TISHA B ‘AV / THE NINTH OF AV
In
Batyah's Blog | on
August, 05, 2014 | by
Ministry Team
TISHA B ’AV ~ THE NINTH OF AV
Traditionally, it is a day of fasting and prayer as well as reading the (Say-fehr Ay-eek-hah) Sefer Eikhah/Book of Lamentations.
Many tragedies in Jewish history have occurred at the time of Tisha B’Av, the ninth of the Hebrew month of Av.
• The evil report of the 10 spies was believed by B’nei Isra’el who became fearful and would not enter into the Promised Land which caused Yehovah to decree the generation who left Egypt would not be permitted to enter the land of Israel.
• In the year 421 BCE, (Before the Common Era) the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar. About 100,000 Jews were killed during the invasion and the remaining Jews were exiled to Babylon and Persia.
• In the year 70 CE, (Common Era) The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, under Titus. Over 2,500,000 Jews died as a result of war, famine and disease. Over 1,000,000 Jews were exiled to all parts of the Roman Empire. Over 100,000 Jews were sold as slaves by the Romans. The Jews were killed and
tortured in gladiatorial “games” and pagan celebrations.
• In the year 132 CE, the Bar Kochba revolt was crushed. Beitar was destroyed and over 100,000 Jews were killed.
• In the year 1492 CE, the inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminated in the expulsion of the Jews form the Iberian Peninsula.
• In the year 1942 CE, deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka Concentration camp began. Six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.
• In the year 2005 CE, on the days following Tisha B’Av, Sunday August 14th, a Jewish Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, betrayed his own people and forcibly expelled almost 10,000 Jews from their homes, farms, schools, businesses and synagogues, all on Land promised the Jewish people as an everlasting inheritance by the God of Israel. (Joshua 15:1-12 & 17:1-11)
Traditionally, there are many, many rabbinical prohibitions concerning this day. At some point, I may choose to share those but for now, I believe it is imperative for us to fast and pray for our brothers & sisters in Israel. According to 1st Corinthians 3:16 and 1st Corinthians 6:19, we are the Temple of God and the Ruach HaKodesh / Holy Spirit dwells within us. We should fast and pray that our “temple” will not become corrupted or defiled from within or from without.
