Av / Menachem

Recordings: NRP

In this document, page numbers refer to the green Tefillot, unless stated otherwise. In case there are two numbers, the second refers to the Koren Chumash for KKTT Amsterdam. Other books referred to are the Moadim and the Rosh Hashanah book.

A printable version of the total topic can be downloaded.

1. From the 1^st till the 9^th the month is called Av. Form the 11^th upwards the month is called Menachem. The 10^th itself is sometimes called Av and sometimes Menachem. As we keep the laws of Avelut the whole day of the 10^th, it is logical to call the 10^th Av too. See a note on this.

2. On Rosh Chodesh Hallel is not sung, unless it is Shabbat.

3. Even if Rosh Chodesh is on Shabbat, the second Haftarah for the 3 weeks (שמעו) is read by the Chazzan on the special melody, followed by the first and last line of השמים כסאי using the normal melody.

4. On the Shabbat before 9 Av, the Haftarah חזון ישעיהו is read by the Chazzan on the special melody.

5. The fast 9 Av is not announced on the preceding Shabbat.

6. On the Shabbat before 9 Ab, a Kohen [1] gets the Mitzvah of Levara (bringing out the Sefer Torah) and a Levi gets Acompanhar (accompanying the Sefer).
We do not shave, eat meet and drink wine only in the week of 9 Av itself, up till and including the 10^th of Av (SRP).
If 9 Av is on Shabbat, we keep only Sunday night. If 9 Av is on Sunday, we keep only Sunday night and Monday.

7. On 8 Av in the afternoon Techinot are not said, nor צדקתך on Shabbat.

8. If the fast is postponed to or on Sunday, the starting time is announced Friday afternoon before Hanoten: “Manha a tarde se deve ter tomade da a entrade de Jejum as …. horas ao mais tardar” (Tomorrow afternoon the fast must have been started at … hours the latest).

9. For prayers on 9 Av, see pages on public fast.

10. 9 Av all ornaments in the Snoge are black and we sit on another place in Snoge. We do not sit on the floor. Only the Chazzanim sit on a low bench on the Tebah. During Minchah, all is back to normal.

11. 9 Av Minchah the Kohen and Levi called in the morning are called if they are fasting [2].

12. If 9 Av is postponed to or on Sunday then after Arvit on Sunday the Chazzan announces to make הבדלה over a cup only “Dirão vosses a habdala sobre ó vaso“.

13. The Shabbat after 9 Av: Shabbat ואתחנן - שבת נחמו
An article in Dutch by Samaas S. Coutino

a.       On this Shabbat the Snoge was inaugurated in 1675. The special celebrations are almost not done anymore , Just festive melodies are used.

b.   The Duchan is sung in the Festive melody

c.      Before the Parashah, Hashkavah מה רב is read for the four corner-stone placers of the Snoge in 1671 [3]: Moshe Curiel, Joseph Jisrael Nunes, Imanuel de Pinto & David de Jitschak de Pinto.

d.       The Kohen and Levi whom we called on Shabbat Chazon are called now too (see point 6 above).

e.      The Chacham is called as 3^rd to read the 10 commandments.

f.      The Haftarah נחמו is read.

14. On 15 Menchem, Techinot are not said the whole day.

[1] Mistzot are assigned for the whole week, thus by assigning these Mistzot on Shabbat we assure they get these Mistzot on 9 Av and thus are on the Tebah on 9 Av by virtue of the Mitzwa. This way they need not be explicitly called to the Torah, something we try to avoid on 9 Av. Of course both must be fasting to be called on 9 Ab.

[2] Now they can get a Mi Sheberach, which was not given in the morning.

[3] De Castro: de Synagoge te Amsterdam, reprint 1950 page 33