Q. I'm going to travel to the orient on a necessary business trip during the nine days, is this permitted if my return will be on the day prior to Tisha B'av?
A. Shulchan Oruch (O.H. 551: 2) rules that from Rosh Chodesh Av one should decrease business activities. Mishnah Berurah (ibid. 11) quotes two opinions if this pertains to joyful acquisitions but permits ordinary day-to-day business pursuits or those are also included and one is only permitted to carry on as far as one needs for his normal livelihood. After apparently siding with the last view, Mishnah Berurah in the name of Pri Megodim adds that attending a time sensitive market fair is acceptable, as its avoidance would constitute a loss. He further states, that in our days we are lenient in all business activities as they all can be considered normal livelihood.
Horav Shlomo Miller's opinion is that if the trip cannot be reasonable postponed, it is permitted even when it involves traveling on Erev Tisha B'av.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
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