Tisha B'Av, the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av, is not just another day on the calendar; it’s a day soaked in sorrow, a reminder of the pain that has shaped the Jewish people for millennia.
The Destruction of the Temples: A Pain That Never Heals
To understand why Tisha B'Av is the saddest day in Jewish history, you have to start with the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem. The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was the heart of Jewish worship and the symbol of God’s presence among His people. In 586 BCE, the Babylonians stormed Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and sent the Jews into exile. The trauma of losing the Temple—the physical and spiritual center of the Jewish world—was devastating.
But the story doesn’t end there. The Second Temple, which was rebuilt by the returning exiles and stood as a symbol of hope and renewal, was also destroyed—this time by the Romans in 70 CE. The loss of the Second Temple marked not just the destruction of a building but the end of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel for nearly 2,000 years. It was the beginning of a long, bitter exile that saw Jews scattered across the globe, often living as second-class citizens, subjected to persecution, pogroms, and violence.
For Jews, the destruction of the Temples isn’t just a historical event; it’s a living wound. It represents the loss of a connection to God - as the Temples Biblically stated that God's presence was there, but it also represents the loss of a homeland and the loss of a way of life. The pain of Tisha B'Av is the pain of being uprooted, of seeing your world turned to ashes, and of being forced to wander without a home.
As Nehemiah described upon his return to Jerusalem: "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire" (Nehemiah 1:3). This verse captures the desolation and despair that followed the destruction, a scene that Jews have remembered and mourned for generations.
The Accumulation of Tragedies
But Tisha B'Av is not just about the Temples. Over the centuries, the 9th of Av has become a day that seems cursed for the Jewish people. It’s the day when the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, a catastrophe that led to the displacement and suffering of thousands. It’s the day when World War I began (Hebrew calendar) —a war that created the conditions for World War II and the Holocaust, where six million Jews were murdered in the most horrific genocide in history.
The Talmud tells us that five great tragedies happened on Tisha B'Av: the decree that the Israelites would wander in the desert for 40 years, the destruction of the First and Second Temples, the capture of Betar (the last stronghold of the Bar Kochba revolt), and the plowing over of Jerusalem. Each event is a dagger in the heart of the Jewish people, a reminder of the suffering and loss that has marked their history.
How Jews Observe Tisha B'Av
For 25 hours, Jews abstain from food and water, they sit on the floor or low stools, and they read the Book of Lamentations, which mourns the destruction of Jerusalem. The words of the prophet Jeremiah echo through the ages: "How deserted lies the city, once so full of people!"
(Lamentations 1:1). The synagogue is often dimly lit, and the atmosphere is one of deep mourning. It’s as if the grief of the past is brought into the present, and every Jew is invited to feel the weight of the losses their ancestors endured.
There’s no small talk on Tisha B'Av, no greetings, no comfort. Even Torah study, usually a source of joy, is restricted to texts that deal with tragedy and destruction. The fasting and other restrictions are not just physical—they are meant to bring the mind and soul into a state of mourning. It’s a day to strip away the distractions of daily life and confront the harsh realities of Jewish history.
Why Do We Still Mourn?
Some might wonder, why hold on to this grief? Why continue to mourn events that happened so long ago? The answer is simple: because the wounds are still there. The Jewish people have been through a lot, and Tisha B'Av is a reminder that the world is still broken. It’s a day to remember that anti-Semitism is not a relic of the past, but a present and growing threat. It’s a day to remember that while the Jewish people have returned to Israel, the Temple is still in ruins, and the redemption is still incomplete.
In Jewish thought, Tisha B'Av is not just about looking back—it’s also about looking forward. The rabbis teach that the Messiah will be born on Tisha B'Av, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is hope. The mourning of Tisha B'Av is not meant to lead to despair, but to renewal. It’s a call to the Jewish people to remember their past, but also to work toward a future where such tragedies will never happen again.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
At the end of Tisha B'Av, after the fast is broken and the sun has set, there is a sense of renewal. The Jewish people have survived every tragedy, every exile, every attempt to destroy them. Tisha B'Av may be a day of mourning, but it’s also a day of resilience. It’s a day that reminds the Jewish people of their strength, their endurance, and their unbreakable bond with God.
Tisha B'Av teaches a powerful lesson: that no matter how dark the night, the dawn will come. The Jewish people have endured unimaginable suffering, but they have also witnessed incredible miracles. They have returned to their homeland, rebuilt their nation, and continue to thrive. Tisha B'Av is a day of sorrow, but it’s also a day of hope—a hope that one day, the tragedies of the past will be transformed into a future of peace and redemption.
Tisha B'Av is a reminder that even in the midst of destruction, there is always the possibility of rebuilding. It’s a day that calls on Jews to remember their past, but also to have faith in their future. And that’s why, despite the sadness of the day, Tisha B'Av is a day that ultimately gives strength to the Jewish people.
Jesus is your Messiah!