What is
Tisha B’Av?

Rabbinic literature links several calamities to Tisha B’Av. The Mishnah (Taanit 4:6) lists five disasters, including the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE. The biblical Book of Lamentations, together with prophetic writings, provides the theological and emotional language through which generations have grappled with these losses.

Over time, additional tragedies became associated with the date: the fall of Betar in 135 CE during the Bar Kokhba revolt; expulsions from England in 1290 and Spain in 1492; and waves of persecution across Europe. In contemporary memory, Tisha B’Av encompasses communal mourning for victims of pogroms and the Holocaust, creating an arc of remembrance from antiquity to the modern era.

The day’s meaning has evolved across Jewish communities. In Sephardic, Ashkenazi, and Mizrahi traditions, Tisha B’Av blends historical mourning with spiritual introspection. Some emphasize national loss and exile; others highlight ethical self-examination and the yearning for redemption. Today, many communities weave in education about Jewish history and a renewed commitment to rebuilding Jewish life and supporting Jerusalem.

The fast begins at sunset on the eve of the Ninth of Av and ends after nightfall the following day. Healthy adults customarily refrain from eating and drinking. Jewish law exempts those who are ill, pregnant, or nursing, and children do not fast. When Tisha B’Av falls on Shabbat, the fast is postponed to Sunday. The final pre-fast meal is simple, often including bread and a hard-boiled egg dipped in ashes as a sign of mourning.

Prayer and liturgy take on a mournful tone. Communities sit on low stools or the floor at night to read the Book of Lamentations (Eichah), often by candlelight. Kinnot, a collection of elegies lamenting the Temples’ destructions and later tragedies, are recited through the night and morning. The Torah reading and haftarah reflect themes of rebuke and consolation. Many synagogues dim lights and remove decorative coverings from the ark to underscore the gravity of the day.

• Mourning customs: refraining from bathing for pleasure, applying lotions, wearing leather shoes, and marital relations.
• Work and study: Work is often limited, especially until midday; joyous Torah study is curtailed in favor of somber texts such as Lamentations, Job, portions of Jeremiah, and relevant sections of rabbinic literature.
• Afternoon transition: after midday, some customs ease and regular seating resumes for afternoon prayers, signaling measured movement from grief toward consolation.

Tisha B’Av remains a living framework for remembrance. Since the destruction of the First and Second Temples, more recent catastrophes — namely, the Holocaust — have devastated the Jewish world. Tisha B’Av has thus become a time when Jews step back and mourn all those we have lost across the centuries. 

Modern observance of Tisha B’Av extends beyond the synagogue. Communities host lectures, film screenings, and study sessions that explore Jewish history, antisemitism, and pathways to communal renewal. Some organize reflective walks, volunteer projects, or small-group conversations that create space to process loss and consider resilience. Educators use the day to teach about Jerusalem’s centrality, the ethics of social responsibility, and the dangers of baseless hatred.

Culturally and emotionally, Tisha B’Av confronts the reality of destruction while affirming endurance. Themes of grief, responsibility, and hope resonate with individuals navigating personal and collective challenges. The day fosters empathy and moral clarity, reminding participants that memory is meant to inspire action and compassion.