In the winter, we welcome the Hebrew month of Adar with happiness in anticipation of the joyous holiday of Purim. In a similar fashion, when we usher in the upcoming month of Av, there is a mood of solemnity as we approach the holiday of Tisha B’av (the 9th of Av), a day of Jewish communal mourning commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Our tradition holds that the First Temple and the Second Temple were both the destroyed on the 9th of Av. Throughout Jewish history, many other tragedies which befell our people have also been associated with this date. As the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’av is observed with certain behaviors that correspond to traditional mourning.

Did you know?

• The only part of either Temple that remains is the Kotel, the inside of the Western Wall of the Second Temple, a holy sight in Israel visited by millions of people each year.
  
  
• Although Tisha B’av is not an agricultural festival like many other Jewish holidays, the fact that it falls at the peak of the summer’s heat, which particularly in Israel is a very dry season, contributes to the mood of the day.
  
  
• Our tradition associates several historical events with Tisha B’av, including the destruction of Betar during the Bar Kokhba revolt around 135 AD, the burning of Talmud in France in 1242, the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, and the day when Germany declared war on Russia in 1914.
  
  
• Many Jews observe Tisha B’av by refraining from behaviors that demonstrate luxury and joy. They do this by honoring the fast, by refraining from washing, bathing or applying perfume and make-up, by not wearing leather shoes, and by not engaging in sexual intimacy.
  
  
• The three weeks preceding Tisha B’av begin with the 17th of Tammuz, a holiday honoring the date when the first walls of Jerusalem were breached. Traditional Jews do not get married, eat meat, or celebrate other special and joyous occasions during the three weeks.
  
  
• In liberal streams of Judaism, the ancient Temple does not hold religious significance and therefore, in these communities, Tisha B’av is a day to remember the many tragedies that have occurred in Jewish history, not just the tragic events occurring on the 9th of Av.
  
  
• The Sabbaths before and after Tisha B’av have special designations in our tradition. Shabbat Hazon (Shabbat of Vision) precedes Tisha B’Av and in synagogues we read the prophetic vision of the Temple’s destruction. After Tisha B’Av, Shabbat Nachamu (Shabbat of Comfort) begins a period of consolation where we reflect on reconnecting to God after such tragedy.  

Want to learn more about the holiday of Tisha B'Av? Go to hillel.myjewishlearning.com to learn more in-depth about this topic and other fascinating elements of the upcoming observance.