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Tisha B'Av (literally: the Ninth of Av) is the day on which Jews grieve the destructions of the First and Second Temples; the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492; massacres during the Crusades, and more.
The time from the 17th of the last month, Tammuz–marking the Romans breaching the walls of Jerusalem before the fall of the Second Temple–until Tisha B'Av is called the Three Weeks, a time in which many observe practices connected to mourning like not holding weddings, getting hair cut, or listening to music. The time from the very beginning of the month of Av (which began yesterday) until Tisha B'Av is called, yes, The Nine Days, during which even more mourning practices are observed.*
*For example, during the Nine Days, many people also don't engage in home improvements or decorating; plant flowers; eat meat or drink wine except on Shabbat; buy new clothes, or even do laundry (though customs differ about when this starts)–and other such things.There are also some demonology issues during this time. For example, if one checks the authoritative 16th c. law code the Shulchan Aruch for instructions on the laws of the the Three Weeks, one finds:
One must take care from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av not to go out between the fourth and the ninth hours [of the day] (because at those [hours] the ketev meriri rules). (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 551:18)
Wait... what?
(We're going to learn some things about the Ketev Meriri
and about how Rabbinic text gets made. Come on a journey!)
