Tisha B'Av

Tisha B'Av is the 9th day of the Hebrew Biblical month Av. Jewish tradition refers to Tisha B'Av as the saddest day on their calendar because throughout their history terrible tragedies have happened to the children of Israel on the ninth of Av.

This year Tisha B'Av starts at sunset on August 13th. During the next 24 hours the land of Israel is very quiet as they fast and mourn remembering the calamities that have happened on this day. A large crowd gathers at the Western Wall and spends the day in prayer and reading from the book of Lamentations.

Rabbis teach that the tragedies of this date started around 3,000 years ago when the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. God instructed Moses to send spies to check out the Promised Land. Moses sent 12 spies, however, most of the spies reported the land could not be conquered. Our Lord God was very disappointed and decreed that the original generation which came out of Egypt would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land. This decree happened on the 9th of Av.    

Approximately 1,800 years later, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his armies into Jerusalem. On the 9th of Av the first Temple was set ablaze and destroyed. Around 100,000 Jews were destroyed in this attack. 

Five centuries later in AD 70, the Roman Army invaded Jerusalem and on the morning of the 9th of Av the second Temple was destroyed. All that was left is what is referred to today as the Western Wall. In this case, one million Israelites were killed.

On the 9th of Av in 1290 Jews were expelled from England. In 1914, Germany entered World War I and on the 9th of Av Heinrich Himmler approved what was called the "final solution" that resulted in the death of one third of the world's population.

Have you ever wondered why all these devastating events have happened to the Jewish people on exactly the same date of the Hebrew calendar? I certainly have! I do not believe there is a way we can answer this question. However, we can be participants in this years 9th of Av by praying with the Jewish people as they pray at the Western Wall asking our Lord God to protect His people Israel this year.  

We can also petition our Lord God that Zechariah 8:19 becomes true, "This is what the Lord Almighty says, 'The fasts of the fourth, fifth (Av), seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah.'"

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Each Day,

Frank