Q. My cleaning lady is completely in charge of doing the laundry in my home during the week.
I have small children and older children. Do I need to tell her that she is not allowed to do the adults laundry, or could she just do her thing and the adults and older children just won't wear freshly laundered clothes? I will definitely need the laundry for the younger kids.
Is there a difference between this week and next week (when Tisha b'av actually falls?)
A. On question 335 in this forum we mention; Shoshanas Yisroel (p.18) quotes Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion that one should refrain a house helper from laundering during the nine days, even when she does so by her own volition. Similar psak is found in Nitey Gavriel. (1: 35: 23)
See also Nitey Gavriel (ibid 1: 35: 14, quoting Horav Moshe Feinstein zt"l) that when you launder the clothing of young children in the washing machine, you should not add the laundry of adults.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is similar and only laundering the clothing of minors (before Bar-Mitzva) is permitted when needed. In this particular year when Tisha B'av is early on the week, you should prepare their needed laundry before Shabbos and avoid washing in the week of Tisha B'av.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a.
Important Numbers
