The Ninth of Av

10/01/02. Chances are that if you live in the United States you would interpret that date to be October 1, 2002. But many people in the international community would read that date as January 10, 2002. A little confusing perhaps, but could this bit of trivia be something more than that?

Last month the United States marked the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and the loss of United flight 93. The date of the attack was September 11, 2001, or 9/11, the eleventh day of the ninth month. Since the attacks, Americans have come to believe, perhaps rightly so, that the date of the attack was random. 9/11 never held significance for us prior to that fateful day. But is 9/11 significant anywhere else?

Historically, the darkest day on the Hebrew calendar is 9/11 - the ninth day of the eleventh month, the ninth of Av (Tisha B'Av).

On the ninth of Av, five national calamities occurred:

During the time of Moses, Jews in the desert accepted the slanderous report of the 12 Spies, and the decree was issued forbidding them from entering the Land of Israel. (1312 BCE)

The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar. 100,000 Jews were slaughtered and millions more exiled. (586 BCE)

The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, led by Titus. Some two million Jews died, and another one million were exiled. (70 CE)

The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by Roman Emperor Hadrian. The city of Betar -- the Jews' last stand against the Romans -- was captured and liquidated. Over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered. (135 BCE)

The Temple area and its surroundings were plowed under by the Roman general Turnus Rufus. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a pagan city -- renamed Aelia Capitolina -- and access was forbidden to Jews.

Other grave misfortunes throughout Jewish history occurred on the Ninth of Av, including:

Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many Jewish communities obliterated.

The Spanish Inquisition culminated with the expulsion of Jews from Spain on Tisha B'Av in 1492.

World War One broke out on Tisha B'Av in 1914 when Russia declared war on Germany. German resentment from the war set the stage for the Holocaust.

On Tisha B'Av, deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. *

September 11, 2001, did not fall on the ninth of Av, but was the timing specifically chosen by the terrorists to drive home a point - that we are inseperably identified with Israel? Maybe, maybe not. That's something we may never know with any certainty in this life. But one thing is certain - we now have one more bond with Israel. We each have our 9/11. May our bonds with Israel grow stronger and our support for her never waiver.

* Taken from aish.com

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10/02


	The Ninth of Av 10/01/02. Chances are that if you live in the United States you would interpret that date to be October 1, 2002. But many people in the international community would read that date as January 10, 2002. A little confusing perhaps, but could this bit of trivia be something more than that? Last month the United States marked the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and the loss of United flight 93. The date of the attack was September 11, 2001, or 9/11, the eleventh day of the ninth month. Since the attacks, Americans have come to believe, perhaps rightly so, that the date of the attack was random. 9/11 never held significance for us prior to that fateful day. But is 9/11 significant anywhere else? Historically, the darkest day on the Hebrew calendar is 9/11 - the ninth day of the eleventh month, the ninth of Av (Tisha B'Av). On the ninth of Av, five national calamities occurred: During the time of Moses, Jews in the desert accepted the slanderous report of the 12 Spies, and the decree was issued forbidding them from entering the Land of Israel. (1312 BCE) The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar. 100,000 Jews were slaughtered and millions more exiled. (586 BCE) The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, led by Titus. Some two million Jews died, and another one million were exiled. (70 CE) The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by Roman Emperor Hadrian. The city of Betar -- the Jews' last stand against the Romans -- was captured and liquidated. Over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered. (135 BCE) The Temple area and its surroundings were plowed under by the Roman general Turnus Rufus. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a pagan city -- renamed Aelia Capitolina -- and access was forbidden to Jews. Other grave misfortunes throughout Jewish history occurred on the Ninth of Av, including: Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, and many Jewish communities obliterated. The Spanish Inquisition culminated with the expulsion of Jews from Spain on Tisha B'Av in 1492. World War One broke out on Tisha B'Av in 1914 when Russia declared war on Germany. German resentment from the war set the stage for the Holocaust. On Tisha B'Av, deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. * September 11, 2001, did not fall on the ninth of Av, but was the timing specifically chosen by the terrorists to drive home a point - that we are inseperably identified with Israel? Maybe, maybe not. That's something we may never know with any certainty in this life. But one thing is certain - we now have one more bond with Israel. We each have our 9/11. May our bonds with Israel grow stronger and our support for her never waiver. * Taken from aish.com Back to Current Issue 10/02