Is it permitted to play softball on Tisha b'Av?

Question

Is it permitted or forbidden to play softball on Tisha b'Av?

Perhaps if you dislike softball so much it reminds you of the destruction of the temple it may be permitted. Also you'll be fasting and not allowed to wear shoes — יהושע ק, Jul 15 '18 at 20:33
@JoshK it is allowed to wear Converse shoes, which are not leather, on Tisha b'Av, so that makes that point irrelevant. — kennebunkport, Jul 15 '18 at 20:42
@kennebunkport Actually, not everyone agrees Crocs and Converse are permitted to be worn on Tisha B'Av, because of how comfortable they are. — ezra, Jul 15 '18 at 22:35
@JoshK funny comment "Perhaps if you dislike softball so much it reminds you of the destruction of the temple" — kennebunkport, Jul 17 '18 at 02:43

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 15 '18 at 21:07

6

The Three Weeks by Rabbi Cohen pg 145-146

"One should try not to divert one's mind from mourning on Tishah B'Av. Therefore it is proper to refrain from all pleasurable activities, such as taking a stroll, reading the newspaper, listening to the radio, playing games."

answered Jul 15 '18 at 21:07

פרי זהב

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so it is mashma from Rabbi Cohen that it is not, in fact, forbidden to play softball on Tisha b'Av. It is only "proper to refrain" from doing so. – kennebunkport Jul 15 '18 at 21:29
pri zahav, does Rabbi Cohen list a source or footnote for that halacha? – kennebunkport Jul 15 '18 at 21:30
@kennebunkport - Not divert one's mind - שולחן שלמה סי' תקנד סעי' ב. Pleasurable activities - שו"ע סי' תקנד סעי' כא. taking a stroll - עפ"י הרמ"א סי' תקנג סעי' ב Reading the newspaper - הגר"נ קרליץ שליט"א, הובא בספר יד בבין המצרים עמוד קכח הערה יז. Playing games - שו"ת מקדש ישראל בפסקי הלכות פ"ד דיני ת"ב אות פג. – פרי זהב Jul 15 '18 at 21:53
@kennebunkport - The language used in the מקדש ישראל is "אסור". He writes אסור לשחוק במשחקים משך כל היום אפילו אחר חצות דיש בו משום שמחה יתירה ובפרט לאותו שלבסוף מנצח ועוד משום היסח הדעת יתירה – פרי זהב Jul 15 '18 at 21:56
pri zahav, is it an outright issur or just "proper to refrain," as Rabbi Cohen claims. – kennebunkport Jul 15 '18 at 22:00
Rabbi Cohen might have used the words "it is proper" because he wanted to include many things in one sentence. – פרי זהב Jul 15 '18 at 22:02
thanks pri zahav. So would Rabbi Cohen say that it is an outright issur to play softball on Tisha b'Av? – kennebunkport Jul 15 '18 at 22:04
@kennebunkport - I would think so from the footnote, but from the wording on top it is not clear. – פרי זהב Jul 15 '18 at 22:16
pri zahav, who is the author of "Mikdash Yisrael"? – kennebunkport Jul 17 '18 at 02:44
@kennebunkport - Rav Yisroel Dovid Harfenes a Rov in NY who wrote over a dozen Seforim on Halacha, some are ויברך דוד, נשמת ישראל, נשמת שבת. – פרי זהב Jul 17 '18 at 03:03

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 15 '18 at 21:44

From what Rabbi Jaeger and Rabbi Barclay write in their sefer "Guidelines: over 400 commonly asked questions about the Three Weeks," it appears that there is an outright prohibition on playing softball on Tisha b'Av. As they write, "A person should refrain from all pleasurable activities on Tisha B'Av. For example, one may not go for a stroll, read a newspaper, or listen to the radio."

Is it permitted to play softball on Tisha b'Av?

2 Answers2