Tisha B'Av

I was looking around the new PodCast section of iTunes yesterday and found this Jewish radio program, so I thought I'd listen to it. The broadcaster was talking about the 12 spies of Numbers 13 and made mention of Tisha B'Av or the 9th day of Av on the Jewish calendar, which is the "Saddest day in Israel." After listening to the guy's take on it I did a little research of my own... it's a pretty interesting day.

From what I have found by just a little google search the 9th of Av was the day the 10 spies delivered their discouraging report. The end of that day is recorded for us in Numbers 14:1...

"And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night."

- Numbers 14:1

That night they mourned for lack of faith... A few of the sites I researched went on to say of this day, "Ever since God has given the nation of Israel a real reason to mourn in correction of this lack of faith." Truly the 9th of Av would prove to be the saddest day for Israel, for on this day would the first and the second Temples be destroyed (586 BC by the Babylonians and AD 70 by the Romans), then on the 9th of Av in 1492 the Jews would be expelled from Spain. Latter in the 1800's the Pogroms against the Jews in Russia began on the 9th of Av. World War I and II also occurred on this momentous day.

Pretty interesting how God singles out specific dates... equally as interesting, one of the Jewish sites I found says,

"In the future this day of mourning will completely turn into a day of rejoicing as the true Moshiach (Messiah) will be born on this day removing the yoke of the nations around us."

Very interesting...

Oh wait, maybe one more little interesting thought. Tisha B'Av falls on August 14th this year. Will something sad happen in Isreal on that day? Well, as it stands right now 9,000 Jewish settlers will have to begin leaving their homes in the Gaza Strip on August 14th of this year. What could be more sad than being expelled from your home in your own country?