Halocho #1868 - Last chance for laundry

When the month of Av begins, one diminishes joy. From Rosh Chodesh Av until midday on 10th Av is the period known as The Nine Days.

During the Nine Days, one does not do any laundry even if one only intends wearing the clothes after the Nine Days.

One may not even give laundry to a non-Jew to wash during the Nine Days, but a Jew may do laundry for non-Jews.

One does not wear freshly laundered clothes during the Nine Days except on Shabbat. This does not apply to garments worn directly on the body; undergarments, socks, PJs and the like.
One may not change bed linens, tablecloths and towels during the Nine Days.

The "Nine Days" starts on Sunday evening (23 July / Rosh Chodesh Av) and ends 10 days later on Wednesday after noon (2 August / 10 Av).

==> Therefore it's advisable to prepare a week's supply of shirts, pants, skirts, etc. by wearing them for a short while before Rosh Chodesh. One can also prepare towels by using them once.

Baby clothing that gets dirty all the time and needs to be changed many times a day are exempt from the above and may be laundered and used during the Nine Days.

Anything halachically required for her 7 clean days, a Niddah may launder and wear during the Nine Days.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 122:9

To see a chart (in Hebrew in PDF) with the differences between Ashkenazi and Sefardi customs in the 3 weeks, go to http://tinyurl.com/Halocho9days

- Danny
Wednesday, 25 Tammuz 5777

וְכֵן אֵין מְכַבְּסִין בְּתִשְׁעָה יָמִים אֵלּוּ

וַאֲפִלּוּ חָלוּק אוֹ בֶּגֶד שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְלָבְשׁוֹ עַד אַחַר הַתַּעֲנִית. וַאֲפִלּוּ לְתִתָּם לְכוֹבֶסֶת אֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי אָסוּר

וְיִשְֹרָאֵלית, מֻתֶּרֶת לְכַבֵּס בִּגְדֵי אֵינָם יְהוּדִים. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם בַּשָּׁבוּעַ שֶׁחָל בָּהּ תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב יֵשׁ לָהּ לִזָּהֵר

וְכֵן אָסוּר בְּתִשְׁעָה יָמִים אֵלוּ לִלְבּוֹשׁ אוֹ לְהַצִּיעַ אֲפִלּוּ הַמְכֻבָּסִין מִקֹּדֶם. רַק לִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת, מֻתָּר לִלְבּוֹשׁ בִּגְדֵי פִּשְׁתָּן, וּלְהַצִּיעַ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת לְבָנִים, וּלְהַחֲלִיף מִטְפְּחוֹת הַיָּדַיִם וּמַגָּבוֹת, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בִּשְׁאָר שַׁבָּתוֹת. אֲבָל סְדִינִים לְבָנִים, אָסוּר לְהַצִּיעַ

וְאִשָּׁה שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לִלְבּוֹשׁ לְבָנִים לִסְפֹּר ז' נְקִיִּים, מֻתֶּרֶת לְכַבֵּס וְלִלְבּוֹשׁ

 וְכֵן הַמִּטְפָּחוֹת שֶׁמְלַפְּפִין בָּהֶן אֶת הַתִּינוֹקוֹת [חִתּוּלִים], שֶׁמְלַכְלְכִין אוֹתָן תָּדִיר, מֻתָּר לְכַבְּסָן