Tisha B'Av, by James O'Fee

Today is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, Tisha B'Av, "the ninth day of the month of Av". Jews go into mourning, fast and attend evening worship at synagogue where the Book of Lamentations is read and chanted (not the Bible's jolliest book).

On this day Jews mourn the destruction of the two Temples of Jerusalem. Babylon was responsible for the first destruction, and Rome for the second. However, Jews remember other tragedies which are associated with this day as well;

- tradition states that on this day God told Moses and the people of Israel that they would not be allowed to enter the Primised Land for 40 years;

- some scholars say that it was on Tisha B'Av in 1290 C.E. (or A.D.) that the King of England ordered the expulsion of the Jews (but others say it was a week earlier);

- Tisha B'Av marked the date in 1492 when the Jews were expelled from Spain (unless they converted);

- the Russian army was mobilised on Tisha B'Av in 1914, leading to the outbreak of World War 1, which many believe marked the beginning of the end for European Jewry.

Information from Judaism for Dummies, by Rabbi Red Falcon, Ph.D. and David Blatner, Wiley, Indianapolis, USA, 2001 (see Shield of David Part 2, Friday, July 16. 2010).