Torah Learning on Tisha B’Av

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

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Introduction

The passuk in Tehillim says about the Torah – ‘פקודי ה’ ישרים משמחי לב’ – ‘Hashem’s precepts are just, they bring joy to the heart’. Due to the sad nature of Tisha B’av, we refrain from joy and we therefore may not learn most areas of Torah. This restriction includes even thinking about these areas of Torah, without verbalising them. (SA 554:1,3)

One may study certain areas of Torah as they are sad in their nature. These areas are:
- Sefer Iyov (Job) with basic commentary
- Sefer Eicha (Lamentations) with basic commentary and Medrash Eicha
- The areas in Sefer Yirmiya (Jeremiah) which discuss the punishments befalling the Jewish nation. One must skip the verses with messages of consolation and those discussing punishments befalling the enemies of the Jews.
- The perek ‘eilu megalchin’ in the tractate of Gemara of Moed Kattan, which deals primarily with the laws of mourning
- The aggadic sections discussing the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash in the 5^th chapter of the Gemara in Gittin (famously including the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza) and the 11^th chapter of the Gemara in Sanhedrin (SA 554:1-2, MB3).
Basic Understanding: When learning these areas of Torah, one may only learn them at a basic level, to understand their meaning, and not at a deeper, more analytical level, as deeper analysis itself (even if merely done by thought, rather than verbalising it) is a source of joy even if the subject material is downbeat. Similarly, one may not work to understand a particularly complicated passage from these texts, given the sense of satisfaction one gets once one gains a clear understanding of it (MB 551: 2,4,5).

A Rav should only answer halachic shailos which need responses on Tisha B’Av (MB 554:5, Dirshu 10). Therefore, one should only ask shailos to their Rav on Tisha B’av if an answer is needed on that day.

Despite the restriction on learning Torah on Tisha B’av, one may say any passages of Torah that one normally says as part of the daily order of davening – hence one may say Korbanos as usual including the Mishnayos of Eizehu Mekoman, Rebbi Yishmael’s 13 Principles (though one who normally omits some or all of these passages on a regular day should not say those passages on Tisha B’av either) as well as Shema and Krias HaTorah.
The Ba’al korei may also go over the leining beforehand, even for leining at Mincha where the content is not downbeat. (SA 554:4, MB 6-8, Dirshu 10).

One who says a few chapters of Tehillim on a daily basis should consult a Rav about whether they may do so Tisha B’av, given there is a dispute about this matter. One (MB 554:7, Dirshu 13, 15).

One who normally reviews part of the weekly parsha on a daily basis, or on the day of the week that Tisha B’Av falls, should refrain from doing so on Tisha B’Av (SHT 554:11).