Tisha B'Av: from mourning to redemption

timthumbwt One can believe in a Higher power over us or explained everything by the natural course of things. But it must be noted that in all our Hebrew "tsures" — the troubles and tragedies, is a mystical consistent pattern. With alarming frequency they happen at approximately the same time of the calendar year. According to the Jewish calendar (it is known to be lunar, as opposed to conventional solar) it is the period between 17 Tammuz and 9 Av. It corresponds to approximately end of July — beginning of August.

On the last date – the 9thof Av (in Hebrew "Tisha B'av") a peak of "Jewish happiness"/Yiddish Nahas comes.

It all started during the exit of the Jews from Egypt. On the day 9th of Av, as the Talmud says, "...The Divine judgment was uttered upon Egypt descents, so they perished in the desert and did not set foot in the Promised Land..."

Besides the fact that this day were destroyed the First and Second Jerusalem Temples (with a difference in 500 years, approximately), on the 9thof Av happened a huge number of momentous troubles in Jewish history. On this date started the first Crusade, when tens of thousands of European Jews were killed, the expulsion of Jews from England and France, the accusation of the Jews in the organization of the plague epidemic (as a result -the brutal massacres with multiple victims), the decree of expulsion of the Jews from Spain, the establishment in Rome of the first ghetto in the history, beginning the massacre of Ukrainian Jews by the Cossacks of Khmelnytsky, the beginning of anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire. On 9thof Av in 1942 began the deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto and on the same day the death camp in Treblinka started to operate.

This day is a day of national mourning. We mourn the dead brothers, about the seriousness and sorrows of our lives. And keep a strict fast in sign of memory. The Jews, strictly following the tradition, start to be in deep mourning for the destruction of the Temple, three weeks before 9 Av, on 17 Tammuz. This day the Romans who besieged Jerusalem in 70 A.D., punched the first hole in the wall of the Temple. Three weeks later, on 9 Av, it was destroyed.

In almost two thousand years, the writer and Nobel prize winner Shmuel Yosef Agnon, a native of Buchach of Ternopol region, began his Nobel prize acceptance speech so: "As the result of historical catastrophe when Titus the Roman destroyed Jerusalem and Israel was exiled from their country, I was born in one of the cities of exile: the Jewish Diaspora...". Each of us can say so, because the 9thof Av is very important for our self identification.

In the days between 17 Tammuz and 9 Av don't listen to the music, do not make haircut, do not drink wine or eat meat.

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Fasting begins on the eve of the 9thof Av, in Israel all theatres, cinemas, concert halls, etc are closed.

In addition to complete abstinence from food and drink, on the day of mourning swimming is also forbidden

(you can only rinse your hands), as well as prohibited are sexual relations and wearing leather shoes. Until noon people should sit on the floor or on the seat no higher than 30 centimeters from the floor. It is also forbidden to study Torah, for it is a source of joy. You can read and study only the texts related to the expression of grief and sorrow: Lamentations of Jeremiah (‘Êykôh), the Book of Job, sections of the Talmud devoted to the destruction of Jerusalem.

This year, 9 Av is on Sunday, August 14. Hesed heartily wishes its wards a light fast, and remember: according to our tradition, on the day 9thof Av the Messiah should be born, the savior of the Jewish people. After his advent all the days of national sorrow and mourning will turn into joyful and cheerful holidays....

Tisha B'Av: from mourning to redemption

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