Question:
I would like to know to know if I am allowed to wear new clothes in the three weeks?
Answer:
During the Three Weeks, one should not wear any new clothes or eat a new fruit which would obligate one to make a Shehecheyanu. Shulchan Aruch 551:17 writes that it is good not to make a Shehecheyanu on a new fruit or new clothing during the Three Weeks.
The Sh”t Maharil 15 writes that one shouldn’t make a Shehecheyanu on a new fruit or new clothing during the Three Weeks. Shulchan Aruch 551:17 codifies this as halacha saying that it is good not to say Shehecheyanu during the Three Weeks. Bach 551 (at the end) agrees and writes because of this one should not eat a new fruit or wear new clothing.
The Bach 551 writes that because of avoiding situations which would obligate Shehecheyanu one should not buy or wear new clothing during the Three Weeks. Kaf HaChaim 551:210 agrees. Mishna Brurah 551:99 writes that one should not wear the new clothing. Although the Bear Mayim Chaim 7 writes that the only issue is not to make the brocha of Shehecheyanu, however, one may eat a new fruit and just not make Shehecheyanu, the Maamar Mordechai 551:14 rejects this idea and does not allow eating the new fruit. The Mishna Brurah 551:99 and Kaf HaChaim 551:207 agree with the Maamar Mordechai.
The Rabbenu Sheves (quoted by the Mordechai Taanis 633) writes that one may not fix or wear new clothes during the week in which Tisha BeAv falls and adds that it is proper to be strict about this during the Nine Days. He bases this on the Yerushalmi (Pesachim 4:1) which says that it is a proper minhag not to sew from the beginning of Av. Bet Yosef 551:6 explains that although the Yerushalmi said not to sew during the Nine Days, that’s only a minhag, however, there is only an actual prohibition during the week in which Tisha BeAv falls out. Shulchan Aruch O.C. 551:6 rules that it is forbidden to wear new clothes during the week in which Tisha BeAv falls out and the Rama adds that the Ashkenazic minhag is to be strict on this starting from Rosh Chodesh Av (during the entire Nine Days). The Magen Avraham 551:21 is bothered why there is another prohibition to wear new clothes (Shulchan Aruch 551:6) if one can’t wear new clothes anyway because of avoiding making Shehecheyanu during the entire Three Weeks (Shulchan Aruch 551:17). See there where he gives 2 answers. The Kaf HaChaim 551:88 answers that avoiding Shehecheyanu is only considered preferable by Shulchan Aruch 551:17, while not wearing new clothes during the week during which Tisha BeAv falls out is an actual prohibition.
Nonetheless, in light of Shulchan Aruch 551:17’s ruling to avoid Shehecheyanu, Mishna Brurah 551:99 writes that one shouldn’t eat a new fruit or wear new clothing during the Three Weeks. There are many Sephardic Poskim that agree with this psak.
Because one shouldn’t make a Shehecheyanu, one shouldn’t eat a new fruit or wear a new clothing because these actions require a Shehecheyanu.
Sh”t Chaim Sheol O”C 7 and Ketonet Yosef 11 (quoted in Kaf HaChaim 551:207) writes that even though one can’t make a Shehecheyanu during the 3 weeks, one can eat a new fruit or wear new clothes without a Brocha. However, the Sefer Chasidim 840, Shaarei Knesset HaGedolah 551:52, Bach 551e, Maamer Mordechai 551:14, Yometz Ometz 56, Bear Heitev 551:20, and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 122:2 write that one is not allowed to have a new fruit during the three weeks without a Brocha, since having a new fruit requires a Brocha and it can’t be made during the three weeks. Birkei Yosef 551:12, Shaare Teshuva 551:38, Kaf Hachayim 551:215 say that a shehecheyanu may be recited if by mistake the Borei pri haetz was already said over a new fruit.
A new fruit that will not be available after the Three Weeks may be eaten and a shehecheyanu recited.
During the Nine Days one should not buy new clothing. Rama 551:7 writes that buying new clothing is forbidden during the Nine Days just like fixing new clothing. The Mishna Brurah 551:49 writes that it is forbidden to buy new clothes even if one will only wear them after Tisha BeAv. The Kaf HaChaim 551:103 agrees to this aswell.
However, a pregnant woman or a sick person is permitted to eat new fruit according to the Mishna Brurah 551:99. |