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Mishna Berura in OC 426:11 rules that one can make Kiddush Levana on Motzei Tisha Beav, but should first eat and change into regular shoes.

What if a minyan is reciting Kidduah Levana immediately after Maariv, and thereafter one will not be able to easily find a minyan for Kiddush Levana? Should one say it with the minyan despite not having eaten or changed into shoes?

Is there any significance to the Tisha Beav shoes worn in our days, if they are the type people would wear on other days as well (i.e. converse, crocs)?

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    Most shuls have water fountains or such where you can technically break your fast
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 0:19
  • @DoubleAA What if you keep a later zman for eating and drinking? I.e.
    – Yoreinu
    Commented Aug 14 at 0:20
  • Then you'd be saying kiddush levana on Tisha bav itself during the daytime.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 0:21
  • So you rule that one has to say kiddush levana after tzais hakochavim? Any sources? I thought one can say it once it's dark enough that one enjoys the light from the moon
    – Yoreinu
    Commented Aug 14 at 0:23
  • I don't rule that way but a fair number of acharonim do. "dark enough that one enjoys the light from the moon" that's arguably the same thing as tzais. If you can benefit from the moon before your calculation of tzais, probably your calculation is bad.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 0:39

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R Eliezer Melamed (Peninei Halacha Zemanim 10:19) rules that one should indeed say it with a minyan despite not having eaten or changed into shoes, if waiting longer will cause a person to forget.

In our shul, we serve cake and drinks to allow people to break the fast, wash up and say the blessing together.

The custom is to postpone Birkat HaLevanah (the Blessing of the Moon) until after the fast [of Tish’a B’Av], because the blessing must be recited joyously, and we decrease our joy during the Nine Days. Many people are accustomed to saying it immediately after the Ma’ariv prayer at the conclusion of the fast, but it is improper to do so, le’chatchilah. After all, it is difficult to be happy then, when we have yet to drink, eat, wash our faces and hands, or put on [regular] shoes.

Therefore, [each community] should set a time – an hour or two after the fast – for the recitation of Birkat HaLevanah, and in the meantime, everyone will [have a chance to] eat something and wash up. This way, they will be able to say the blessing joyously. Where there is concern that pushing off Birkat HaLevanah may cause some people to forget to say it, [the congregation] may say it immediately after the fast, but it is best to take a drink and wash one’s face beforehand.

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  • The concern of forgetting doesn't seem relevant if Tisha Bav is Thursday
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 3:09
  • I don't understand what eating a bite of cake does to make you happy. Either Motzaei Tisha Bav is an objectively happy time because Mashiach is born or something, or it's the time the Temple was actually burning with everyone emotionally drained from a day of mourning. If the latter, a bite of cake is really going to change your mood? If the former who needs cake? (Also how could a Jew go through Tisha Bav and break his fast with cake?!?)
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 3:11
  • I think the point is that, until eating, a person is distracted by his hunger and thirst. Once he has broken the fast, it is easier to rejoice for birkat halevana. At least I believe the majority of people feel this way - even if one or the other differs.
    – mbloch
    Commented Aug 14 at 11:42
  • That can't be the logic because of yom kippur when you're equally hungry and should be distracted from the simcha.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 11:51
  • We should just admit this modern kabbalistic practice of KL after TB is against halacha as codified in ShA. These attempted compromises of tasting something small are weak and hard to understand. That said the original prohibition to avoid KL due to "happiness" even on TB itself don't have much basis either. So for someone into modern kabbalistic practices, it's a bad explanation to get around a weakly justified law. When the Ari made up this practice he was probably just willing to straight up argue on the Rama. No need to pretend the explanation is good just to go pretend Ari agreed to Rama
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 14 at 12:07

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