Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 559

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 559 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1Customs of Tisha b'Av and rulings regarding circumcision on Tisha b'Av, containing 10 paragraphs: When Tisha b'Av begins on Saturday night, we don't say "Tzidkatecha" during mincha of Shabbat. Rema: and we make Havdalah at night during prayer, like all other Motza'ei Shabbat. (Notes of Mordechai, Halachot Tisha b'Av) And if one forgot to make havdalah, see Siman 294 subsection 3. And one should pray in tranquility, as mourners cry. And so we do in the reading of Eicha (Hagahot Maimoni) and with all "Eicha"s one should lift up one's voice higher (Maharil). And when the chazan reaches the verse "Hashiveinu", the congregation says it in a loud voice. And after that, the chazan concludes and returns and the congregation and chazan both say "Hashiveinu" in a loud voice. (Hagahot Maimoni)
2. 2On the night of Tisha b'Av (we pray ma'ariv and say Eicha and kinnot) (Hagahot Maimoni and Maharil) and after one says kinnot and Eicha one says Seder Kedusha [?] and concludes with v'Ata Kadosh, and if it falls on Saturday night, we do not say Vayehi Noam: Rema: and we don't say "Lamenatzeach Bineginot" and not "Vayiten Lecha" (Kol Bo). And we remove the curtain from in front of the ark to there, and follow his saying [?] (Minhagim)
3. 3The night of Tisha b'Av and its day, we sit in synagogue on the earth, until the afternoon prayer. (and now we are accustomed to sit on stools immediately after we leave the synagoge in the morning, and continue with the kinnot until just before midday) And we do not light lamps at night, but with the light of one lamp we say kinnot and Eicha.
4. 4People don't say Tachanun (or slichot) (notes of Ashiri) on Tisha b'Av, and they don't fall on their faces, because it's called a festival. Rema: and we read from the Torah "When you birth children" (Deuteronomy 4:25) and from the Haftorah in Jeremiah "I will make an end of them" (Jeremiah 8:13), and all the Kaddishim are said after Eicha until they go out tomorrow to the synagogue, and we don't say "Titkabal" and we don't say "God, slow to anger" (Tur Minhagim) or "Lamenatzeach (Minhagim) and not Pitom haKetoret (Mordechai) and there is no need to change one's place on Tisha b'Av].
5. 5At the time of kinot, it is forbidden to tell a thing or to go outside, since one should not separate one's heart/mind from mourning. And all the more so that one should not be distracted with the idol-worshippers. (And we are accustomed to say a short comfort after the kinnot, to a verse of comfort) (Hagahaot Maimoni).
6. 6If there is a mourner in the city, they should go at night to synagogue and also in the daytime until they have finished the kinnot.
7. 7If there is a child to be circumcised, we circumcise him after we have finished kinnot. And there are those who delay the circumcision until after midday and bless blessings of circumcision without spices. (and the minhag is like the first thought). And if the child's mother is found in the place of circumcision, he should bless on the cup [of wine] and she should drink from it, and he(?) should hear the bracha and should not separate with words between hearing the bracha and drinking the wine. And if she is not there, he should bless on the cup and give children to taste from it.
8. 8The ba'al habrit dresses in other clothes, but not white ones. Rema: and the father of the child and the circumciser and the Sandek are all called ba'alei habrit (Beit Yosef) and it is permitted for them to dress in Shabbat clothes after they have completed the kinnot. And they come to circumcise the child, but they should not dress in white. (Maharil)
9. 9Tisha b'Av that falls on Shabbat and is pushed off to Sunday, the ba'al habrit should pray mincha while there is still much remaining of the day. And he should wash and should not complete his fast, since it is his day of celebration.
10. 10We are accustomed not to slaughter animals, or prepare for any needs of a meal, until after chatzot. Rema: and we go to visit graves directly after synagogue [Beit Yosef in the name of Tosafot] and if it happens that someone dies on Tisha b'Av, we do not say "Righteous is the Judge" {Tashbe"tz]

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