Print this Article
HaRav Netanel Levihim –
Question: When does the minhag against eating meat and drinking wine begin before Tisha B’Av, and are there exceptions?
Answer
The Mishnah (Taanit 26b) says the restriction on meat and wine only starts after midday on Erev Tisha B’Av, by the Seudat Hamafseket, according to the Tanna Kamma. The Gra (551:9) explains that this whole minhag comes from a story in Bava Batra 60b, where some people wanted to stop eating meat and drinking wine forever after the Bet Hamikdash was destroyed. Chazal told them the community couldn’t handle that, so instead they set up a shorter period of abstaining before Tisha B’Av. The Bet Yosef brings the Rashba, who notes that although the Mishnah discusses only the seudah hamafseket, the minhag is to refrain from meat from Rosh Chodesh Av until Tisha B’Av — and one who eats meat in a place where this minhag is already established is liable to be “bitten by a snake.”
The Shulchan Aruch (551:9) lists three different customs for when this begins: some start from the week of Tisha B’Av, some start from Rosh Chodesh Av, and some start from the 17th of Tammuz. The Sefardi custom is to start from Rosh Hodesh Av (Yehaveh Daat 1:41). Chicken is included in this restriction, but wine for havdala is allowed (Shulhan Aruch 551:10). Some only have the custom not to eat meat but wine was always allowed (Hazon Ovadia 176, Yalkut Yosef, Arba Taaniot 290). The minhag of the Ben Ish Hai (Devarim 19) and many Sefardim was to avoid wine as well.
On Rosh Chodesh Av itself, there’s a disagreement. The Maharil and the Sha’ar HaKavanot say that even though Rosh Chodesh is usually a happy day, Rosh Hodesh Av is different — people should still avoid meat. The Seder HaYom explains this is because Aharon HaKohen died on Rosh Chodesh Av, and this whole month is a month of punishment. The Mishna Berura (551:58) says Rosh Chodesh is included in the restriction — this is the Ashkenazi practice. But the Kaf HaChaim, the Chida, and the Ben Ish Chai say the opposite — you may eat meat on Rosh Chodesh, in honor of Rosh Chodesh. This is the Sefardi practice.
Meat and wine are allowed at a seudat mitzvah, like a brit, pidyon haben, sheva berahhot, bar mitzvah seudah on the actual day, or a siyum on a masechta. But if someone isn’t really part of the simha and just wants to eat meat and drink wine, that turns the meal into a mitzvah habaa b’aveira — a mitzvah done through a wrongdoing (Minhagei Maharil, p. 228, Yalkut Yosef Arba Taaniot).
For a child or someone who is sick, a Rav should be asked, since the answer depends on the specific situation.