Israel Matzav

Tisha b'Av

Wednesday night and Thursday are Tisha b'Av, the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.

Five tragedies befell the Jewish people on Tisha b'Av in ancient times, the two most important of which were the destruction of the two Holy Temples:

- It was decreed that the generation which left Egypt would remain in the desert for 40 years and not enter the land of Israel, after believing the inaccurate report of 10 of the 12 spies in the year 2449 (the current Jewish year is 5769).

- The first Bet Hamikdash (Holy Temple) was destroyed on 9 B'Av in the year 3339.

- The second Bet Hamikdash (Holy Temple) was destroyed on 9 B'Av about 1948 years ago.

- The city of Betar was captured and tens of thousands of Jews were killed in the year 3893.

- The wicked Turnus Rufus plowed the site of the Bet Hamikdash and its surroundings and renamed it Aelia Capitolina, also in the year 3893.

Since these tragedies occurred on 9 B'Av, it was decreed as a day of fasting and mourning.

Other tragedies that happened on 9 b'Av include:

- 4,000 Jews were expelled from England by King Edward I in the year 5050 (18 July 1290)

- 300,000 Jews were expelled from Spain by Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon in the year 5252 (2 August 1492)

- Word War 1 started in 5674 - 1 August 1914 - with Germany declaring war on Russia

You can find out more about Tisha b'Av, including online audio and visual programs and a live webcast, here.

Posting on Thursday (especially early in the day) may be a little lighter than usual (many of Wednesday's posts were scheduled in advance - including this one. I hope to be sound asleep when this goes up).

For those of you who are fasting, have an easy fast, and may this day be a holiday next year instead of a day of mourning.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:51 AM