Image: Photo of the archaeological park beside the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Notice the broken pavement at the lower right corner of the photo – that’s where the stones from the Temple were hurled to the pavement below by the Roman soldiers. Structures above are from the Byzantine period or later, but the pavement is from the 1st century CE. Photo by Rabbi Ruth Adar.
Av is the saddest, unluckiest month of the Jewish year. It has that distinction because it is the month in which the 9th of Av, Tisha B’Av, falls. That’s the day we remember the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem – twice! – and many other disasters in Jewish history. I have several articles about Tisha B’Av already on this site:
- What is Tisha B’Av?
- A Reform Tisha B’Av
- Listening to Isaiah: Thoughts for Tisha B’Av
- A 21st Century Tisha B’Av
- A Wish for Tisha B’Av
For a more comprehensive take on the observance, try these:
- Tisha B’Av on Jewfaq 101
- Tisha B’Av Archive on My Jewish Learning
- Tisha B’Av on ReformJudaism.org
- Tisha B’Av on the Orthodox Union website
The time between the first and the ninth of Av is a particularly solemn time in the Jewish calendar. I invite you to take the next ten days to learn about the observance of Tisha B’Av and to think about how you might want to observe the day. You might want to make a very traditional fast, and listen to the book of Lamentations at a synagogue, or you might want to take a less traditional approach. It’s up to you.
Whatever you choose, I wish you a growth-full month of Av.
Are you going to do one of these at the beginning of each new Jewish month? That would be really, really lovely.
I did that at one point and it did not catch on. Will give it another shot.