B"H
Wednesday, Menachem Av 8, 5786 / July 22, 2026
Tonight begins the fast of Tisha B’Av - the 9th day in the month of Av, when the first Temple and 500 years later the second Temple were destroyed. Every year we fast on Tisha B’Av to remember our great loss. After the morning prayer, we recite special prayers, called Kinot, to remember the tragic events we endured and pray for Moshiach & the rebuilding of the Holy Temple.
Q. How is it that both Temples were destroyed on the same day?
A. Our sages say that G-d directs good events to happen on good days and bad events on bad days. The 9th of Av was historically a bad day. The Torah tells us that on that day, close to 1000 years earlier, before the destruction of the Temple, the Jewish people refused to go into the Land of Israel. The Torah tells us that, “They cried that night...” refusing to go to Israel. G-d decreed that as a result, they will die in the desert. Only their children will go into Israel forty years later.
Thus, the ninth day of Av was prone for punishment for the Jewish people, by their own choice, for refusing to go to the Promised Land. When they sinned many years later, it was on that day that the Temples were destroyed, and they were driven out from their land.
We remember the destruction of the Temples through fasting, reciting special prayers which remind us of our great loss. We read a passage from the Torah in which G-d warns the Jewish people about adhering to the Torah and mitzvot, especially in the Holy Land. We recite the book of Lamentation.
Since Torah study brings us joy, we refrain from studying Torah during part of Tisha B’Av, except for the book of Lamentation and laws concerning mourning, for they speak about tragic events. We study the stories related to the destruction of the Temple, found in the Talmud and Midrash.
On Tisha B’Av (Thursday morning) we recite the Morning Prayer without the Talit and Tefillin. We will use them only for the Mincha service (afternoon prayer).
Yet, with the mourning and fasting, we also have to keep in mind that all this is only temporary. G-d promised through His prophets that in the end, when the right time comes, He will rebuild the Temple and there will be days of peace and tranquility to the people of Israel, to the Land of Israel and the entire world. For two thousand years we lived with the combination of mourning and hope, with sorrow and reassurance at the same time.
For two thousand years we believed that deep within the embers and ruins of destruction, G-d planted the seeds of our salvation. Jews never lost hope and faith, even against all odds. Two thousand years of Jewish history is proof of how true this is. No matter how many times various nations tried to destroy us, even in our generation, in the end we not only survived, but came out stronger than before. On this day we proclaim, “Am Yisrael Chai!” Israellives and will live on!
In Montreal the fast begins Wednesday at: 8:33 pm / Fast ends Thursday night at: 9:16 pm
HAVE AN EASY FAST – MAY WE MERIT THE COMING OF MOSHIACH - NOW!