Each Room

Some poskim maintain that an amah by amah should be made in every room of one�s house. Even according to this opinion, a room which is not four amos by four amos or a hallway are not required to have a zecher l�churban. Nonetheless, the minhag is to be lenient and follow the majority of the poskim who maintain that the obligation is only in one room.

What to do?

One should peel a piece of paint or plaster from the wall. There is an opinion in the poskim which maintains that if one�s wife does not want the sheetrock or plaster peeled off then one may paint a spot measuring an amah by amah a different color than the rest of the wall. However, doing so is not l�chatchilah.

One who puts up wallpaper (and does not paint) is also obligated to leave a part of the wall unfinished.�

Writing / Pictures of Zecher L�churban

Some people instead of making an amah by amah as a zecher l�churban write �zecher l�churban� after painting a part of the wall black. Although many are opposed to this practice, one who does so does not have to be stopped. Some people hang up a nice sign or a picture of the bais hamikdosh to use instead of making a zecher l�churban. Many poskim say that doing so does not fulfill the halacha of making a zecher l�churban.

Compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits who can be reached atmlebovits@kof-k.org

Reviewed by Rabbi Ben-zion Schiffenbauer Shlita

All Piskei Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita are Reviewed by Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita