Making a Siyum During the Nine Days

May I learn with the intention to make a Siyum during the Nine Days so that a meat meal can be served? May I delay the completion of learning until the Nine Days in order to be able to make a Siyum?

The Mishna Berura (OC 551:73 quoting Elya Rabba) writes that one may not delay or accelerate one’s learning to schedule a Siyum during the Nine Days. The Aruch HaShulchan (OC 551:28), in fact, recommends that even if a Siyum happens to fall out during the Nine Days, one should postpone it until after the Nine Days, when the proper joyous celebration can be made in honor of the Torah. However other poskim are lenient in this matter (see Shu”t Yabia Omer1:26 and Moadei Yeshurun p. 132:11b and 155:66)

Rav Moshe, zt”l felt that preferably one should refrain from making a Siyum from the 7th of Av until after the Nine Days, since on the 7th of Av our enemies entered the Heichal leading to the eventual destruction of the Bais HaMikdash on the 9th and 10th of Av (See Magen Avraham 554:9 quoting Tur).

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.