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I understand that the 5 forms of inuy ("affliction) that occur on Yom Kippur also applies to Tish'a B'Av. One of these is the prohibition to wear leather shoes.

I viewed this M.Y. answer which offers some explanation why wearing shoes is prohibited. I'm inferring that the original idea was to walk barefoot. This, indeed, would be a form of affliction.

However, currently, we substitute the leather shoes with sneakers. To me, and, I think, most people, find that sneakers are actually more comfortable than leather shoes. They are light weight, cooler, and many have "vents". So, if the sneakers are actually more comfortable, how would wearing them be a form of affliction? It sounds like it's accomplishing the opposite.

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DanF
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  • Who is "we"? [15] – Double AA Jul 22 '15 at 18:56
  • Perhaps you derive more pleasure from wearing a fancier item? – Ani Yodea Jul 22 '15 at 19:08
  • There are those who say that you shouldn't wear comfortable shoes but AFAICT most don't hold that way. – Daniel Jul 22 '15 at 19:13
  • a related point about comfy non-leather shoes http://revach.net/halacha/tshuvos/Crocs-For-Tisha-BAv-Rav-Elyashiv-and-Rav-Shternbuch/2599 and http://www.dinonline.org/2011/07/18/wearing-crocs-on-tisha-beav/ – rosends Jul 22 '15 at 19:22
  • Strongly related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/3159/crocs-on-yom-kippur – Yishai Jul 22 '15 at 19:29
  • @Yishai Is this a duplicate of that? – msh210 Jul 22 '15 at 19:48
  • @msh210, I don't think so. That question asks what the Halacha is (and focuses on a specific kind of shoe), this one asks why it is that way (according to the view that non-leather comfortable shoes are OK). – Yishai Jul 22 '15 at 19:53

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Mishnah Berurah 554:30:

(ל) אבל של בגד או של עץ וכו' - ר"ל אע"ג דמגין על רגלו וגם עשוי בצורת מנעל ממש שרי דלא נקרא מנעל אלא של עור:

M.B. is commenting on the Shulchan Aruch's text that states that one should not wear leather shoes but can wear "begged" (is "cloth" the correct translation, here?) or wooden shoes.

Explaining this, He says that even though these type of shoes cover the feet and are made in the form of a min'al (I am leaving this word untranslated to preserve the understanding of the prohibition of wearing shoes which is termed ne'ilat hasandal. The word min'al is from the same word form.) such shoes (cloth or wooden) are not called min'al as that term refers only to shoes made from skin (e.g. leather / suede, etc.)

DanF
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  • I don't see how this is any different from the other answer... – Double AA Jul 23 '15 at 14:44
  • @DoubleAA A source, for one thing. But moreso, I'm refuting my own premise in the question. I.e. that comfort is a factor in the type of shoe being worn. What I've learned from this source, is that it is NOT a factor. In its conclusion, my answer is NOT different from the previous one. I just may be expanding on what that one says. If it makes more sense, I can merge my answer into that one. – DanF Jul 23 '15 at 15:01
  • Since I did not provide the source, I will just delete my answer and leave yours. – sabbahillel Jul 30 '15 at 17:57
  • @sabbahillel "peer pressure", huh? – DanF Jul 30 '15 at 18:06
  • @DanF You gave the correct answer with sources, no need to have a duplicate just from memory. – sabbahillel Jul 30 '15 at 18:30