Today is Tisha B'av - the 9th of the month of Av - the 5th of the Hebrew year. Look at all that has happened on this day in history
History of Events on Tisha B'Av
by Rabbi Mordechai Becher
A brief listing of infamous events that took place on Tisha B'Av throughout history.
| Hebrew Year |
Common Year |
Event |
| 2448 |
(1312) |
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 |
(421) |
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. |
So, did you know that today - this day.. this year 2009.. there is something going on that will be part of our history?
Temple Institute to Build Sacrificial Altar on Tisha B'av
Av 8, 5769, 29 July 09 10:09
by Yehudah Lev Kay
(Israelnationalnews.com) The Temple Institute will begin building the sacrificial altar on Thursday, Tisha B’av, a fast day when Jews mourn the destruction of the Temple some 2,000 years ago.
[weJew:5306] Email readers, please click here to view the video report.
The sacrificial altar was located in the center of the Temple, and upon it the Kohanim (priests) offered the numerous voluntary and obligatory sacrifices commanded in the Bible.
The Temple Institute, which has already built many of the vessels for the Holy Temple, such as the ark and the menorah, has now embarked on a project to build the altar. Construction begins Thursday in Mitzpe Yericho (east of Jerusalem) at 5:30 p.m.%ad%
“Unfortunately, we cannot currently build the altar in its proper place, on the Temple Mount,” Temple Institute director Yehudah Glick said. “We are building an altar of the minimum possible size so that we will be able to transport it to the Temple when it is rebuilt."
[Check out more multimedia coverage of Tisha B'av by clicking here]
Even a minimum size altar will work out to be approximately 4 meters tall, 6 meters long, and 6 meters wide. Workers have collected around 10 cubic meters of rocks weighing several tons already.
The rocks were gathered from the Dead Sea area and wrapped individually to assure they remain whole and are not touched by metal, as the Bible requires.
“The Torah says that no iron tools should be used on the altar’s stones,” Glick explained. “The altar represents a connection to life and to the creation of the world. Iron is the opposite – it is used to build tools of war, death, and destruction.”
The stones will be cemented together with a mixture of sand, clay, tar, and asphalt. Researchers from the Temple Institute visited the Finish glass factory near Yerucham to learn how to create a mixture which would remain as cool as possible under the altar’s unremitting fires and protect the Kohanim, who always worked in the Temple barefoot.
Glick said that Tisha B’av, a day associated with mourning, is really the ideal time to begin to build the Temple. “People mistakenly think Tisha B’av is only a day to cry,” he explained. “It also has to be a day of action. We have the ability in our era to begin the construction of the Temple."
“There are many positive developments recently with regard to the Temple,” Glick added. “Hundreds of Jews visited the Temple Mount this week, and more and more continue to come, after undergoing the requisite ritual immersion.”
The Temple Institute is searching for donations to help build the altar, which will cost around NIS 100,000 (approximately $26,000). More information is available at http://www.templeinstitute.org/main.htm.

Gathering Stones (Israel news photo: Temple Institute)

Building the Altar (Israel news photo: Temple Institute)
© Copyright IsraelNationalNews.com
Do you wonder what the implications of this building of the altar will be? Stay tuned in, we'll find out. |
Jul. 30, 2009 - Untitled Comment
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Rosina