Three Weeks of Mourning for the Holy Temples

On the 17th of Tammuz, the invading Roman army breached the wall of Jerusalem. Three weeks later is the date when the Babylonians and the Romans destroyed the First and Second Holy Temples, respectively. That date was the 9th (Tisha) day of the Hebrew month of Menachem Av.  These three weeks are a period during which Jews mourn their loss of the Holy Temples. They also fervently pray for the Messiah from the dynasty of King David to establish the Third Temple, speedily in our days.

In 20’25, the daytime fast of 17th of Tammuz falls on Sunday, July 13, and the full day fast of Tisha Be’Av starts on Saturday evening, August 2.

Jews are not to observe any aspects of mourning on the Jewish Sabbath. Therefore, if the 9th starts Friday evening, their observance of the full-day fast is pushed off until the next day.  That is, from Saturday evening to Sunday evening.

For more information for Noahides and all Gentiles about Tisha Be’Av, click here.

In this recording, Rabbi Yosef Eisen reads about the history and Jewish observance of the Three Weeks, from his book Miraculous Journey.

Here is an insight on one of the reasons why we eagerly anticipate the Third Temple, from Rabbi Nachman Simon:

In this audio Rabbi Nachman Simon explains why we can’t build the Third Temple yet. Instead, we learn about the Temple during the Three Weeks, and this brings it sooner.