Tisha B'Av: Jewish Day of Fasting and Mourning Begins Monday Night

Tisha b’Av is the saddest day of the Jewish calendar. On the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, Jews remember the tragedies that have marked our history, beginning with the destruction of our Temple in Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. and continuing through the centuries of expulsions, pogroms and massacres to the catastrophes of our own era.

The day is marked by the signs and customs of mourning. From sundown Monday night until nightfall Tuesday evening, Jews engage in a complete fast—abstaining from eating, drinking, bathing, wearing leather shoes, putting on cosmetics and from sexual activity. During the synagogue service, it is customary to sit on the floor and refrain from offering greetings or engaging in friendly small talk.

On Tisha b’Av evening, Jews come together to hear the biblical Book of Lamentations (Eikha) chanted in its slow, haunting melody. Eikha tells the story of the destruction of Jerusalem and the resulting exile of the Jewish people. It begins with the words:

Alas! Lonely sits the city, once great with people. She that was once praised among the nations has become like a widow.”

The chanting is concluded with kinot, bitter songs of lament, which aim to further stir and break the heart.

Yet despite the sadness, as the day progresses the collective mood turns from grief to hope. On Tisha b’Av afternoon, many Jews will put on their tefilin (phylacteries)—a symbol of dignity and refusal to give up on our distinctive identity. The Rabbis of the Talmud even go so far as to teach that the Messiah will be born on Tisha b’Av, affirming that even in the midst of sorrow we remain committed to a vision of peace and justice for all people.

By the end of the full day of mourning, Jews gather to break the fast and step out of our collective darkness with a heightened understanding of loss and renewed belief in the possibility of a future that will be brighter than the past.

Rabbi Adam Greenwald is the Executive Director of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles.

Editor's Note: A version of this article first appeared on Culver City Patch in 2012.