The Gemara in Maseches Rosh HaShana (18b) says that there are three categories regarding the four fasts (of Asarah b’Teves, Shiva Asar b’Tamuz, Tisha b’Av, and Tzom Gedaliah) : 1) when there is gezeiras malchus (persecution) all four fasts are obligatory as fasts, 2) when there is no gezeiras malchus but also not shalom only Tisha b’Av is obligatory, and the rest are optional, 3) when there is shalom all four are Yamim Tovim.  […]

Why do we fast on Tisha B’av?  The primary answer, of course, is to remember the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash and Yerushalayim. Yet, according to the Navi Zechariah, not only Tisha B’av, but all four of the fast days (in which we remember Yerushalayim) will one day take on an added dimension. In the […]

The Talmud records that the first tragedy that occurred on the 17th of Tammuz was the breaking of the tablets at Mt. Sinai. This event sets the tone for a day that would tragically be replete with other traumatic events suffered by the Jewish people throughout their history. The following teaching delves into the meaning […]

Rabbi Koenigsberg is a Rosh Yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University, and the editor of two volumes of the Shiurei HaRav series, an annotated collection of Rav Soloveitchik’s lectures published by the Mesorah Commission of the Orthodox Union. One of his volumes deals with mourning and Tisha B’Av. The customs […]

HALAKHA GUIDE / הלכות (According to the Ashkenazic practice) Notes in [brackets] based upon contributions from Rabbi Ari Kahn, whom we thank for his valuable input! Abbreviations A.H. = Arukh HaShulĥan B.H. = Biur Halakha E.Y. = Even Yisrael (Fischer) K.H. = Kaf HaĤayim K.S.A. = Kitzur Shulĥan Arukh M.B. = Mishna Berura M.H. = […]

Fast days, with the exception of Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, begin in the morning. Does that mean we can enjoy ourselves the night before? In particular, the Three Weeks, with the custom in memory of the destruction of the Temple of refraining from having parties, begin on Shiva Asar B’Tammuz (this year observed on […]

The following is a list of the major events leading up to the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. First Temple: 3316 Yehoyakim ben Yoshiyahu becomes King of Judea (II Kings 23:36) 3320 Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon conquers Judea. He removes part of the Temple’s holy vessels and children of the royal […]

The 17th day in the Jewish month of Tammuz, Jews the world over fast and lament to commemorate the many calamities that have befallen our people on this ominous day. The purpose of such fasts in the Jewish calendar is, according to Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov’s Book of Our Heritage, “to awaken hearts towards repentance through […]

What is the common theme among the 5 events that happened on the 17th of Tammuz? What is the common theme among the 5 events that happened on the Tisha B’Av?

3338/423 B.C.E. Destruction of First Temple and beginning of Babylonian Exile 3389/372 B.C.E. Babylon falls to Medes and Persians under Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Great of Persia 3391/370 B.C.E. Cyrus reigns, permits Jews to return to Eretz Yisrael 3408/353 B.C.E. Darius the Persian permits Jews to rebuild Temple 3442/319 B.C.E. Beginning of Greek […]