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בֵּין הַמְּצָרִים
The Three Weeks 5786
Bein HaMetzarim: The 21 Days of National Mourning
The Three Weeks (Bein HaMetzarim, literally 'between the straits') is the 21-day mourning period that runs from the 17th of Tammuz through the 9th of Av (Tisha B'Av). The phrase is drawn from the verse in Lamentations 1:3 describing Jerusalem's pursuers overtaking her 'between the straits.' Historically, the period spans the time between the Romans breaching Jerusalem's walls in 70 CE and the subsequent destruction of the Second Temple. Throughout the Three Weeks, traditional Jewish law observes mourning customs: weddings are not held, live music is avoided, haircuts and shaving are restricted, new clothes are not purchased, and the Shehecheyanu blessing is generally not recited on new fruits or garments. The mourning intensifies in the final Nine Days, from Rosh Chodesh Av through Tisha B'Av, when meat and wine are also avoided by most communities and laundering, swimming, and bathing for pleasure are added to the restrictions. The period is meant to draw Jews into a state of communal reflection on what was lost and what is yet to be rebuilt.
The Three Weeks Traditions
How Jews observe The Three Weeks around the world.
No weddings or major celebrations from the 17th of Tammuz through Tisha B'Av
Avoiding live music throughout the Three Weeks; many also avoid recorded music
No haircuts, shaving, or trimming of beards (with leniencies for professional needs in some communities)
Refraining from purchasing new clothes or saying the Shehecheyanu blessing on new items
Increased Torah study and acts of chesed (loving-kindness) as positive responses to mourning
The Nine Days (Rosh Chodesh Av through Tisha B'Av): traditional avoidance of meat and wine except on Shabbat
Shabbat Chazon (the Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av), when the Haftarah of Isaiah's vision of impending destruction is read
Many communities recite kinot or special prayers during the period; some study the laws of the Temple
Laundering clothes is restricted during the Nine Days, with exceptions for children's clothing and necessity
The Three Weeks Food Guide
Traditional foods and where to find them.
Three-Weeks Restaurant Dining
Most kosher restaurants remain open throughout the Three Weeks but adjust their operations: live music is paused, restaurant openings and launches are typically pushed to after Tisha B'Av, and many publish updated menus that emphasize traditional, comforting dishes over celebratory fare.
Find nearbyNine Days Dairy Menus
During the Nine Days (the final stretch from Rosh Chodesh Av through Tisha B'Av), many communities avoid meat and wine. Kosher dairy restaurants, pizza shops, sushi spots, and bakeries experience their busiest week of the summer. Many meat restaurants pivot to dairy or fish-only menus for the period.
Find nearbyFish-Forward Dishes
Fish is permitted throughout the Three Weeks and Nine Days, making it a popular choice. Kosher sushi spots, seafood restaurants, and dairy cafés that serve fish see strong demand. Salmon, tuna, branzino, and tilapia preparations are common features on Nine-Days menus.
Find nearbyPre-Tisha B'Av Seudah Hamafseket
The final meal eaten before the Tisha B'Av fast (the seudah hamafseket) is intentionally austere. The traditional version is a hard-boiled egg dipped in ashes, eaten alone while seated on the floor. Many communities prepare lentil soup as well, another traditional food of mourning.
Find nearbyKashrut Notes for The Three Weeks
The Three Weeks is a rabbinic mourning period, not a biblical fast or holiday
Restrictions intensify in the Nine Days (Rosh Chodesh Av through Tisha B'Av) when meat, wine, laundering, and swimming for pleasure are added
Shabbat during the Nine Days is observed normally with meat, wine, and joy; mourning customs are suspended for Shabbat
Children, the ill, and those with special medical needs may have leniencies; consult a competent rabbinical authority for specifics
Music restrictions vary by community: some prohibit only live music, others extend to recorded music and even singing for pleasure
Building, painting, or renovating a home for pleasure should be avoided during the Three Weeks; necessary repairs are permitted
Find Kosher Food for The Three Weeks
Browse certified kosher restaurants, bakeries, and caterers in your city.
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The Three Weeks FAQs
Common questions about The Three Weeks 5786.
When are the Three Weeks in 2026?
The Three Weeks in 2026 begin at dawn on Thursday, July 2 (the 17th of Tammuz) and end at nightfall on Thursday, July 23 (after Tisha B'Av on the 9th and 10th of Av). The Nine Days, the intensified final stretch, begin at sunset on Wednesday, July 15 (Rosh Chodesh Av) and end at nightfall on Thursday, July 23.
What are you not allowed to do during the Three Weeks?
During the Three Weeks, traditional Jewish law prohibits weddings, live music, haircuts and shaving, purchasing or wearing new clothes, and reciting the Shehecheyanu blessing on new items. Many communities also avoid joyous gatherings, music performances, and luxury purchases. The restrictions become stricter in the final Nine Days, when meat, wine, laundering, swimming, and bathing for pleasure are added.
What are the Nine Days?
The Nine Days (Tisha Yamim) are the final stretch of the Three Weeks, running from Rosh Chodesh Av through Tisha B'Av (a span of approximately nine days). During this period, traditional Jewish law adds restrictions on top of the Three Weeks customs: most communities avoid meat and wine (except on Shabbat), do not launder clothes, do not bathe or swim for pleasure, and do not engage in commerce considered joyous. This is the most intense period of communal mourning on the Jewish calendar after Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av itself.
Can you eat at kosher restaurants during the Three Weeks?
Yes. Kosher restaurants remain open throughout the Three Weeks. They typically pause live music and celebratory programming, and many promote their dairy and fish menus, especially during the Nine Days when most communities refrain from meat. Many restaurants also offer pre-fast and break-fast packages around the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av. Dairy restaurants, pizza shops, sushi spots, and fish-focused kitchens see their busiest week of the summer during the Nine Days.
Why no meat during the Nine Days?
The custom of avoiding meat and wine during the Nine Days commemorates the absence of meat sacrifices and wine libations after the Temple was destroyed. Both were central to Temple service, and abstaining from them reflects mourning for that loss. The custom begins with Rosh Chodesh Av and continues through Tisha B'Av. Shabbat during the Nine Days is an exception: meat and wine are eaten as normal because mourning customs are suspended on Shabbat. Some Sephardic communities follow different timelines for the meat-and-wine restriction.
Can you swim during the Three Weeks?
Swimming for pleasure is generally permitted during the first 17 days of the Three Weeks (until Rosh Chodesh Av) but is restricted during the Nine Days. Some communities follow a stricter custom of avoiding swimming for pleasure from the 17th of Tammuz onward. Swimming for medical reasons (physical therapy, exercise prescribed by a doctor) is permitted throughout. Children may swim in any case.
Can you have a haircut during the Three Weeks?
Most Ashkenazi communities prohibit haircuts and shaving from the 17th of Tammuz through Tisha B'Av. Sephardic custom traditionally restricts haircuts only during the actual week of Tisha B'Av (Shavua Shechal Bo). Exceptions exist for professional necessity, hair that has grown unmanageably, and medical needs. For young children whose hair has not yet been cut, the upsherin ceremony may be permitted in some cases. Consult a rabbi for specifics.
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