You don’t have to be Jewish to realize that the world may be sitting right on top of a major moment of biblical prophecy of significant proportions. In keeping with that understanding, maybe this is a year for Christians to sit with the Jewish people and accompany them in mourning and fasting — just a thought.
Tish B’Av is an amazing day: Here is one timeline of events that happened on the 9th of AV. The Hebrew year is listed first and the common year in parentheses.
2448 (1312BCE) Spies return from 40 days in Israel with evil reports of the Land of Israel. Jewish people cry in despair, give up hope of entering the Land of Israel.
3340 (421BCE) Destruction of First Temple by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezar. About 100,000 Jews killed during invasion. Exile of remaining tribes in southern kingdom to Babylon and Persia.
3830 (70) Destruction of Second Temple by Romans, under Titus. Over 2,500,000 Jews die as a result of war, famine and disease. Over 1,000,000 Jews exiled to all parts of the Roman Empire. Over 100,000 Jews sold as slaves by Romans. Jews killed and tortured in gladiatorial “games” and pagan celebrations.
3892 (132) Bar Kochba revolt crushed. Betar destroyed – over 100,00 killed.
3893 (133) Turnus Rufus ploughs site of Temple. Romans build pagan city of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem.
4855 (1095) First Crusade declared by Pope Urban II. 10,000 Jews killed in first month of Crusade. Crusades bring death and destruction to thousands of Jews, totally obliterate many communities in Rhineland and France.
5050 (1290) Expulsion of Jews from England, accompanied by pogroms and confiscation of books and property.
5252 (1492) Inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminates in the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. Families separated, many die by drowning, massive loss of property.
5674 (1914) Britain and Russia declare war on Germany. First World War begins. First World War issues unresolved, ultimately causing Second World War and Holocaust. 75% of all Jews in war zones. Jews in armies of all sides – 120,000 Jewish casualties in armies. Over 400 pogroms immediately following war in Hungary, Ukraine, Poland and Russia.
5702 (1942) Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp begin.
5749 (1989) Iraq walks out of talks with Kuwait.
5754 (1994) The deadly bombing the building of the AMIA (the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina) which killed 86 people and wounded some 300 others.
Tish B’Av is commemorated by mourning and fasting, according Jewish tradition, because it is the day the both the first and second Temples were destroyed. Observant Jews around the world will gather to read the Book of Lamentations The Book of Eicha (Lamentations) is Jeremiah’s poetic lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple, is read both at night and during the day.
Other calamities associated with Tisha B’Av:
The episode of the Golden calf (17th of Tammuz) in which the Hebrews, after their exodus from Egypt, reintroduced idolatry as a form of spirituality.
The First Crusade officially commenced on August 15, 1096 (Av 24, AM 4856), killing 10,000 Jews in its first month and destroying Jewish communities in France and the Rhineland. 1.2 million Jews were killed by this crusade that started on the 9th of Av.
The Jews were expelled from England on July 18, 1290 (Av 9, AM 5050).
The Jews were expelled from France on July 22, 1306 (Av 10, AM 5066).
The Jews were expelled from Spain on July 31, 1492 (Av 7, AM 5252).
Germany entered World War I on August 1-2, 1914 (Av 9-10, AM 5674), which caused massive upheaval in European Jewry and whose aftermath led to the Holocaust.
On August 2, 1941 (Av 9, AM 5701), SS commander Heinrich Himmler formally received approval from the Nazi Party for “The Final Solution.” As a result, the Holocaust began during which almost one third of the world’s Jewish population perished.
On July 23, 1942 (Av 9, AM 5702), began the mass deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, en route to Treblinka.
Most religious communities use Tisha B’Av to mourn the 6,000,000 Jews who perished in the Holocaust, including special kinnot composed for this purpose (see the main kinnot article) (in addition to, or instead of, the secular Holocaust Memorial Days.)
On the 10th of Av the following events took place:
AMIA bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 and injuring 300 on 18 July 1994; 10 Av, AM 5754.
Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan, also known as the “Disengagement plan”, “Gaza expulsion plan”, or Hitnatkut, began 10 Av, AM 5765; 15 August 2005.