On Tisha B'av
By Rabbi Yitzchak Blau,
Faculty, Yeshivat Hamivtar - Orot Lev

Did Am Yisrael keep the fast of Tisha b’Av while the second Beit Hamikdash was standing? On the one hand, the fast day had already been established after the destruction of the first Temple. On the other hand, it seems absurd to mourn for the Beit Hamikdash when a Beit Hamikdash is standing. Indeed, Rambam’s position (Commentary on the Mishnah Rosh Hashana 1:3) that the Jews did fast during bayit sheni drew a great deal of criticism. The Tashbetz attributes this Rambam to a scribal error and R. Menahem Meiri (RH 18a) also takes it for granted that the Jews did not fast.

This dispute revolves around the interpretation of a Mishnah and accompanying gemara in Rosh Hashana (18a/b). The Mishneh relates that the sages in Yerushalayim sent out messengers to inform the broader Jewish community what day was sanctified as Rosh Chodesh for six of the months, including Av to let people know when to fast. The Mishnah concludes that when the Temple stood, they also sent out for Iyyar so that people would know when to celebrate Pesach sheni. Some infer from the word "also" that Iyyar should be added to the list of the six which would then imply that they needed to send messengers out for Av while the Beit Hamikdash stood. The Turei Even, who also finds Rambam’s position inconceivable emends the text and removes the word "also".

The Gemara on that Mishnah, in explaining a verse in Zecharya (8:19), states that there are three halakhic periods for the fast days commemorating churban habayit
1) A time of shalom- The fast days transform into holidays.
2) A time of gzerat malchut- The fasts are obligatory.
3) A time of neither shalom or gzerat malchut- The fasts are optional.
What is the definition of shalom? Ramban interprets "shalom" to mean that the Beit Hamikdash is standing. If so, Bayit Sheni was a time for rejoicing and we must reject the Rambam’s position. Rashi, on the other hand, thinks that "shalom" means independence from foreign rule. If so, the limited Jewish autonomy due to the influence of the Greeks and Romans during the second Temple period may mean that Bayit Sheni belongs in category three. If so, Rambam’s position works well as the Jews exercised their option to fast on Tisha b’Av due to the seriousness of the day (See Sefat Emet RH 18b).

What would be the hashkafic implications of mourning an event that no longer seems relevant? Rabbi Haskel Lookstein cited the following explanation from Rabbi Yosef Dov Solovetchik. The celebration of Jewish holidays involves not only remembering a happy previous event but reliving the joy of the event and attempting to see oneself as actually experiencing the event. In the same way, remembering the tragedies means identifying oneself with those who experienced the churban. Such
identification can take place even when the Temple is standing.  Furthermore, remembering the event encourages us to focus on what once went wrong in Jewish history (the sins that caused the churban) and to call forth all our spiritual resources to insure that the mistakes are not repeated. Surely, such a message was significant during Bayit Sheni. May our efforts in apprehending the significance of our past enable us to actually experience the future redemption.

Return to Yeshivat Hamivtar - Orot Lev

Virtual Jerusalem Site Terms, Conditions of Use and Warranties.