Tisha B'Av
Tisha B'Av, observed on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is a significant day of mourning in the Jewish tradition, primarily commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. The First Temple, constructed by King Solomon, was destroyed in 586 BCE by the Babylonians, while the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Both events are believed to have occurred on Tisha B'Av, as well as other tragic events in Jewish history, including the complete destruction of Jerusalem in 135 CE and the expulsion from Spain in 1492. The day has also evolved as a time to remember the Holocaust, honoring the six million Jews who perished during World War II.
Orthodox Jews typically observe Tisha B'Av with fasting and mourning rituals. Synagogues are draped in black, the ark containing the Torah scrolls is left bare or covered in black, and the Book of Lamentations is recited, along with special prayers known as kinot. In Israel, many people gather at the Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple, to pray. However, some Jews do not observe Tisha B'Av, believing that the establishment of the State of Israel signifies an end to the exile. Overall, Tisha B'Av serves as a poignant reminder of loss and resilience within the Jewish community.
Tisha B'Av
Tishah B'Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av (July or August), is a day of remembrance for the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed in 586 BCE by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. It was rebuilt after the Jews returned from their exile in Babylonia. However, the Second Temple was in turn destroyed by Titus, the Roman emperor in CE 70.
According to rabbinic tradition, these two catastrophes for the Jewish people occurred on the same day: the ninth day of Av. Furthermore, the complete destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans a year after the suppression of the revolt of Bar Kochba (or Bar Cochba) in CE 135 is also supposed to have taken place on Tishah B'Av. Thus, Tishah B'Av became a day of mourning associated with a number of events in Jewish history.
During the Middle Ages, the significance of the day increased, especially after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 on Tishah B'Av. Many Jews also use the day to commemorate the murder of six million European Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
Orthodox Jews traditionally fast on Tishah B'Av. Their synagogues are draped in black. The curtain covering the ark, where the scrolls of the Bible are kept, is removed and the ark is either left bare or covered with black cloth. The scrolls, too, may be dressed in black. The Book of Lamentations is read. Special prayers, dirges, and laments called kinot are also chanted. For Jews living in Israel this is a special day to pray at the Western Wall (the so-called Wailing Wall) of the Second Temple, which is the only remnant of the temple still standing.
Some Jews, however, do not observe Tishah B'Av because they believe that the Jews are not in exile today, now that the nation of Israel has been established.
Joffe, Tzvi. "Tisha Be'av 2023: What the Jewish Summer Fast Day Is All About --Explainer." The Jerusalem Post, 26 July 2023, www.jpost.com/judaism/article-752510#google‗vignette. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"What Is Tish B'Av?" International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, 18 July 2023, www.ifcj.org/learn/jewish-holidays/what-is-tisha-bav. Accessed 1 May 2024.