Novardok Yeshiva Ate Meat Every Meal During Tisha B'Av Nine Days by Holding Daily Talmud Completions

During the traditional Jewish mourning period known as the Nine Days leading up to Tisha B'Av, it is customary to avoid eating meat and wine, except in the Yemenite Jewish community which permits meat consumption during this time. This prohibition is codified in Jewish law by the Shulchan Aruch, though the Rema allows eating meat at a siyum (completion) meal of a Talmudic tractate. The Mishnah Berurah limits this leniency to those who happen to complete their study naturally, warning against deliberately timing study to permit meat consumption during the Nine Days.

However, historical records reveal that the Novardok Yeshiva faced severe food shortages during World War I and resorted to holding a siyum at every meal throughout the Nine Days so that the students could eat meat legally. This unusual practice was driven by necessity, as meat was the only available food, unlike fish, legumes, or dairy.

Earlier sources also document the custom of completing a tractate during the Nine Days to permit meat consumption. Rabbi Yedidya Tiah Weil recounted his father, the "Karban Netanel," deliberately finishing Tractate Ta'anit during this period and celebrating with a meat and wine meal. Similarly, the Monkach Hasidic Rebbe was known to complete a tractate and eat meat during the month of Av, a practice traced back to disciples of the Baal Shem Tov.

These examples demonstrate that the custom of completing a tractate during the Nine Days, even intentionally, has received recognition and legitimacy from various rabbinic authorities and communities over the centuries, both in the Lithuanian and Hasidic worlds. The Novardok case is a notable historical instance where this halachic provision was used extensively due to extreme circumstances.

The article highlights the nuanced halachic debate around this practice and its historical applications, illustrating how Jewish law and custom adapt to real-life challenges while maintaining respect for tradition.