Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Tisha BeAv (Monday July 19th and Tuesday July 20th, 2010)

Today is the 2nd day of Av

Tisha BeAv is the day of national mourning for the Jewish people.

On this day, five tragedies occurred to Am Israel

1. CHET HAMERAGELIM: The Jews in the desert accepted the slanderous report of the 10 explorers, and they cried a whole night complaining to God that He took them out of Egypt hinting that He won't be able to take them to the Land of Israel (1312 BCE). The whole generation that left Egypt was condemned to die in the dessert. The night on which they cried, was Tisha BeAv.

2. CHURBAN HABAYIT HARISHON: The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, led by their king Nebuchadnezzar. 100,000 Jews were slaughtered and millions were exiled (586 BCE) to the Babylonian empire.

3. CHURBAN HABAYIT HASHENI: The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, led by Titus. Close to two million Jews were killed, and one million Jews were exiled (68-70 CE).

4. NILKEDA BETAR: The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by Roman Emperor Hadrian. The city of Betar - the Jews' last stand against the Romans - was captured and liquidated. Over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered (135 CE).

5. NECHERASH HAHEKHAL: Around the same time, the Temple's holiest area and its surroundings was plowed by the Roman general Turnus Rufus. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a pagan city, renamed Aelia Capitolina, and access to Jews was forbidden.

The rabbis, therefore, established Tisha beAv as a day of fast and mourning.

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