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The Nine Days of Av are a time of commemoration and spiritual observance in Judaism during the first nine days of the Jewish month of Av (corresponding to July/August). The Nine Days begin on Rosh Chodesh Av ("First of Av") and culminates on the public fast day of Tisha B'Av ("Ninth of Av"), a day regarded as "the saddest day in the Jewish calendar", mourning the loss of the two temples in Jerusalem.[1]
The Nine Days are part of a larger period of time known as The Three Weeks, which begin with the public fast day of the Seventeenth of Tammuz—commemorated in Judaism for the time when the forces of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia broke through the defensive walls surrounding Jerusalem, generally accepted as happening in 586 BCE—and end with the public fast day of Tisha B'Av—when, according to the Mishna, the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple in 597 BCE and when the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. During the entire Three Weeks, certain activities are abstained by Jews observing Jewish law in order to commemorate, remember and inspire mourning over destruction of the Temple.
The Talmud says, "When the month of Av begins, we [i.e. Jews] reduce our joy."[2] The Nine Days inaugurates an even greater level of communal and personal mourning in recognition of the many tragedies and calamities that befell the Jewish people at this time.[3] The Nine Days are considered an inauspicious time even in our day and age.[3]
Rather than view the Three Weeks and the Nine Days as times of punishment and self-mortification, some Jewish teachings see them as opportunities for introspection, repentance, and forging a closer relationship with God.[4] The Talmud states that all who mourn the destruction of Jerusalem will merit to rejoice in its rebuilding.[5] The Sages also teach that the Jewish Messiah will be born on Tisha B'Av.[6] It is that promise of redemption which nevertheless makes this period one of hope and anticipation in Judaism.
The mourning observances during the Three Weeks are divided into four levels, increasing in intensity:[3]
During the entire Three Weeks, Ashkenazi Jews refrain from making weddings, playing or listening to music, and shaving or taking haircuts. Sephardi Jews begin these mourning observances on Rosh Chodesh Av,[4] although Sephardi Jews generally do not hold weddings at all during the Three Weeks because they are an inauspicious time.[7] Engagements are permitted. The custom is also to avoid saying the blessing over a new fruit on a weekday (one may do so on Shabbat), and making a major purchase such as a new home or car.
During the Nine Days, these additional activities are forbidden by Jewish law because they bring joy:[3]
On Tisha B'Av itself, these additional prohibitions are observed:
The day after Tisha B'Av i.e. the 10th day of Av all halachik restrictions of the Nine days continue until Chatzos (MidDay).
For some restrictions, Jewish law makes a distinction between the beginning of the Nine Days and the week in which Tisha B'Av falls. (The new week begins on Saturday night). For example, the Ashkenazic custom is to permit nail trimming up until the week in which Tisha B'Av falls.
The restrictions against eating meat and drinking wine, besides reducing a person's pleasure, recall the cessation of the Korban Tamid (daily animal sacrifice in the Jewish Temples in Jerusalem) and the Nesach Hayayin (wine libations) on the Temple Altar with the destruction of the Temple.[8]
Many kosher meat restaurants alter their menus during The Nine Days, replacing meat and chicken dishes with fish and vegetarian options in order to remain open while the meat prohibition is in place.[9][10]
Children, pregnant or nursing women, and old or sick people who must eat meat for health reasons are allowed to do so. It is advisable, however, for them to eat poultry or meat derivatives.[8]
One who usually makes Havdalah over wine or grape juice at the conclusion of Shabbat may do so during the Nine Days.[8] According to many opinions, it is preferable to have a child under the age of Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah drink the wine or grape juice.[11]
Children under the age of Bar and Bat Mitzvah are generally included in the lighter mourning practices as training for mitzvah-observance. Thus, they will also refrain from listening to music or getting haircuts during the entire Three Weeks. However, young children are allowed to wear freshly washed clothes, and parents are allowed to launder those clothes for their children during the Nine Days. [3]
The Nine Days typically coincide with summer camps for Jewish children in America. While swimming and water sports are avoided, camps often run special study programs and Holocaust education modules.[12] On Tisha B'Av itself, campers gather to listen to the traditional reading of the Book of Lamentations and engage in creative projects that express the themes of the day.[13]
On Shabbat, all forms of mourning are suspended. Therefore, observant Jews eat meat at their Shabbat meals and drink wine or grape juice for Kiddush as usual. Similarly, while during the rest of the week one cannot wear freshly laundered clothes, on Shabbat, this is allowed.[3]
Throughout the Nine Days (excluding Tisha B'Av), guests at a seudat mitzvah—for example, a brit milah ceremony, a pidyon haben, a bar mitzvahseudah on the boy's birthday, or a siyum—are allowed to eat meat and drink wine.[3] Some yeshivas, kollels, and other study programs try to plan the completion of a volume of Talmud or Mishnah to coincide with the Nine Days so that a meat meal may be served.[14]
The last LubavitcherRebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, requested that a siyum of a Talmudic tractate should be held every day of The Nine Days. Chabad now broadcasts the completion of tractates on its website.[15]
An exception to the prohibition against new construction is made in the case of a building constructed for a mitzvah. Thus, a synagogue, yeshiva or mikveh may be constructed or decorated during the Nine Days.[3]
During each of the three Shabbats of the Three Weeks, a different Haftarah is read in the synagogue after the Torah reading. These are:[16]
ティシャ・ベアヴの前の最後の安息日は、伝統的にこの日に読まれるハフタラの最初の言葉にちなんでシャバット・ハゾン（「幻の安息日」）と呼ばれています。[ 4 ]聖書の伝承によれば、預言者イザヤはエルサレムの最初のユダヤ神殿の差し迫った破壊と、その後神がユダヤ人、主にユダヤ人のディアスポラの追放者たちに下す罰について預言しました。
アブ月の8日目はエレブ・ティシャ・ベアブ（アブ月の9日目の前夜）と呼ばれます。午後の早い時間にミンハーの礼拝の前にたっぷりの食事をし、日没直前にセウダ・ハマフセケット（「断食の食事」）をするのが慣習です。[ 17 ]
セウダ・ハマフセケットは喪に服す人の食事に似ています。習慣としては、冷やしたゆで卵かレンズ豆をパンと水と一緒に食べます。調理済みの食べ物は1種類しか食べられません。パンは灰に浸します。食事をする人は、ティシャ・ベアブの夜と朝と同じように、地面か低い椅子に座り、互いに会話をしません。[ 3 ]
アブの8日が安息日または金曜日に当たる場合は、セウダ・ハマフセケットは食べません。[ 3 ]
アブ月の9日目、すなわちティシャ・ベアブは、神殿の破壊に対する深い悲しみと嘆きの断食の日です。この日のいくつかの慣習は、低い椅子に座ったり、人に挨拶をしないなど、シヴァの慣習に似ていますが、その他の慣習は喪失のテーマを反映しています。例えば、聖櫃の幕を取り外したり、シナゴーグの照明を落としたり、キノット（歴史を通じてユダヤ人コミュニティが受けた迫害に対する挽歌）を朗読したりします。正午以降は通常の椅子に座ることができますが、ティシャ・ベアブと9日間の他のすべての制限は引き続き適用されます。[ 3 ]
九日間の制限は、ティシャ・ベアブの翌日であるアヴ月の10日の正午に終了します。賢者たちは、神殿がティシャ・ベアブの午後に放火された後もアヴ月の10日まで燃え続けたという事実を反映して、この喪の期間を延長しました。九日間に関連するすべての禁止事項は正午まで有効ですが、この時間にセウダット・ミツヴァに参加する人は肉とワインを摂取することができます。[ 3 ]
When Tisha B'Av falls on a Shabbat, the fast day is postponed until Sunday (the Tenth of Av). In this case, most restrictions end at nightfall after the fast. Except for the drinking of Havdalah wine, consumption of meat and wine are delayed until the following morning. Some opinions say that one should not listen to music until the next morning.[3]
The Shabbat after Tisha B'Av is called Shabbat Nachamu ("Sabbath of Comforting"), after the Haftarah read on this day from the Book of Isaiah 40:1-26, which speaks of "comforting" the Jewish people for their suffering. This is the first of the seven Haftarahs of consolation that express the theme of redemption, leading up to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.