Ta'anit 13 Young women - looking good and feeling horrible

What about bathing during an individual fast?  When and how are we permitted to bathe?  The rabbis look to our other rituals around bathing: on the 9th of Av, during periods of mourning.  Some of the factors to consider include:

• hot water vs. cold water
• immersing the entire body
• immersing the hands, face and feet only
• using natron (a natural cleaning agent), sand or no cleaning agent
• whether or not water is plentiful
• one's location: how cold is cold?
• the experience of pleasure when bathing in cold water
• when and how one might shave
• when and how one might wash clothing

We learn about different rules for girls who reach a 'marriageable' age.  In this ancient context, young women who are now eligible to be married, ie. between 12 and 12.5 years old, should not make themselves unattractive to potential suitors when they are in mourning. The rabbis discuss what this might mean.  Should these young women be permitted to bathe in cold water?  In hot water?  Or is this not referring to bathing at all but to hair colour and eye makeup?

It is clear that girls under 12 are allowed to be 'unattractive' when they are in mourning.  But girls over 12 are on display, even when they are mourning the loss of their fathers.  Unthinkable that girls should be forced to care about their looks before their losses?  We have a strong tradition of similar values in our modern, mainstream society.

What about older women; those who are already betrothed or even those who are married?  Are they permitted to render themselves as full mourner, unattractive, smelly, concerned about feelings more than appearance?

The daf ends by returning to a conversation about where to place the extra prayer within the amidah when one has vowed to take on an individual fast.