Although it is
customary to refrain from meat and wine during the Nine Days, this restriction
applies only on weekdays. On Shabbat,
one may eat as much meat and wine as he wishes, without any restrictions. One may partake of meat during Se'uda
Shelishit even the meal extends after sundown.
And when Tisha B'Ab falls on Shabbat, and the fast is thus postponed
until Sunday, there are no restrictions regarding the foods allowed during the
final meal before the fast on Shabbat afternoon. One may have as lavish a meal as he wants,
including meat and wine. Whereas
generally several restrictions apply to the final meal eaten before Tisha B'Ab,
these restrictions do not apply when Tisha B'Ab begins on Mosa'eh Shabbat.
The question arises as
to whether one may taste on Ereb Shabbat during the Nine Days a meat dish that
is being prepared for Shabbat.
Generally, it is proper to taste the Shabbat foods before Shabbat to
ensure that they are flavorful. Rav Haim
Vital (1542-1620) writes that this is a very important Misva, for just as cooks
preparing food for a king must taste the food before it is served, this must be
done for the honor of Shabbat, as well.
It has been explained that this is the deep meaning of the passage in
the Musaf prayer recited on Shabbat, "To'ameha Haim Zachu" – "Those who taste
it have earned life." Is this
permissible on Ereb Shabbat during the Nine Days, when partaking of meat is
forbidden?
Hacham Ovadia ruled
that this is allowed, for two reasons.
Firstly, he notes the Shulhan Aruch's ruling in a different context that
if one tastes a small morsel of food to check its flavor, he does not recite a
Beracha. This shows that tasting food
does not qualify as an act of Halachic eating, and thus tasting a meat dish is
allowed during the Nine Days. Secondly,
Hacham Ovadia writes, the great value and importance of tasting the Shabbat
foods overrides the custom to refrain from meat during the Nine Days.
Some poskim ruled that
one who tastes the meat dish on Ereb Shabbat must then remove it from his mouth
without swallowing, but Hacham Ovadia maintained that the food may be
swallowed, because of the two reasons mentioned above.
Rav Yisrael Bitan
writes that in conversation with Hacham Ovadia, the Hacham made it clear that
this leniency applies only after Hasot (Halachic midday) on Friday, and that
one may taste only an amount less than a Rebi'it of the meat dish.
If meat was prepared
for Shabbat during the Nine Days, and some of the meat is left over after
Shabbat, Hacham Ovadia permits eating the leftovers, particularly if one eats
the leftovers for Se'uda Rebi'it (the meal eaten after Shabbat, also known as
"Melaveh Malka"), and especially if one normally eats meat during the Se'uda
Rebi'it. Although meat is forbidden on
weekdays during the Nine Days, nevertheless, meat left over from Shabbat is
allowed. One may not intentionally cook
more than he deems necessary for Shabbat so that he will have leftover meat for
after Shabbat, but if he cooked food for Shabbat and some meat is left over, it
may be eaten after Shabbat.
There are several
reasons given for this leniency. The
Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) bases this Halacha on the
Gemara's discussion regarding meat that Beneh Yisrael brought with them into
Eretz Yisrael from the desert. During
the forty years Beneh Yisrael spent in the desert, Shehita (slaughtering) was
not required; they were allowed to kill an animal through any means and then
partake of its meat. Once they crossed
into Eretz Yisrael, this became forbidden, as Shehita was then required for
meat to be permitted. The Gemara writes
that if some leftover meat which was produced without Shehita was brought into
Eretz Yisrael, then "Ho'il Ve'ishteri Ishteri" – since it was permissible, it
remained permissible, even though meat produced this way was no longer
allowed. Similarly, the Hida writes,
since meat prepared for Shabbat was allowed on Shabbat, it remains permissible even
after Shabbat. Although there is some
discussion as to whether we may indeed permit food on the basis of the concept of
"Ho'il Ve'ishteri Ishteri," when it comes to meat during the Nine Days, which
is forbidden only by force of custom, there is room for leniency.
Others explain that
since this food was prepared for the purpose of a Misva, it is considered
special and there is a Misva to eat it.
Yet another explanation is the concern of "Bal Tash'hit" (wasting), as
the food would otherwise have to be discarded.
In one of Hacham
Ovadia's earlier works (Kol Sinai), he wrote that we should not object to those
who rely on this leniency and eat during the Nine Days meat that was left over
from Shabbat – implying that this is not the optimal practice. However, Rav Yisrael Bitan notes that in his
later works Hacham Ovadia writes that this is indeed permissible, and thus one
may eat leftover meat after Shabbat without any reservations.
Summary: Although we
refrain from meat and wine during the Nine Days, there are no restrictions on
what one may eat on Shabbat during the Nine Days; one may enjoy as much meat
and wine as he wishes on Shabbat during the Nine Days. Before Shabbat, it is permissible – and in
fact proper – to taste the Shabbat foods to ensure they are flavorful, even the
meat dishes, but this should be done after midday on Friday, and only very
small amounts may be tasted. If there is
leftover meat from Shabbat, it may be eaten after Shabbat, preferably as part
of the Se'uda Rebi'it meal after Shabbat.
However, one may not intentionally prepare more meat than is needed for
Shabbat so that he will have leftovers.
