CO-EDITORS Aryeh Kaminetsky Alexa Szegedi DESIGNER Rachel Olson CONSULTING EDITOR Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin CONTRIBUTORS Rabbi Moshe Benovitz Rabbi Jacob Bernstein Ben Book Rabbi Michael Goldman Rabbi Derek Gormin Shoshana Grad Ziona Isaacs Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky Adele Lerner Leora Lesher Leah Moskovich Rabbi Dov Pianko Rabbi Yoni Pollock Mrs. Erin Stiebel 2 CONTENTS Introduction . 4 Overview of Tisha B’Av . 5 Key Terms. 6 Halachot: Jewish Law. 7 FAQ. 9 Introduction to Eicha (Lamentations): Homesick . .10 Chapter 1: Start with “How”. 11 Chapter 2: Your Majesty . .16 Chapter 3: First Person Problems. 20 Chapter 4: From Bad to Worse . .25 Chapter 5: No Matter the Turbulence. 28 Introduction to Kinot: For These Things I Cry. 32 Kinah #3: On This Night . .33 Kinah #11: Death of Yoshiyahu . .36 Kinah #16: Arch of Titus. 38 Kinah #21: The Ten Martyrs. 41 Kinah #23: Crying For Others . .45 Kinah #25: The Crusades . .47 Kinah #31: Leaving Egypt Versus Yerushalayim. 50 Kinah #41: Loss of Torah . .53 Kinah #46: Tziyon Halo Tish’ali. 56 Songs of Prayer and Yearning . .59 3 INTRODUCTION gray scale (grā- skāl) noun : a series of regularly spaced tones ranging from black to white through intermediate shades of gray Some people paint in color. Others paint in black and white. Oliver Sacks, a world-renowned author and neurologist, describes an interesting case of a painter who suddenly became colorblind after an accident. Curiously, the painter maintained a strong awareness of color even though he could only see black and white. He knew what colors he was supposed to see and how they would normally make him feel, yet he was limited to seeing only black and white. The painter’s knowledge of color and appreciation for its beauty made his transition to colorblindness especially difficult because he knew exactly what he was missing. On Tisha B’Av, we are also confronted with missing something that we once so intimately knew. The devastating adjustment of the colorblind painter is very similar to how we often experience Tisha B’Av. We are normally so deeply entrenched in our lives of “color” that we struggle to experience the black and white of this serious day. We face the crushing loss of the Beit Hamikdash, our central place of worship, while we sit at the packed and crowded Kotel. As we see the busy streets of Jerusalem, it is a challenge to mourn the destruction of this seemingly vibrant city. We are broken in an instant, and yet we can clearly recall the excitement of our summer in dazzling color. We are all colorblind artists. If you only see in black and white, these pages will reinforce the loss of central worship. If you don’t see in black and white, you’ll quickly realize the lack of color. Tisha B’Av reminds us that without the Beit Hamikdash, our world is not as colorful as we often like to think. The following pages are designed to help you navigate through these complex emotions as we strive to concretize the canvas of our religious lives, helping you make sense of the gray in the sea of color. Alexa Szegedi Education Associate 4 “Tisha” is the Hebrew word “Av” is the 11th for the number 9 month in the Hebrew calendar. It falls in July or August each year. TishaTHIS DAY IS THE SADDEST DAY OF THEB’Av JEWISH YEAR. ON THIS DAY, WE REMEMBER EVERYTHING SAD THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO OUR PEOPLE. NATIONAL Eicha (Lamentations) The book of Eicha consists of TRAGEDIES Jeremiah's poetic lament over the Befell the Jews on the 9th of Av 5 destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple. It is read both at night 1312 BCE – The Spies and during the day. Special "Kinot" After the Exodus, when the Jews were on their way (elegies) are also recited to enter the Land of Israel, they sent spies to check following the night and day services. out the Land. The spies returned with a negative report about the Land, and the Jews accepted their slanderous report. As a result, on the 9th of Av, God decreed that they must wander in the desert for 40 years before entering the land. 421 BCE – First Temple The First Temple was destroyed by the HOW Babylonians. The Sages tell us that the Temple was DO WE MOURN? destroyed because of three major sins: idolatry, illicit relationships, and murder. NO EATING OR DRINKING 70 CE – Second Temple NO BATHING OR The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans. WASHING HANDS The Sages tell us that the Second Temple was NO ANOINTING destroyed predominately for the sin of baseless FOR PLEASURE hatred. Baseless hatred is still around, so we are still in exile. NO LEARNING TORAH 135 CE – The City of Beitar NO WEARING Bar Kochba was a successful Jewish leader who LEATHER SHOES defended the Jews against the Romans - many NO SITTING HIGHER Jews even believed he was the Messiah. However, THAN ONE FOOT OFF THE GROUND on the 9th of Av in 132 CE, Bar Kochba and his army were defeated by the Romans. Over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered in the City of Beitar, ending the Jewish revolt. 133 CE – Turnus Rufus The Temple area and its surroundings were plowed under by a Roman general named Turnus Rufus. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a pagan city – renamed WHY ARE WE Aelia Capitolina – and access was forbidden to Jews. STILL MOURNING? WE LOST OUR WE LOST MANY MORE TRAGEDIES OUR NATION IS OUR happened on the ninth of Av, such as the TEMPLE DISPERSED HOMELAND SPANISH INQUISITION including the expulsion of the Jews from Spain (1492) and WORLD WAR I which broke out on the eve of Tisha B’av (1914) 5 KEY TERMS Tisha B’Av Seudat Hamafseket Literally “the ninth day of the The final meal eaten before the fast Hebrew month of Av.” It is a day begins. There is a minhag to eat an dedicated to commemorating egg with ashes and bread at this five national tragedies that meal, to signify a state of mourning. occurred to the Jewish people. Kinot Eicha A series of mournful poems written One of the books of the Bible. It is a to capture the grief and sadness we lamentation written by the prophet feel over the destruction of the First Yirmiyahu, reflecting his shock and and Second Temples, as well as other sadness over the tragic events that tragedies in Jewish history. we are mourning on Tisha B’Av. Beit Hamikdash Nidche The Temple in Yerushalayim When the ninth of Av falls on Shabbat, that functioned as the central the observance of Tisha B’Av is place of worship for the “nidche,” postponed until Sunday so as Jewish people. not to conflict with Shabbos. “Nidche” literally means “pushed off.” 6 HALACHOT: JEWISH LAW Seudah Hamafseket (not applicable if Tisha B’Av is on Sunday): There is a custom to eat an egg dipped in ash together with bread. Nothing else should be eaten. There is no zimmun. The meal should ideally be eaten alone so that no zimmun needs to be made. One should sit on the floor. Tisha B’Av night: The Parochet is removed until after midday during the day. If it is Saturday night, we delay Havdalah until Sunday night. s However, on Saturday night, we make the bracha on the candle. s Additionally, one should not change into Tisha B’Av shoes until Hamavdil or Borochu is said. After Maariv, Eicha is read, followed by a few kinnot. s The lighting is dimmed for Eicha. General Prohibitions on Tisha B’Av: 1) Eating or drinking s This includes brushing your teeth. 2) Bathing or washing s Any washing, even sticking one’s finger in water is forbidden. s In the morning, you should wash your hands until the knuckle. s If you go to the bathroom, you should wash your hands until the knuckle. 3) Applying creams s Deodorant can be used. 4) Wearing leather shoes 5) The study of Torah is by nature something which brings people happiness and is therefore not allowed on Tisha B’Av. s Learning the Halachot of Tisha B’Av, Eicha, or certain sad parts of Torah is allowed. 6) You should refrain from greeting someone else. s If someone accidentally greets you, you can respond quietly. 7) One should not sit on a normal chair but should rather sit on the floor or a low stool. s This applies until midday. s Some have the custom to make themselves less comfortable during the night when they sleep (i.e. one pillow instead of two, or no pillows at all). 7 Shacharis: If one is putting their tzitzit on in the morning, he may make a bracha. No tallis or tefillin at Shacharis. Nacheim and Aneinu are not added to the Shemoneh Esrei. Tachnun is omitted. Mincha: Tefillin are put on at Mincha. At Mincha, Nacheim is recited during the bracha of Ve’liyrushalayim, Aneinu is added, and Shir Shel Yom is said. s If you forgot to recite Nachem, don’t go back and say it. Tachanun is omitted. Maariv: The custom is to say Kiddush Levana after Tisha B’Av. It is preferable to put on leather shoes and to break one’s fast before recital. When Tisha B’Av is on a Sunday, we say Havdalah on Sunday night. s We only say Borei Pri Hagafen and Hamavdil. The restrictions of the Nine Days extend to midday on the tenth of Av. s When Tisha B’Av is observed on the tenth of Av, certain prohibitions of the Nine Days end immediately once Tisha B’Av ends.