During the Nine Days, when the Jewish people observe mourning for the destruction of the Temple, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt"l advocated strongly for maintaining personal hygiene and human dignity, objecting to what he considered excessive stringencies. In a well-known derashah, he explained that basic Jewish law does not prohibit bathing during this period, distinguishing between accepted customs and strict legal requirements.
According to the enactment of the Sages, the prohibition against bathing applies only on Tishah B'Av itself. Over time, early authorities adopted the custom of avoiding bathing in the days leading up to the fast.
Among Sefardim, the accepted practice is to refrain from hot water bathing only during the week containing Tishah B'Av. Among Ashkenazim, historically in cooler climates with less perspiration, the custom developed to avoid bathing throughout the entire Nine Days, even in cold water.
In his derashah, Rav Ovadia criticized excessive stringencies that he believed resulted in unpleasant odor and caused discomfort to others: "Go to Bnei Brak and you'll see - they don't bathe. There's sweat there... A person sits next to someone else - and with all due respect - he doesn't smell good. Did the Torah say to do that? That's not respect for other people. Someone sits next to him and suffers."
Rav Ovadia emphasized that Sefardic custom permits bathing even after Rosh Chodesh Av: "We have the custom to bathe even after Rosh Chodesh Av. Our Chachamim never prohibited bathing. They prohibited it only on Tishah B'Av."
He noted that seeking to relax Ashkenazi stringencies met resistance, recounting that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach objected when hearing of his leniency regarding their customs.
Regarding those adopting stringencies where Jewish law permits leniency, Rav Ovadia was direct: "Someone who is machmir about this is a donkey. That's what I call him - a donkey. He's not acting like a human being. Why make stringencies against the Torah? What for? If the Torah permits it, do you want to be a big shot and be stricter than the Torah? Everything has to be done with sound judgment and common sense."
Rav Ovadia concluded that people should follow their ancestral customs regarding bathing, with women preparing for ritual immersion and those customarily immersing for taharah permitted to do so throughout the Nine Days. Only on Tishah B'Av itself does the full prohibition apply.