– Q. Dear Rabbi. Is one allowed to cut nails during the Nine Days?
How about going to the mikva for one who usually is tovel before davening? If he is allowed can he take a short shower immersing to keep the mikva clean?

A. Mishna Berura (551: 20) mentions that regarding cutting nails there are different opinions of the Poskim, yet in honor of Shabbos when done on Erev Shabbos or for Tevilas Mitzva in a Mikva it is permitted by all.

Although, one should in principle not cut the nails of the hand and the feet on the same day, Magen Avrohom and Machatzis Hashekel (ibid) rule that the feet nails should be cut on Thursday and the hand nails on Erev Shabbos.

For the ones that have the Minhag to immerse every day in a Mikva daily before davening, Poskim permit to do so. Some permit to take the shower before to avoid spoiling the Mikva waters for others.

Horav Yaakov Hirschman Shlit’a mentioned that the Chazon Ish Zt”l permitted Tevilas Ezra. Yet many Poskim permit all immersions for the ones who do so daily, however one should then avoid warm water. The Rov added that one may shower before, specially if the health department instructs all to do so
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Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one should follow his family and community traditions
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Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a.