One may not wear leather shoes on 9 B'Av. Even if the shoe is only partially made of leather it's forbidden. One may wear footwear made of any other material. Those who must be among non-Jews and will be ridiculed if they are not wearing leather shoes, may wear them after putting some sand inside. Those who needs to walk long distances may wear leather shoes until they get close to their destination. One may wear leather jackets and belts, and any other clothing item made of leather on 9 B'Av. Wearing leather shoes for medical reasons is permissible. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 124:11. Halachos of the 3 weeks by Rav Shimon Eider zt"l page 22. - Danny Tuesday, 26 Tamuz 5768
Please daven for a little girl - TAMAR bat NAAMA - תמר בת נעמה
What's the reason for not wearing lether shoes ? And why does sand in them make a difference
ReplyDeleteNot wearing leather shoes is one of the Jewish customs of mourning. Other customs of Jewish mourning include sitting on the floor and not bathing.
ReplyDeleteOn the fast of 9 B'Av we mourn the loss of the Holy Temple which was the physical manifestation of Hashem's presence in this world.
The reason that wearing leather shoes is a sign of mourning: there's a certain haughtiness involved in stamping all day on dead animal hide; shows we're better than the animals.
When in mourning we realize that at some level we're similar to animals - we both die. So we no longer feel right to stamp on them.
By putting in sand we make the shoes uncomfortable and remove the aspect of haughtiness - without embarrassing ourselves (in those societies where wearing shoes is still the only way to dress properly.)
Hope this makes some sense,
- Danny
a question: can one make a bracha on b'samim, spices, essential oils, or odorous plants on a fast day like Yom Kippur?
ReplyDeleteNot only can one,but one should make a Bracha on Spices on Yom Kippour in order to help complete the count of "100 brachot per day".
ReplyDeleteAs the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch writes in 133:20
טוב להריח איזה פעמים בבשמים ולברך עליהם כדי להשלים מאה ברכות, ואמנם כל זמן שלא הסיח דעתו אסור לברך שנית דהוי ברכה לבטלה, על כן צריך להפסיק בינתים זמן גדול שיהא היסח הדעת בינתים. וטוב שיריח בכל פעם בשמים אחרים אף שהן מין אחד, ומכל שכן אם יש לו שלשה מינים כגון עצי בשמים, עשבי בשמים, ומיני בשמים, ואם יכוין לכל ברכות השליח צבור והקוראים בתורה והמפטירין, לא יחסרו לו רק שלש ברכות לתשלום מאה וישלים באלו שעל הבשמים