The Nine Days - Garden Tending

QUESTION: Is one permitted to mow their lawn or weed their garden during the nine days?

ANSWER: Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:2) writes that from Rosh Chodesh Av until after Tisha B’Av one must lessen their business activities and may not plant gardens or trees for enjoyment. Sefer Rivevos Efrayim (1:374) infers from the words of Shulchan Aruch that only planting is forbidden. Although pruning, weeding and mowing the lawn make the garden more attractive, they do not bring the same level of joy and are therefore allowed. However, he writes that on Tisha B’Av itself, it is inappropriate to be involved in any of these activities. There is even a custom not to do any melacha on Tisha B’Av to ensure that one's attention is devoted entirely to mourning the Beis Hamikdash; certainly, one should not tend to their garden on Tisha B’Av. He quotes some who maintain that although there is no prohibition or custom that forbids mowing or weeding your garden during the nine days, one who avoids doing so is praiseworthy.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.