What is Tish B’Av? The ninth of Av (Heb. Tish B’Av) is a Jewish fast day. The ninth of Av of the traditional Jewish Year of 5774, according to the calculated Jewish calendar, occurs at sunset of August 4, 2014 until nightfall of August 5, 2014. The Biblical date, by actual astronomical obser-vation, is one day later this year, occurring at sunset of August 5, 2014 until nightfall of August 6, 2014. Either way, Tish B’Av will occur in the coming week.

What happens on this day? Many Jews around the world get very nervous; fasting, hoping and praying that another catastrophe will not occur. That's because Tish B’Av, the 9th day of the fifth Torah month, has been the day for Jewish disasters throughout history.

Tisha B'Av is observed by many Jews in a similar stringent way as Yom Kippur. In addition to the length of the fast which lasts about 25 hours, beginning at sunset on the eve of Tisha B'Av and ends at nightfall the following day, Tisha B'Av also shares the following five prohibitions:

No eating or drinking;
No washing or bathing;
No application of creams or oils;
No wearing of (leather) shoes;
No marital relations.

These restrictions are waived in the case of health issues.

In Israel restaurants and places of entertainment are closed on the eve of Tisha B'Av and the following day by law. Establishments that break the law are subject to fines. According to the Orthodox-Mizrachi establishment, combat soldiers are absolved of fasting on Tisha B'Av on the basis that it can endanger their lives. Such a decree was issued during the Second Lebanon War by Israel's leading Rabbinical authorities: Chief Rabbis Shlomo Amar and Yona Metzger in tandem with the IDF's chief rabbi, Brigadier General Yisrael Weiss. With a war on-going with Hamas, the same will likely be done again. Supporters of Israel around the world, especially with a war going on, will be praying for Israel on this day.

What can we learn from Tish B'Av? YHWH is in control of history. How else could two Jewish Temples be destroyed on exactly the same day of the month? This by two entirely different pagan nations, with the destruction events separated by almost 700 years! Also, in each case these Temple destructions were prophetically foretold with those predictions from YHWH through His prophets documented in Scripture. Being the "chosen people" of YHWH is wonderful when Israel does the right thing and represents Him well. However, when Israel departs from His ways and does gross evil it defames His name before the world, requiring Him to punish Israel harshly, to separate His Name from the evil conduct. That these punishments repeatedly occur on the same day is like a stamp He puts upon those events, marking them as punishments from Him.

Proof of Relationship - Some think these punishments are a proof that YHWH has rejected Israel - but that is not Scriptural. Actually, punishment from our Father in Heaven is a proof of His love for His people, as Scripture explains:

My son, don’t despise the discipline of YHWH, neither be weary of his reproof: for whom YHWH loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights. Prov 3:11+12

Let us praise YHWH on Tish B'Av, for His righteousness, His love, His faithfulness to correct His people - and His Almighty power! And let us be filled with appropriate fear of the Almighty, that we might hear His voice, and correct our ways, so that a disaster such as that of Tish B'Av need never come upon us.

Our Midrash this week is appropriate to this discussion. If we will only do the things YHWH says in chapters 19 + 20 of Leviticus, we need never fear anything like Tish B'Av.

Blessings and Shalom!

Eliyahu ben David
www.tsiyon.org

PS - See some of the major Tish B’Av Events throughout history listed below.

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Some Tish B’Av Events Throughout History

Failure to Enter the Land - c. 1400 BCE - Spies return from 40 days in Promised Land with evil reports of the inhabitants. The Exodus generation of Israelites give in to fear, lose privilege of entering the Land, sentenced to 40 years in the wilderness.

Destruction of First Temple - 687 BCE - Destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar. This occurred after many generations of rebellion against YHWH and after many years of prophets having been sent and rejected. About 100,000 Jews were killed during invasion. Exile of remaining tribes in southern kingdom to Babylon and Persia.

Destruction of Second Temple - 70 CE - Destruction of Second Temple by Romans, under Titus. Ruling class rejected true Messiah, with wrath following upon the nation before that same generation was over. Over 2,500,000 Jews die as a result of war, famine and disease. Over 1,000,000 Jews exiled to all parts of the Roman Empire. Over 100,000 Jews sold as slaves by Romans. Jews killed and tortured in gladiatorial "games" and pagan celebrations.

Bar Kochba Catastrophe - 132 CE - Bar Kochba revolt crushed. Betar destroyed - over 100,000 killed. Bar Kochba was embraced as Messiah by Jewish leaders, only to lead the nation to greater ruin at the hands of the Romans.

Site of Temple Ploughed Under - 133 CE - Rufus ploughs site of Temple, dashing any remaining hopes of a new Jewish Temple on the site. Romans build pagan city of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem.

First Crusade - 1095 CE - First Crusade declared by Pope Urban II. 10,000 Jews killed in first month of Crusade. Crusades bring death and destruction to thousands of Jews, totally obliterate many communities in Rhineland and France.

Jews Expelled from England - 1290 CE - Expulsion of Jews from England, accompanied by pogroms and confiscation of books and property.

Jews Expelled from Iberian Peninsula - 1492 CE - Inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminates in the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. Families separated, many die by drowning, massive loss of property.

WWI - 1914 CE - Britain and Russia declare war on Germany. First World War begins. First World War issues unresolved, ultimately causing Second World War and Holocaust. 75% of all Jews in war zones. Jews in armies of all sides - 120,000 Jewish casualties in armies. Over 400 pogroms immediately following war in Hungary, Ukraine, Poland and Russia.

WWII Concentration Camps -1942 CE - Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp begin. 6,000,000 Jews die in Holocaust.

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