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HaRav Netanel Levihim –
Question
May I do laundry, use a dry cleaner, or wear freshly laundered clothing during the week in which Tisha B’Av falls?
Answer
The Mishnah in Gemara Taanit 26b teaches that one may not launder clothing during the week in which Tisha B’Av falls. The Gemara debates whether this applies even to clothing meant to be worn only after Tisha B’Av; the halacha follows Rav Sheshet, who forbids it even then, since laundering itself constitutes a hesech hada’at from mourning, proven by the minhag that laundering businesses closed entirely during this week. The Tur includes towels and tablecloths in this issur, and the Ramban adds that it applies even if a person owns only one set of clothing. Most poskim hold that clothing laundered before the week began may also not be worn during it. This is all nifsak by Maran in Orah Haim, siman 551:3.
This includes children’s clothing (Shulhan Aruch, OH 551:14; Yalkut Yosef, p. 301), with one exception: a child under three’s own clothing may be laundered alone, without adding other items.
The halacha applies whether laundering by hand, machine, or dry cleaner (Yabia Omer 7:43).
One may therefore not wear freshly laundered clothing this week, nor ask a non-Jew to launder it, based on amirah l’akum, that what is forbidden for a Jew himself is equally forbidden through a non-Jew acting on his behalf. Clothing may not be dropped off at a cleaner if it will be laundered during the week (Hazon Ovadia, p. 227).
For hot climates, the Ben Ish Hai (Devarim 6) and Yalkut Yosef suggest wearing the week’s intended clothing for 30-60 minutes beforehand and setting it aside for use during the week. The Hazon Ovadia (p. 229) adds that this may even be done on Shabbat if forgotten earlier, provided one actually benefits from wearing the clothes and does not repeat it hourly, so that it is not obvious its being done for weekday.
Sweaty undershirts and socks should ideally be worn in advance too, but if not, one may still change into laundered ones, especially if there is a foul odor, because of kavod habriyot (Hazon Ovadia, p. 229).
Hacham Dovid Yosef related that Rav Elyashiv, asked about these questions, said not to search for leniencies here, just as one wouldn’t during avelut for a parent, since this is a higher mourning directed at the public rather than the individual.
וכל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה