty of lime (ibid., subsection 3). However, among us, they blacken it, and since they are accustomed that this is the reminder of the destruction—what does it matter to us if it is this way or that way? And those who hang embroidered garments around the walls—they should also leave an amah (ibid.). And similarly, those who stick beautiful paper on the walls, which is called "abayas," should also leave an amah, or blacken the place. And we have already written that with our lime—nothing is required.

And so they ordained that one who sets a table before guests, to make a meal for them—he leaves a vacant space, without one of the bowls that are fit to be placed there. And he omits some cooked dish as a sign of the destruction. And now we do not know of this. And the depiction before us is difficult: what is the vacant space? And when a woman makes silver and gold jewelry, she leaves out one type of the types of jewelry she is accustomed to, so that it will not be a complete set of jewelry, so that she does not adorn herself with all of them as one. And when a groom marries a woman—he takes simple ashes and places them on his head in the place where the tefillin are placed. And among us the custom, in place of burnt ashes, is to break the glass at the time of the chuppah, or to place a black cloth or other matters of mourning on the head of the groom. And all these things are in order to remember Jerusalem, as it is said (Psalms 137:5-6): "If I forget you, O Jerusalem... if I do not set Jerusalem above my chief joy." And know that pleasures were not forbidden, only pleasure that contains joy (Magen Avraham, subsection 7, from Shabbat 62a). And one must make a reminder for the joy.

And likewise they decreed not to play musical instruments, and all types of song, and all that produce sounds of song to rejoice with them. And it is forbidden to hear them because of the destruction, as it is said (Hosea 9:1): "Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation like the nations." And some say specifically one who is accustomed to this is forbidden, such as the ministers who rise and lie down with musical instruments. And likewise in a house of feasting—it is forbidden, if it is not a joy of a mitzvah. And even one who is not accustomed to this—it is forbidden. But for the need of a mitzvah, such as in the house of a groom and bride—everything is permitted. And even there one should not rejoice excessively. And at a meal of a siyum—it is permitted, and it is a mitzvah to rejoice in the joy of the Torah. And our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 3: That all of Israel have already accustomed themselves to say words of praise, or a song of thanksgivings, and a remembrance of the kindnesses of the Holy One, Blessed be He, over wine; thus far his words. That is to say: that in such a manner—it is permitted even at a discretionary meal. (See Taz and Magen Avraham, who complained about those who sing things out of their proper time, see there).

And likewise they decreed regarding the crowns of grooms, that he should not place one at all. And that the groom should not place any crown upon his head, as it is said (Ezekiel 21:31): "Remove the miter, and take off the crown." And likewise they decreed regarding the crowns of the bride, if it is of silver. But one of braided cord is permitted for a bride. And specifically for a groom and bride, but for all other men and women, they did not decree. And we do not know at all what these crowns are, for they are not practiced among us. And it is forbidden for a person to fill his mouth with laughter in this world, for laughter and lightheadedness lead to forbidden relations. And this is forbidden even during the time of the Temple. And this is when one engages in laughter for a long time with others. But mere laughter—we have no concern with it. And it is simple that it is forbidden to hear the singing of a woman, for this is an approach to forbidden relations.