- 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.
Because we are a blessed people, all sorts of other crappy things are said to have happened to the Jews on this day.
- 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.
- On Tisha B'Av, deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.
The above lists were conveniently supplied by Aish. Dvora Weisberg of CLAL supplied the following discussion:
But why are we mourning? Jews have returned to the land of Israel and there control their own destiny. Jerusalem has been reunited. True, the Temple has not been rebuilt, but for many Jews this is not a cause for dismay. Why then, does Tisha B'Av remain on the calendar as a day of mourning?
One answer may lie in one of the rabbinic explanations for the destruction of the Temples. The Talmud (Yoma 9b) comments:Why was the first Temple destroyed? Because of three things: idolatry, sexual immorality, and murder.... But why was the second Temple destroyed when the Jewish people was engaged in Torah study, commandments and deeds of loving kindness? Because of senseless hatred.
After the destruction of the first Temple, the Jewish people apparently repented of their behavior, behavior they felt had led to their misfortune. In the second Temple period, the Talmud claims, Jews were engaged in praiseworthy acts. But they also hated each other and without cause. This hatred between Jews led to the destruction of the Temple and the collapse of the Jewish state.
Regrettably, senseless hatred still exists within the Jewish community. We have overcome the loss of the Temple, but not the behavior to which its loss is attributed. On Tisha B'Av, we mourn the state of the Jewish community that has regained symbols of its unity, but has yet to retrieve a true sense of togetherness.
How to mourn: Pretty much identical to Yom Kippur. You're meant to: not eat and drink (even water); no washing, bathing, shaving or wearing cosmetics; no wearing leather shoes; no sex; study a lot of Torah. Like the sabbath, work is restricted. Sick people get a pass on fasting. Many of the traditional mourning practices are observed: people refrain from smiles, laughter and idle conversation, and sit on low stools. In synagogue, the book of Lamentations is read and mourning prayers are recited. The ark is draped in black.
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