The Three Weeks and Tishah B’Av I Exile & Destruction
T
he most cataclysmic events shaping the history of the Jewish people occurred on the Seventeenth of Tammuz and Tishah B’Av (the Ninth of Av). Profound mistakes in our relationship with God and our fellow Jews resulted in national tragedies that led to the establishment of these days of mourning, fasting, and introspection. This three-week period, known as “Bein HaMeitzarim” (lit. “between the straits”), is marked by a reduction in our joyous celebration of life as well as customs that reflect a sense of mourning. This first Morasha Class on the Three Weeks will focus on the events marked by these days with specific emphasis on the destruction of the First and Second Temples. This exploration will extend from the beginning of Jewish history in Biblical times to the events of the past century. In the next Morasha Class on the Three Weeks we will investigate why the Temples were destroyed and what we can do to rebuild them.
This class will address the following questions: What events transpired on the Seventeenth of Tammuz and on Tishah B’Av that have impacted the Jewish nation throughout history? How do these events so early in Jewish history affect later generations? What tragedies do we mourn on Tishah B’Av? Is Tishah B’Av the only day of national mourning for the Jewish people?
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Jewish Calendar