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Cortesy of: Aish HaTorah, Miami

Rabbi Kalman Packouz.

WHAT IS TISHA B'AV, WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY AND HOW IS IT OBSERVED?

This year, July 17, 2002, Wednesday evening starting at sunset, begins Tisha B'Av, the 9th day of the Jewish month of Av. It is the saddest day in the Jewish year.

On this same day throughout history many tragedies befell the Jewish people, including:

1. The incident of the spies slandering the land of Israel with the subsequent decree to wander the desert for 40 years.
   
2. The destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem by Nevuchadnetzar, King of Babylon.
   
3. The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE.
   
4. The fall of Betar and the end of the Bar Kochba revolt against the Romans.
   
5. The expulsion of Jews of England in 1290.
   
6. The expulsion Jews of Spain in 1492.

Tisha B'Av is a fast day (like Yom Kippur, from one evening until the next evening) which culminates a three week mourning period by the Jewish people. One is forbidden to eat or drink, bathe, use moisturizing creams or oils, wear leather shoes or have marital relations.
The idea is to minimize pleasure and to let the body feel the distress the soul should feel over these tragedies. Like all fast days, the object is introspection, making a spiritual accounting and correcting our ways -- what in Hebrew is called, Teshuva, returning, to the path of good and righteousness.

Teshuva (Repentance) is a four part process:

1. We must recognize what we have done wrong and regret it.
   
2. We must stop doing the transgression and correct whatever damage that we can.
   
3. We must accept upon ourselves not to do it again.
   
4. We must verbally ask the Almighty to forgive us.

On the night of Tisha B'Av we read in the synagogue Eicha, the book of Lamentations, written by the prophet Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah). We also say Kinot, special poems recounting the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people.

Learning Torah is the heart, soul and lifeblood of the Jewish people. It is the secret of our survival. Learning leads to understanding and understanding leads to doing. One cannot love what he does not know. Learning Torah gives a great joy of understanding life. On Tisha B'Av we are forbidden to learn Torah except those parts dealing with the calamities which the Jewish people have suffered. We must stop, reflect, change ourselves and only then will we be able to make a better world.

Other Topics about 3 weeks & Tisha b'Av:

17th of Tamuz (Russian) Month of Av (Russian) 9th day of Av (Russian) Fasts in the middle of the summer (Russian) Story, that destroed Jerusalem (Russian)

Keep yourself afar from false (Russian) Cry of Tzion (Russian) What happened on Tisha b'Av (English) What happened on Tisha b'Av (Russian) Deep Mourning (English) Deep Mourning (Russian)

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