Ninth of Av

On the ninth of the month of Av the Roman legions in Jerusalem smashed through the fortress tower of Antonia into the Holy Temple and set it afire; five hundred years before, Nebakanezer of Babylon destroyed the First Temple on the same day–the ninth of Av is a 25 hour fast day beginning at sundown tonight.

The ninth of Av is a day of mourning, a sad day when all the miseries of the Jewish People are remembered; it is also when according to the Midrash-Book of Metaphor that Moshiach is revealed–this dichotomy is exemplified by the prohibition to study Torah because of the pleasure derived, but the permission to study Zohar-Book of Secret since the essence was not destroyed.

This harlequin day of misery and joy is celebrated with patience; patience for the fast to end and patience for Moshiach to come. The Talmud-Book of Law related a story about Rabbi Akiva who happened upon the place of the Temple after the destruction and laughed. Asked why he was laughing he said, now that I see the Second Temple destroyed now I now know the Third Temple is about to come–that was 2000 years ago.

The Cabala explains that Moshiach will bring the Third Temple which will descend from the heavens made of material that do not erode and will never be destroyed.

God exclaimed at the giving of the Torah that if Jewish People promised to keep the Torah than God would promise to bring Moshiach by the year 6000–it is presently 5769.