Two Totally Unrelated Questions...

[gnomi]

...that have been running around my head:

1. Dear Rabbi LJ, can I wear a new tichel on Shabbat during the three weeks?

2. Dear Miss LJ Manners, is there any polite way to tell a total stranger on the subway that his fly is down?

Comments

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

The three weeks that start with the fast of the 17th of Tamuz (which was last Sunday) and end with Tisha B'Av (which is 10 August) are a period of mourning during which, among other things, we don't buy or wear new clothing. For Shabbat, however, many of the laws of mourning (upon which we base the traditions of the Three Weeks) are suspended. Therefore, I don't know whether I can wear my new tichel on Shabbat or not, because it's new clothing, but it's not really *clothing* per se (as a related example, new underwear I wouldn't say a shehechiyanu blessing on, and therefore it doesn't fall into this category of "new clothing").

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

So now I know. :-) Thank you!

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

new underwear I wouldn't say a shehechiyanu blessing on

Now you've got me wondering about Mormons.