About Tisha B'Av

Tisha B'Av - the ninth day in the Jewish month of Av - is a day on which Jews mourn and fast in commemoration of the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other tragedies Jews experienced in their history.

The First Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E., and the Second Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av by the Romans in 70 C.E.

In addition to being the day on which the holy temples were destroyed, many other tragic events occurred on this day. Given that so many tragedies have occurred on Tisha B'Av in the past, Tisha B'Av is considered a "taboo day" - a day that Jews are fearful that something bad is going to happen.

Three Weeks (Shloshet HaShavuot)

Three weeks before Tisha B'Av, the fast of the 17th of Tammuz is observed. The fast of 17th of Tammuz commemorates the first breach in the walls of Jerusalem, before the First Temple was destroyed. The three weeks between this fast and Tisha B'Av is a period of mourning, called Sholshet HaShavuot, during which time some Jews observe the following prohibitions: 1) no weddings and other festive gatherings, 2) no hair cuts (some refrain from shaving).

Nine Days (Tishat HaYamim)

The Mishnah states, "As Av enters, we diminish our joy." Accordingly, the three week mourning period intensifies and more mourning prohibitions are observed in the nine days between Rosh Hodesh Av (the beginning of the Hebrew month of Av) and Tisha B'Av. Additional prohibitions (in addition to those observed during the Three Weeks) observed by some during the nine days are: 1) no playing or listening to music, 2) no pleasure outings (movies, restaurants, hikes, ..., 3) no buying new clothes or other new things that can wait until after Tisha B'Av, 4) no giving gifts, 5) no eating meat or drinking wine (except on Shabbat).

Tisha B'Av Observance

Tisha B'Av prohibitions are similar to Yom Kippur prohibitions: no eating, no drinking (even water), no washing, no bathing, no shaving, no wearing cosmetics, no wearing leather shoes, no engaging in sexual relations, no working, and no studying Torah.

At the evening Ma'ariv prayer service, the entire congregation sits on the floor and recites Eicha (Book of Lamentations) in which the prophet Jeremiah describes the destruction of the first Temple and Jerusalem. On the morning of Tisha B'Av, Kinot (Lamentations) are recited.

Sholshet HaShavuot (Three Weeks), Tishat HaYamim (Nine Days), and Tisha B'Av (Ninth day of the month of Av) are times of mourning during which Jews should, most importantly, think about the causes of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, so that they can work towards tikkun olam (repairing the world).