Tisha B’Av – The Day of Fasting and Prayer

Tisha B’Av is a The Day of Fasting and Prayer and mourning that commemorates the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Primarily, it remembers the destruction of the First Temple, built by Solomon and destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire. It also commemorates the destruction of the Second Temple by the Roman Empire.

Historical Tragedies

In addition to the destruction of the Holy Temple, Tisha B’Av marks several other tragic events in Jewish history. These include:

• The destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians (586 B.C.E.).
• The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans (70 C.E.).
• The crushing of the Bar Kokhba Revolt and the fall of Betar (133 C.E.).
• The expulsion of Jews from England (1290).
• The expulsion of Jews from Spain (1492).

Together, these events have made Tisha B’Av the principal day of national mourning in the Jewish calendar.

Traditional Observances

During Tisha B’Av, observant Jews keep a 24-hour fast and refrain from activities associated with comfort or pleasure. As a result, the day is devoted to mourning, prayer, and reflection.

Fasting

First, no food or drink is consumed. The fast begins at sunset and continues until after nightfall on the following day.

Physical Restrictions

Furthermore, observant Jews refrain from bathing for pleasure and from marital relations. Likewise, other practices that provide comfort or enjoyment are traditionally avoided.

Prayer and Worship

Throughout the day, special prayer services focus on mourning, repentance, and remembrance of the destruction of the Holy Temple.

Torah Study

However, Torah study is limited to sorrowful passages. For example, many people study texts describing the destruction of the Temples, along with selected passages from Job and Jeremiah.

Biblical References

2 Kings 25:8–9

This passage records the Babylonian destruction of the First Temple. Specifically, it provides the historical timeline that corresponds with the month of Av.

Key passage:

“In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month… Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. And he burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem…”

Jeremiah 52:12–13

Similarly, this parallel account records the destruction of the Temple. However, it states that the Temple was burned on the tenth day of Av. According to the Talmud, the destruction began on the ninth of Av and continued into the tenth.

Zechariah 8:19

Moreover, this passage refers to the established fasts observed after the Babylonian exile. In particular, the “fast of the fifth month” is traditionally understood as Tisha B’Av.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts.”

Numbers 13–14

According to Jewish tradition (Mishnah Taanit 4:6), the first tragedy associated with the Ninth of Av occurred after the twelve spies returned from Canaan. Their discouraging report caused the Israelites to fear entering the Promised Land. Consequently, God decreed forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

Furthermore, Rabbinic tradition records God’s response:

“You wept tonight for no reason; I will establish this night as a night of weeping for generations.”

Haftarah Readings

Morning Haftarah — Jeremiah 8:13–9:23

In the morning, this reading mourns the nation’s moral decline. At the same time, it warns of judgment, exile, and the consequences of abandoning God’s covenant.

Afternoon Haftarah — Isaiah 55:6–56:8

By contrast, the afternoon reading shifts from mourning to hope. It first calls the people to repentance. Then, it promises future redemption. Finally, it looks forward to the rebuilding of God’s house as a place of worship for all nations.