IMPORTANT : The German government has decided to compensate all Moroccan-born Jews (anywhere in Morocco) born before 1944 for the hardships they faced during the war in the amount of 2,556 Euros. To apply from anywhere in the world, contact Charles Lugassy at 514-299-6279 and visit www.juifsdumaroc.com or www.jewishmoroccans.com.

Each day of the three weeks, we will be publishing a popular Qina sung at Tish’a Beab:

1. Dibré Nebiim

2. Lifdot & Lu Yishkelu

3. Shana Beshana & Yona Nikh-ava

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Maghen Abot – e”H Ribi Mordekhai Lebhar s”t

Laws of Tish’a Beab

4. Reading of the Three Haftarot of Rebuke (Telata Depur’anuta)

The minhag is to read the haftarot on the three Shabatot directly prior to Tish’a Beab (known as the Telata Depur’anuta, starting this Shabat) with a special, mournful melody different from that used during the rest of the year. Listen Here

This is an old minhag, already mentioned in the responsa of the Ribash, who lived in the Middle Ages. Many Jewish communities have similar customs- Tunisia (see Zé Hashulhan, p.145) and Egypt (see Nahar Misrayim), as well as the Ashkenazim, who read these Haftarot with the melody used for Meghilat Ekha. Some contemporary halakhic authorities have spoken against this minhag, saying that it constitutes a public display of mourning on Shabat. However, the Ribash, mentioned above, and other early authorities did not seem to find any fault with this custom. Rather, it seems they reasoned that since the Sages had instituted the reading of these three Haftarot in order to arouse the people to repentance, and to further facilitate this it became customary to read the Haftarot in a special tune.

6. Cutting One’s Hair During the Three Weeks

One may not get one’s haircut from Rosh Hodesh Av until Tish’a Beab. However, many have the custom to not have their hair cut beginning from the Seventeenth of Tammuz.

The minhag of the majority of the common people was not to have the hair cut from Rosh Hodesh Ab. However, most Tora scholars were strict and started from the Seventeenth of Tammuz. See Ribi Refael Barukh Toledano zs”l (Qisur Shulhan ‘Arukh p.246) and Ribi Shalom Messas zs”l (Shemesh Umaghen Part 3, Chapter 54).

Netibot Hama’arab – e”H Ribi Eliyahou Bitton s”t

Minhagim of Tish’a Beab

6. We have the minhag not to eat new fruits during the Three Weeks, even on Shabat. The reason is not because these are days of mourning, but rather because these are days of tragedy and loss and one cannot say the berakha of “Sheheheyanu” where it says “vehigi’anu lazeman hazé” – “and you brought us to this time” because this is not a good time to be brought to. See QS”A Ribi Toledano zs”l p. 249, Birké Yosef by Maran HaHida Siman 50:9, and Vayomer Yishaq by Ribi Yishaq Bengualid zs”l (Heleq 2 Siman 11).

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Shi’urim :

*NEW 21/7 R. Assayag – Ribi Shalom Messas’s Take on Wigs 3

*NEW 18/7 R. Leb’har – Origins and Significance of the ‘Henna

*NEW 11/7 R. Leb’har – Nusa’h of the Berakhot Under the ‘Houpa & Pregnancy Through Invitro

* Darké Abotenou Shi’urim Archive

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Our Holy Sages, Hazal, teach us that “One who studies [at least] two laws daily is guaranteed a portion in the world to come.” -Masekhet Meghila 28b