Israelis are bracing for a possible attack by Iran or its Hezbollah proxy on Tisha B’Av, the annual Jewish day of mourning, which begins Monday evening.
According to Jewish tradition, Tisha B’Av, or the ninth day of the month of Av, is the anniversary of the destruction of both the First (586 B.C.) and Second (70 A.D.) Temples in Jerusalem, first by the Babylonians and then the Romans.
The day has also become a catch-all for every calamity in the long and tragic history of the Jewish people. Though there are other tragic dates — such as October 7, 2023 — Tisha B’Av is considered the day of mourning for all of them, so much so that some religious sects decline to observe a separate Holocaust memorial day, but rather use Tisha B’Av to mourn for that period in history as well.
According to custom, Tisha B’Av is a “major” fast day. That means it lasts from just before sundown on the eve of the holiday until just after nightfall, roughly 25 hours later. During that time, eating, drinking, sexual relations, bathing, and wearing leather shoes (traditionally thought of as being more comfortable than the alternatives) are forbidden.
Traditions of grief and mourning are also observed. That means people sit on low chairs, and refrain from wearing prayer shawls for the day’s first prayers. The Torah may not be studied on Tisha B’Av, except for topics that relate directly to the day.
There were reports in recent weeks that Iran was planning its attack for Tisha B’av. These can be regarded as a form of psychological warfare, since the idea of an Iranian attack on the date when the two Temples were destroyed also evokes the idea of the destruction of Israel, the stated goal of the Iranian regime and anti-Israel protesters worldwide.
The period following Tisha B’Av is a time of renewal. Tu B’Av, the 15th day of the month, is the “Jewish Valentine’s Day,” and the Sabbath readings for the weeks to come include uplifting, hopeful selections from the prophet Isaiah.
National morale in Israel can be presumed to be at its lowest on Tuesday, but it will recover in the weeks that follow.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
