Michael el Chayil

There is just no good English translation for כלי -- you can try utensil, apparatus, implement, tool, gizzy, thing-a-ma-bob... they are all correct in the right context, somewhat misleading in the wrong context. The gemara even uses it to mean "clothing." So let's just leave it alone. When it comes to the requirement for טבילה, the rules seem straightforward enough: The Torah requires that when a Jew acquires a metal כלי from a non-Jew -- that is, ownership is transferred from the non-Jew to the Jew -- then the Jew needs to immerse that כלי in a kosher mikveh before he uses it. Chazal added glass כלים and some stringencies about the mikveh. Simple enough. There are two details that make things a bit more interesting. One, "use" means "for its intended purpose", but has nothing to do with contact. For example, If it starts hailing as you are walking to your car with your newly purchased (from a non-Jew) griddle pan to your car, you are certainly allowed...

Of course one is not allowed to learn Torah in any depth on Tisha b'Av -- even to say verses of Torah, except for those specifically allowed, is forbidden. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 554:1,2,3) gives clear and strict guidelines about what and how to learn. On the other hand, of course one is allowed to say all the usual parts of davening on Tisha b'Av, as clearly stated in syef 4. Verses from all over Tanach, of course, are ubiquitous in davening. So why are we allowed to say them? They are part of davening, and davening is different; it just is. So what about saying T'hillim? The Mishna Brura (sk 6) notes that there is a custom to say t'hillim at mincha. How are we allowed to do that, you ask. The Mishna Brura says "Even though learning Torah is forbidden all day, צריך לומר/one must say that framing the recital of t'hillim as a form of petition is different." Really? Here is a rule, if you ever hear me say, "well... צריך לומר/one must say" ...