Rosh Choidesh Menachem Av begins tonight (the first day of the Hebrew month of Av), and with it, the nine days leading up to Tish’a B’Av (9th day of Av). This is the somber anniversary of the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem, and one of two full day public fasts on the Jewish Calendar.

During the “Nine Days”, as we mourn, we reduce in our daily expression of joy by not eating meat or drinking wine (except on Shabbos). Neither do we partake in new fruit (that ordinarily require a “SheHecheyanu” blessing), or take haircuts, or make weddings.

There are additional strictures. For example, we avoid doing laundry on the “Nine Days” (we like this part). We also avoid wearing freshly laundered clothing (that part is a little more challenging).

So washing everything we can find before the onset of Rosh Choidesh Menachem Av becomes important.

After finally isolating and packing all our washables into two loud pink suitcases, dragging them (in the rain) from Troy and Lincoln to Albany and Lincoln, making change with an attendant who can barely speak English, and stuffing machines that appear to come from Ancient Rome (and from the wrong side of the tracks at that) – once all this has been accomplished – laundry, in a veritable sauna, can finally begin…