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Is there laundry that is permissible to wash during the 9 days? Kids' clothes, undergarments, socks, etc.? I've heard yes, but I'm looking for a source. (This blog post cites the RaM"A but doesn't fully explain it.)

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Unfortunately, I once had to ask a shiala because my daughter had been discovered to have lice on the afternoon before Tisha b'Av, and the protocol is to launder all the clothes that might have come into contact and have lice or lice eggs on them. My own rabbi was out of town, so I called another Rabbi. He said that not only could I launder all of the clothes in our house on Tisha b'Av, I had to do the laundry because it was a health issue. We did 17 loads (my wife deemed everything in the closets at risk). Thankfully, her camps thereafter did lice checks well before the 9 days, and she never got lice again.

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Per Rabbi Eli Mansour's halakhic online responsa:

As was mentioned, it is forbidden to wear freshly laundered garments the week of Tisha BeAv, and it is forbidden to launder garments during the week of Tisha BeAv. … The only exception is, if it is for infants and toddlers up to 3 years old. It would be permissible since their garments become soiled very easily. It is also permissible to wash their cloth diapers, (in the event one still uses cloth diapers). But aside for little children, it is forbidden to wash clothes. It is forbidden not only by a Jew, but even by a non-Jew.

See below for links to more of Rabbi Mansour's halakhic opinions on this topic.

http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=631

http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=2356

http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=1251

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    Only the 2nd paragraph is relevant, but +1. You may want to cut it down to size to make it easy for the next reader to find the relevant passage. Just quote the relevant part and then link to the rest of the page for further reading.
    – Seth J
    Jul 23, 2012 at 13:50
  • @SethJ - I'm not exactly sure which paragraph you're talking about it because I didn't completely understand the question. Want to edit it yourself if you think that is the best way to answer it?
    – Adam Mosheh
    Jul 23, 2012 at 14:13
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    Could you summarize? (To guard against link rot and so we'll have the answer here on Mi Yodeya.)
    – Monica Cellio
    Jul 23, 2012 at 14:35
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    @AdamMosheh, should people have to dig there for answers? Three years from now there could be a bunch more revisions and your comment might be gone. Better to provide self-contained answers along with the links/citations.
    – Monica Cellio
    Jul 23, 2012 at 14:44
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    @SethJ, yes that's what I had in mind too. Thanks for the edit.
    – Monica Cellio
    Jul 23, 2012 at 15:22
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A secondary source would be the English Sefer "Summary of Halachos of the Three Weeks" by Rabbi Shimon Eider zt"l, chapter III D on page 9.

You can see it here with all the sources: http://books.google.co.il/books?id=k2lV5wQwwj0C&lpg=PP1&hl=iw&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q&f=false

Here is a copy of the relevant chapters - without the sources (which are in Hebrew and time consuming to type).

HALACHOS OF THE THREE WEEKS - Ch III D

3. A Jew cleaning clothing of a gentile

A Jew may clean or launder garments of a gentile during the Nine Days-but should refrain from cleaning their garments in public during the week Tisha B'Av occurs.

4. Only one garment

If a person has only one garment and it requires cleaning or laundering, or if he has many but all are dirty, it is permissible to clean a garment until the Shabbos before Tisha B'Av, but cleaning is prohibited during the week in which Tisha B'Av occurs.

6. Washing children's clothing

Washing children's diapers and clothing are permissible even in the week in which Tisha B'Av occurs. This halacha applies even to children whop do not wear diapers but who constantly soil their clothing with dirt, mud and the like. Washing these garments, however, should be done in private.

7. Washing for the purpose of a mitzvah

Washing for the purpose of a mitzvah is permissible-even during the week in which Tisha B'Av occurs. Therefore, a woman who is required to wear white for the Seven Clean Days may wash her garments and sheets for this purpose. On Tisha B'Av, however, if she discovers that she has no clean white garments, washing her garments is prohibited; she should wear a clean (i.e. without stains)-even colored garment-instead.

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  • Interesting. So in #4 he is saying that in a case of great need Ashkenazim may rely on the Sephardi Halachah (only prohibiting laundry in the week of 9 Av)?
    – Seth J
    Jul 25, 2012 at 13:04
  • Either that, or even the Ashkenazim implemented the Minhag this way. One would have to study the sources to figure that out.
    – Danny Schoemann
    Jul 26, 2012 at 5:24

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