Erev Tisha B’Av – Seudah Hamafsekes

These halachos are based on the rulings of Mishna Berura (MB), reflecting Ashkenazi practice.

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• The Seudah hamafsekes is the final meal that one eats in the afternoon of Erev Tisha B’av, before the start of the fast. If one plans for one’s last meal before the fast to be before chatzos, halachic midday, these halachos do not apply. (SA 552:1,9).
• Note that these halachos do not apply if Erev Tisha B’Av falls on Shabbos – see that section for more details.

The Two Meals in the Afternoon of Erev Tisha B’av

• The custom is to have a meal in the afternoon on erev Tisha b’av before davening mincha, and then eat seudah hamafsekes after mincha (One requires the interruption of Mincha between the two meals – one may not simply have a regular meal, bentch and immediately eat the seudah hamfsekes as this is considered to be making unnecessary brachos [by dividing what is effectively one meal into two])
• The purpose of the first meal in the afternoon is to ensure that one has eaten sufficiently to be able to fast; as such the Rema records that the practice is for this to be larger than a regular meal. Some Acharonim do not believe that it is appropriate to have a good meal with multiple dishes so close to Tisha B’Av and indeed one who believes they can limit what they eat without it harming their ability to fast is praiseworthy; nonetheless, our practice to eat a larger meal is justified when one’s intention when eating this meal is for the sake of Heaven, namely to give one the strength to fast.
• Nonetheless, one should not over-fill oneself at this meal, to ensure that the seudah hamafsekes one eats later is considered a meal in its own right and is not reduced to be an insignificant snack (in which case the halachos of seudah hamafsekes should actually have applied to the meal held earlier in the afternoon, as this later snack is not the final ‘meal’) or achila gasa – excessive eating (SA 552:9, MB 22, SHT 16).

What One May and May Not Eat at the Seudah Hamafsekes

• To strengthen the seudah hamafsekes’ status as seudah in its own right, it is appropriate to eat bread at this meal (Dirshu 552:18).
• At the seudah hamafsekes, we restrict what we eat as a sign of mourning and distress at the destruction of the beis hamikdash. It is forbidden to eat two different cooked or roasted dishes at this meal and one may not eat meat or drink wine or grape juice – whilst we do not do so in any event during the Nine Days, this restriction is a Rabbinic requirement, rather than a function of custom as it is during the Nine Days. The custom is also to extend the scope of what one may not consume further than during the Nine Days – one should not drink other alcoholic beverages such as beer, nor may one eat fish (SA 552:1-3, MB 1,3, 4, SHT 1).

Defining Two Dishes

• The following are considered to be two different dishes such that one may not eat both of them at the seudah hamafsekes if they are cooked or roasted:
  • Two dishes that are made of the same ingredient but with different textures (MB 552:8)
  • One dish containing two different types of food, when in the majority of cases one eats one without the other; however, if in most cases one eats these two types of food specifically together then it is only considered one dish.
    1. For example, Shulchan Aruch describes their usual practice was to eat beans with onion and egg such that this was only considered one dish, whereas Mishna Brura says noodles and cheese would be considered like two dishes as one doesn’t eat them together the majority of the time. These examples would change from community to community and even person to person – it goes based on each individual’s usual practice (SA 552:3, MB 10-11, Dirshu 8)

Hard Boiled Eggs

• Many have the custom to eat hard-boiled eggs as the one cooked dish that one is allowed to eat at the seudah hamafsekes.
• It is permitted to eat multiple hard-boiled eggs as they are made of the same food and have the same texture so are not considered separate dishes.
• One may not eat a further cooked dish in addition to the hard-boiled eggs, given that one may not eat two cooked dishes, as outlined above (R 552:5, MB 8, 14).

Baked and Raw Foods, Drinks

• There is no specific restriction on the number of types of raw fruit or vegetables, baked goods or non-alcoholic drinks that one may consume at the seudah hamafsekes.
• Nonetheless, one should not eat such foods as a luxury or to provide extra enjoyment at the meal; one should restrict the types of food one is eating to what is essential to prepare one for the fast.
• Whilst the practice is to permit drinking tea and coffee, particularly where one feels the need to do so to help with the fast, other drinks which are normally drunk for enjoyment should be avoided. (SA 552:4, Rema 552:1, MB4, Piskei Tshuvos 2, 5, Dirshu 4).

Foods With a Lasting Sweet Taste

• At the Seudah Hamafsekes one should not eat sweet foods that leave a lasting sweet taste in one’s mouth, such as liquorice,  so one does not come to swallow this sweet taste with one’s saliva on the fast (MB 90:45).

Bread and Water

• Where one can (in terms of it being sufficient to prepare one for the fast), the optimal way to fulfil the seudah hamafsekes is to merely eat bread and drink water, though in sufficient quantity to ensure one is prepared for the fast (SA 552:6, MB15).

Sitting On The Floor

• The practice is to sit on the floor whilst eating the seudah hamafsekes. However, this does not indicate the start of the restrictions of Tisha B’av, so one needn’t remove one’s shoes and one may sit on regular chairs afterwards until the fast starts.
• One who will find it too difficult to sit on the floor may sit on a pillow; where even this is insufficient, one may sit on a chair but should not sit in one’s usual seat at the table (SA 552:7, MB 17-18, Dirshu 16).

Dipping Bread in Ashes

• At the end of the meal, some have the custom to dip bread in ashes, eat it and say ‘This is the Tisha b’av meal’. (R 552:6, MB 16)

Zimmun

• Three men should not eat the seudah hamafsekes on Erev Tisha B’Av together, to avoid becoming obligated in zimun; rather each should eat in a separate place to fulfil the passuk in Eicha ‘ישב בדד וידם Let him sit alone and be silent’. After the fact, even if they did eat together, zimmun is not recited. (SA 552:8, MB 19, Levush 8).

After The Meal

• When one finishes the seudah hamafsekes, one does not automatically accept the fast upon oneself. Therefore, one is permitted to snack until shkia, sunset, when the restrictions of the fast begin.
• Accepting the Fast: However, if one verbally states that one is now ceasing to eat, or that one is now accepting the fast upon oneself, one is then bound by all the restrictions of Tisha B’av (except wearing leather shoes if one is still doing so, as wearing them shows one hasn’t yet accepted this restriction upon oneself).
  • According to many opinions, this is true even if one merely thinks that one is accepting the fast upon oneself.
  • However, a mental commitment not to eat anymore before the fast is not tantamount to accepting the fast and one may continue to eat thereafter.
• To avoid any issues in this regard, it is advisable to verbally or mentally state that one does not wish to accept the fast upon oneself until sunset (SA 553:1, MB2, SHT 3).