Tish B’Av

Last night in Israel Tish B'Av was observed and in the US tonight. The Ninth of Av, also known as the “Fast of the Ninth of Av”. This 9th of Ave is a traditional day of mourning and sorrow for the Jewish People.

Tisha B’Av means the ninth day of the fifth month on HaShem’s calendar. When the ninth of Av falls on the Sabbath, it is then pushed off until Sunday the tenth. This is considered one of the, “saddest days in Jewish history.”

On this day the book of Lamentations or Job is read. Fasting is observed and the traditional mourning customs are done.

Throughout history this day has been a great day of many hardships for the Jewish people.

After the Israelites experienced G-d’s deliverance from the Egyptians with the events of the Exodus and they are getting ready to enter the Promise Land.  The spies return on the eight day of Av and report that they can’t conquer the people of the land. That night they weep and they would rather go back to Egypt rather than be slaughtered by the Canaanites. Thus this generation of Israelites ends up wandering in the desert for 40 years and never enter the Promised Land.

What historical events have happened on the Ninth of AV?

The destruction of the First and Second Temples happened on the Ninth of Av, both occurred 656 years apart, but on the same day.

When the Jewish people rebelled against Roman rule 135 CE, Simon bar Kochba revolt failed. It was a complete massacre at the final battle at Betar.

One year after the conquest of Betar, the Temple Mount was plowed over by the Romans.

The Jewish people are expelled from England in 1290 CE.

In 1492 CE the Jewish people are banished from Spain when Queen Isabella and her husband Ferdinand order the Jewish people to be banished from Spain. They had four months to get out by the Ninth of Av.

World War l, Germany declared war on Russia Tisha B’Av on Aug. 1, 1914.

Other events on or around Tish B’Av:

On July 31, 1941 coinciding with Tisha B’Av Adolf Hitler ordered his general to make preparations for the, “Final Solution”. The horrible Holocaust begins. The first transports to reach Treblinka and the extermination of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto began July 23,1942.

In 1994 the IDF and PLO police was a large outbreak of violence begins. August 14, 2005 thousands of Jewish people were ordered to pull out of the 21 Gaza Strip settlements and 4 settlements in the West Bank. Over 9,000 settlers left on their own accord. The other’s refused to leave the settlements. The US was encouraging Israel to give up their land in these settlements. In the USA hurricane Katrina formed and killed 1,836 people the same number of Israelis killed in the resistance in the settlements.

To me this is interesting and I don’t think this is just a haphazard events. As I believe that it G-d is in control of all things. I don’t understand it at all.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. With the events going on in Israel now how much more should we be praying for the nation of Israel? I stand for Israel and pray for her safety.