I was wondering about the restrictions until chatzos on Sunday when Tisha B'Av is postponed from shabbos. Although we are told that the main burning of the temple burned was until chatzos of the tenth, we start the fast on the evening of the 9th. Therefore, when it is postponed, isn't it logical that the restrictions until chatzos on the fast day not apply? After all, the restrictions of Motsei Tisha B'Av until chatzos the next day do not apply when it's on shabbos, so why should the extra restrictions of the fast day itself apply until chatzos on the fast day? Do Rishonim and Achronim discuss any of this? Thanks.
David Goldman, USA
David, it is great to hear from you again!
1) I think you are going along the lines of Rebbi in Megilah 5b (top of the page), where the Gemara states that Rebbi wanted to "uproot Tish'ah b'Av." Rebbi Aba bar Zavda explained that Rebbi did not want to abolish Tish'ah b'Av entirely, but that he wanted merely to suspend Tish'ah b'Av that particular year (Rashi) because it fell on Shabbos, and Rebbi reasoned that once it has been postponed to Sunday, it should be pushed off indefinitely. The Chachamim, however, did not agree with Rebbi, as the Gemara tells us there, and the Halachah follows the Chachamim.
2) So, according to your logic, when you talk about the restrictions until Chatzos you presumably mean not eating meat and not drinking wine. That would mean that in the morning of the 10th of Av this year (i.e. our postponed Tish'ah b'Av), we could eat meat and drink wine. That would make sense according to Rebbi, but we do not rule like Rebbi.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom
Thank you. First one must wonder about the meaning of someone as great and holy as Rebbe advocating being very lenient on Sunday. However, what I was referring to specifically would be those customs of not saying hello, sitting on a low chair, restricting washing to the fingers, and even kinnos. Indeed, since we find in the Mishnah Brura who holds that on a regular Tisha B'av even a Choleh she'eyn bo sakkana may eat on Tisha B'Av, we could learn further leniencies on Sunday, for someone who is tired, thirsty or hungry.......no??!!
The fact that a Choleh she'Ein Bo Sakanah can eat on any Tish'ah b'Av can be compared to the fact that on Shabbos one may ask a Nochri to do any Melachah d'Oraisa for the needs of a Choleh she'Ein Bo Sakanah. The latter is a patient in a serious medical condition and Chazal waved aside rabbinical prohibitions for his needs. Since Tish'ah b'Av is mid'Rabanan, Chazal allowed him to eat.
The only difference beween a regular Tish'ah b'Av and a Nidcheh concerns the Halachos of eating for specific people with diificulties. In contrast, people will not get sick from sitting on a low chair or the other examples you mentioned, so these restrictions are not relaxed.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom