The Three Weeks

Technically, there is no obligation to sleep or lie on the ground on Tisha Be-Av. Some people sleep on the ground on Tisha Be-Av; others sleep without a pillow. It is customary to sit on the ground like mourners on Tisha Be-Av.

Just as mourners may not greet others, so too, one may not greet others on Tisha Be-Av.

Just as a mourner may not study Torah during the shiva period, one may not study Torah on Tisha Be-Av, so that one’s attention is not diverted from the mourning.

The fifth way in which we afflict ourselves on Tisha Be-Av is by abstaining from sexual relations.

One may not wear high-quality shoes on Tisha Be-Av. There is a dispute among the poskim about the status of non-leather shoes.

One may not apply oil or ointment on Tisha Be-Av even to a small area of the body. One may not smell perfumes or other fragrances on Tisha Be-Av.

One may wash one’s hands for the sake of a mitzva because such washing is not for the purpose of gaining pleasure.

sick people are exempt from fasting on Tisha Be-Av, while pregnant and nursing women – despite the aches and pains that they experience – are not considered sick.

Any form of pleasurable washing is prohibited on Tisha Be-Av, whether the water is hot or cold. One may not even wash a small part of his body.

Sick people are exempt from fasting on Tisha Be-Av. A woman within thirty days of childbirth is considered sick.Those who are exempt from fasting should take care to eat only simple foods that they need for their health.