~ In Hebrew, Rosh Chodesh means, literally, "head of the month" or "first of the month." Rosh Chodesh is the first day of any new month. If a month is 30 days long, then the 30th day is treated as part of the Rosh Chodesh for the next month, and the Rosh Chodesh for next month extends for two days (the 30th of the earlier month and the 1st of the later month).
~ In Hebrew, Rosh Chodesh means, literally, "head of the month" or "first of the month." Rosh Chodesh is the first day of any new month. If a month is 30 days long, then the 30th day is treated as part of the Rosh Chodesh for the next month, and the Rosh Chodesh for next month extends for two days (the 30th of the earlier month and the 1st of the later month).
~ In ancient times, Rosh Chodesh was a significant festival day. At that time, the new months were determined by observation. Each month began when the first sliver of moon became visible after the dark of the moon. Observers would watch the sky at night for any sign of the moon. If they saw the moon, they would report their sightings to the Sanhedrin, which would interrogate them to make sure that they were not mistaken. Where in the sky did the moon appear? Which direction was it pointing? If two independent, reliable eyewitnesses confirmed that the new moon had appeared and described it consistently, the Sanhedrin would declare the new month and send out messengers to tell people when the month began.
~ The day after the moon appeared was a festival, announced with the sounding of the shofar, commemorated with solemn convocations, family festivities and special sacrifices. The importance of this holiday in ancient times should not be underestimated. The entire calendar was dependent upon these declarations; without the declarations, there would be no way of knowing when holidays were supposed to occur.
~ In later days, however, the calendar was fixed by mathematical computation. After the destruction of the Temple, sacrifices were no longer available. Accordingly, the significance of this festival has substantially diminished. There are some slight changes to the liturgy for Rosh Chodesh, including the addition of part of Hallel after the Shemoneh Esrei, and some additional Torah readings, but that is about the only observance of Rosh Chodesh today.
~ It remains a custom in some communities for women to refrain from work on Rosh Chodesh, as a reward for their refusal to participate in the incident of the Golden Calf.

~ In Hebrew, Rosh Hashana literally means, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah begins the Jewish liturgical cycle and marks the beginning of Atzeret Yemei Teshuvah, the Ten Days of Repentance (see below). It occurs on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishri.
~ Rosh Hashanah is a two-day holy day in which we mark other beginnings as well, such as the beginning of humanity (that is, humanity was created on Rosh Hashanah) and the completion of creation. The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Torah to discuss this day. The Torah instead refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar).
~ The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25. We blow the shofar, the ram's horn, to awaken our souls to repentance and mindfulness of G-d. We also eat special foods to symbolize our hopes and dreams for the coming year. For example, since sweetness is a sign of happiness and hope, we eat sweet apples and honey to represent the year we wish for ourselves, our families, the Jewish community and, indeed, all humanity. In addition we have special round Challah. Bread is the staff of life, the roundness of the bread symbolizes the circle of life and it is for life that we also pray. Another popular practice of this day is the ceremony of Tashlikh, or "casting off". In the late afternoon following prayer services, we walk to a place where flowing water is found, such as a creek or river, and cast bread into the water, symbolically casting off our sins. This practice is not discussed in the Torah, but is a long-standing custom. No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah and much of the day is spent in prayer, meditation, and spiritual exploration, with a focus on the concept of G-d's sovereignty. Because of the extensive liturgical changes mandated for this time of the year, a special prayerbook called a machzor is used for worship on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (see below).

~ This annual fast day was instituted by the Jewish Sages to commemorate the assassination of Gedaliah Ben Achikam, the Governor of Israel during the days of Nebuchadnetzar King of Babylonia. As a result of Gedaliah's death the final vestiges of Judean autonomy after the Babylonian conquest were destroyed, many thousands of Jews were slain, and the remaining Jews were driven into final exile.
~ The fast is observed on the day immediately following Rosh Hashanah, the third of Tishrei. In the Prophetic Writings this fast is called 'The Fast of the Seventh' in allusion to Tishrei, the seventh month.
~ When Nebuchadnetzar King of Babylonia, destroyed the Temple's Sanctuary in Jerusalem and exiled the Jewish people to Babylonia, he allowed an impoverished remnant to remain in the land and appointed Gedaliah Ben Achikam as their Governor. Many Jews who had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other neighboring lands returned to the land of Yehudah, tended the vineyards given to them by the king of Babylonia and enjoyed a new respite after their earlier oppression.
~ The King of Ammon however - hostile and envious of the Judean remnant sent a loyal Jew, Yishmael Ben Netaniah, to assassinate Gedaliah. In the seventh month (Tishrei) Yishmael came to Gedaliah in the town of Mitzpa, and was received cordially. Gedaliah had been warned of his guests murderous intent, but refused to believe his informants in the belief that their report was mere slander. Yishmael murdered Gedaliah, together with most of the Jews who had joined him and numbers of Babylonians whom the Babylonian King had left with Gedaliah The remaining Jews feared the vengeance of the Babylonian King and fled to Egypt.
~ The surviving remnant of Jews was thus dispersed and the land remained desolate. In remembrance of these tribulations, our Sages instituted the 'Fast of the Seventh' on the day of Gedaliah's assassination in the seventh month.
~ There is an opinion that Gedaliah was slain on the first day of Tishrei, but the fast was postponed till after Rosh HaShanah, since fasting is prohibited during a festival. Concerning this fast day, the Rabbis have said that its aim is to establish that the death of the righteous is likened to the burning of the house of our God. Just as they ordained a fast upon the destruction of the Sanctuary, likewise did they ordain a fast upon the death of Gedaliah.
~ When Rosh Hashanah falls on Thursday and Friday, the fast is postponed till Sunday, since no public fast is observed on Shabbat with the exception of Yom Kippur.
~ The fast is observed from daybreak till the stars appear at night. The cantor includes the prayer Anenu in the repetition of the Shachrit amidah. A Torah Scroll is withdrawn (from the the ark) the Thirteen Divine Attributes are said and the Passages of Vayechal are read from the Torah (Shmot 32: 14 and 34: 1-10).

~ Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of Tishri and marks the end of the Ten Days of Repentance. It is a day of fasting and prayer and is widely considered the most important holy day of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and attend synagogue worship services on this day.
~ The holiday is instituted in the Torah (Leviticus 23:26 and ff.). On this day we wear white as a symbol of purity as we seek to cleanse ourselves of our sins through prayer and spiritual exploration. However, Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d, not for sins against another person. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible. That must all be done before Yom Kippur.
~ On this day we observe a complete Sabbath - no work of any nature may be performed. It is well-known that one must refrain from eating and drinking (even water) on Yom Kippur - a complete, 25-hour fast begins before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ends after nightfall. The Talmud also specifies additional restrictions that are less well-known. Washing and bathing, anointing one's body with cosmetics, deodorants, etc., wearing leather shoes, and engaging in sexual relations are all prohibited on Yom Kippur. As always, any of these restrictions can be lifted where a threat to life or health is involved. In fact, children under the age of nine and women in childbirth (from the time labor begins until three days after birth) are not permitted to fast, even if they wist to do so. Older children and women from the third to the seventh day after childbirth are permitted to fast, but are permitted to break the fast if they feel the need to do so.

~ The Festival of Sukkot begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur. It is quite a drastic transition, from one of the most solemn holidays in our liturgical year to one of the most joyous.
~ This festival is sometimes referred to as Zeman Simkhateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing. Sukkot lasts for seven days. The two days following the festival are separate holidays, Shemini Atzeret and Simkhat Torah (see below), but are commonly thought of as part of Sukkot.
~ Like Passover and Shavu'ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Sukkot is also a harvest festival, and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering. The Sukkah, the booth or "tabernacle", that we build, is meant to signify the impermanent dwelling of wanderers in the desert.
~ Those who live in a Sukkah are keenly aware of G-d's presence and human vulnerability when exposed to the elements. In worship services we bring together the "Four Species" - Lulav (made of palm, myrtle and willow branches) and Etrog (Citron). We shake them together in six directions, symbolizing the fact that G-d's presence is everywhere.

~ occurs (technically) on the last day of Sukkot, just prior to Shemini Atzeret. Its name comes from the fact that we say more Hoshanot, or prayers of supplication, on this day than any of the other days of Sukkot. This day is the final day we carry out the comm~ andment of sitting in the Sukkah and taking the four species together. According to tradition this is the final sealing of judgment. This day we repeat all Hoshanot prayers supplicating G-d to protect and bless us. (Remember the Sukkah as a symbol also of vulnerability).

~ The Bible tells us an eighth day of celebration, yet a separate holy day, was added to the Sukkot festival. This day was meant to rest and savor the past Sukkot holy day and our closeness to G-d. Rabbinic literature explains the holiday this way: G-d is like a host, who invi~ tes us as visitors for a limited time, but when the time comes for us to leave, He has enjoyed himself so much that He asks us to stay another day.

~ In Israel, this holiday is celebrated at the same as Shemini Atzeret (22 Tishri). Disapora Jews observe Simchat Torah as the second day of Shemini Atzeret (23 Tishri). The annual cycle of weekly Torah readings is completed at this time and we deepen the meaning of Shemini Atzeret by using it to celebrate the beginning of the reading of the Torah. We read the last Torah portion, then proceed immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a circle, and never ends. This completion of the readings is a time of great celebration. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torahs and plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing. As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions.

~ This holy day, the 25th of Kislev, marks the rededication of the Temple. In 165 B.C.E. the Maccabbees defeated the Syrian Greeks and purified the Temple. It was also marks the reasserting of Jewish Sovereignty over the land of Israel. We celebrate with lighting one candle each night for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days when there was only enough for one day. This allowed them enough time to process more oil to keep the lamp in the Temple lit.

~ This fast marks the day the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, lay siege to Jerusalem. It begins a series of calamities that lead to the destruction of the Temple.

~ According to the Mishnah this day is the New Year of Trees. It's customary to eat nuts and fruits to commemorate the day-- especially fruits of the seven types that are associated with the bounty of the land of Israel. In our day it has become a day to emphasize our stewardship over the land and its resources and our commitment to solve the ecological problems that plague our world.

~ falls on the 13th of Adar and reenacts the fast proclaimed by Esther for the Jews of Persia to express solidarity with her mission to see the King Achashverosh and save them from Haman while risking her own life in the process.

~ This day marks the lots that were drawn by Haman to decide the day to slaughter the Jews of Shushan and their subsequent rescue. Traditions include the public reading of the Megillah (scroll) that tells the story of Purim, having a special holy day meal, food gifts to others and donations to the poor. Click HERE for additional information on the meaning, laws and customs of Purim.

~ Purim is different from all other Jewish holidays in at least one very interesting aspect. Purim is observed in some places exclusively on the 14th of Adar and in others, exclusively on the 15th (Shushan Purim).
~ The observance of Purim was thus originally ordained by the Sages: "To observe these days of Purim in their times. 'In their times:' In the specific time of each."
~ The reason for the different dates designated for the observance of Purim is that the Jews of Shushan originally observed the festival on a different day than the Jews who lived elsewhere. Whereas Jews in Shushan waged war on both the 13th and the 14th of the month, and observed the 15th as a day of festivity and rejoicing, in all other provinces the Jews waged war on the 13th and observed only the 14th as a day of festivity and rejoicing.
~ Therefore our Sages chose to distinguish between Shushan and all other places in accordance with the original event.
~ Wishing however, to accord honor to the Land of Israel which then was desolate, they determined as follows: The capital city of Shushan, in which the miracle occurred enjoys special preeminence and the festival is to be observed there on the 15th. This is despite the fact that in the days of Yehoshua, under whose leadership the Jewish People first entered and conquered the Land of Israel, Shushan was not yet surrounded by a wall, and hence enjoyed only minor status as a city.
~ All other cities which were already settled and were surrounded by walls in the days of Yehoshua, are to be accorded the preeminence of Shushan - although they might presently lack surrounding walls and might be in a state of ruin - and they are to observe Purim the 15th. Cities which were not surrounded by walls in the days of Yehoshua though they may have surrounding walls presently - are not to be accorded the status of Shushan, and they are to observe the festival on the 14th.
~ What then is the criterion for judging the status of a city?
~ The condition of the city during the days of Yehoshua. That is to say, walled cities either found by Yehoshua in the Land of Israel, or built with walls in his time, are assured of eternal existence. Their present destruction is viewed as passing. Cities outside the Land of Israel - though they later acquired the status of walled cities - are not regarded as assured of permanent existence.
~ Therefore the Purim which is observed on the 14th is called 'Purim-of-the-open-cities;' (Purim De'Prazot) and the Purim observed on the 15th is named the 'Purim-of-the-walled-cities' (Purim De'Mukafot).
~ In our times, the only city besides Shushan in which Purim is observed the 15th of Adar is Jerusalem, "Yerushalayim."
~ In a number of other places, the Megillah is also read the 15th - but only because of doubt. In these communities, the essential observance of Purim is fixed for the 14th, and though the Reading of the Megillah is repeated in them the 15th as well, the required brachah which precedes the Megilah-Reading, is not recited.

~ One of five minor fasts on the Jewish calendar, the Fast of the Firstborn is observed only by firstborn males, commemorating the fact that they were saved from the plague of the firstborn in Egypt. It is observed on the day preceding Passover.

~ The Pesach Festival celebrates the Jews' exodus from Egypt and Pharaoh's defeat at the hands of G-d. The first two nights are celebrated with a Seder, the home service and meal to mark this event and retell the moment of redemption and thank G-d with song and prayer. All leaven products and bread are removed from the household and special dishes and cutlery are used for Passover. The last two days of the holy day are set aside for extended prayer and feasting and enjoyment of the holy day. From the second day of Passover through the Holiday of Shavuot, we count the 49 days that separate them. This period is called the Omer (period).
~ The name "Pesach" (PAY-sahch, with a "ch" as in the Scottich "loch") comes from the Hebrew root Peh-Samech-Chet, meaning to pass through, to pass over, to exempt or to spare. It refers to the fact that G-d "passed over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In English, the holiday is known as Passover. "Pesach" is also the name of the sacrificial offering (a lamb) that was made in the Temple on this holiday. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-Aviv, (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-Matzoth, (the Festival of Matzahs), and Z'man Cherutenu, (the Time of Our Freedom).

~ According to the Torah (Lev. 23:15), we are obligated to count the days from the second night of Passover to the day before Shavu'ot, seven full weeks. This period is known as the Counting of the Omer. An omer is a unit of measure, usually of grain. On the second day of Passover, in the days of the Temple, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering. Every night, from the second night of Passover to the night before Shavu'ot, we recite a blessing and state the count of the omer in both weeks and days. So on the 16th day, you would say "Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the Omer." The counting is intended to remind us of the link between Passover, which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavu'ot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. It reminds us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah.

~ Holocaust Remembrance Day was established to remember the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust .

~ This day commemorates the memory of the many soldiers killed in Israel's wars.

~ This holy day celebrates the establishment of the State of Israel. Special prayers are added at services to mark this amazing miracle of our times.

~ This period of the Counting of the Omer (see above) is a time of partial mourning in memory of a plague during the lifetime of Rabbi Akiba. For this reason, weddings, parties, and dinners with dancing are not conducted, Haircuts during this time are also forbidden. The 33rd day of the Omer (the eighteenth of Iyar) is a minor holiday commemorating the cessation of this plague. The holiday is known as Lag b'Omer. The mourning practices of the omer period are lifted on that date. The word "Lag" is not really a word; it is the number 33 in Hebrew, as if you were to call the Fourth of July "Iv July" (IV being 4 in Roman numerals).

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget her cunning. May my tongue cleave to my palate, if I ever think not of you, if I ever set not Jerusalem above my highest joy." [Psalm 137]
~ In a published feature story in the weekend supplement of one of the most popular Israeli newspapers, Amos Oz - probably the most widely-read Israeli contemporary novelist -- declared that for him Jerusalem was "Hutz l'Aretz" outside of Israel, more representative of Jewish exile than of the Israeli state! Since the Intifada, many of the Gush-Dan (Tzfoni) Israelis have ceased to visit Jerusalem at all.
~ How is it possible that the pledge of the Psalmist is being forgotten by so many Jews! Especially at a time when its future sovereignty is under discussion, it is important to attempt to understand the significance of Jerusalem in Jewish tradition.
~ It is interesting to note that our Grace after Meals contains three blessings which are considered Biblical in origin: thanksgiving for the meal, to the Almighty, the Universal Provider of sustenance; thanksgiving for the Land of Israel; and a request for the restoration of Jerusalem. Apparently, the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem are seen as two distinct and separate concepts. What is the fundamental difference between the two?
~ The biblical portion of Behar, commanding us to work the land in Israel for six years and to allow it to rest on the seventh provides an interesting key. What strikes even the most casual reader is the parallel to the six days of physical creativity and the seventh day of rest. The Mishna (Shabbat 7:2) outlines the 39 forbidden categories of work on the Sabbath, ordering the prohibitions by first cataloging the processes of bread manufacture, then garment and leather manufacture, and finally building structures. Rabbi Judah HaNassi, transmitter of the Mishna, is clearly indicating that although it is necessary and even praiseworthy to occupy ourselves with the pursuit of food, clothing and shelter six days a week, the Shabbat must be dedicated to G-d and Torah, the life of the soul. And what the Sabbath is to the days of the week, the sabbatical year is to the cycle of the years. For six years the land must be tilled and harvested to provide necessary sustenance, but the seventh year must be dedicated to G-d and Torah.
~ From this perspective, the blessings of the Grace After Meals assume a deeper meaning. We begin by logically expressing thanks to G-d for nourishing the entire world with food and material sustenance. But it is the next blessing for the land which is the very biblical source for the Grace After Meals: "And you shall eat, be satisfied and praise the Lord your G-d for the good land which He has given you." Apparently, the Torah believed that although G-d may have provided the entire world with the farming ability to sustain itself, so long as the Jewish people don't have their own land, the very food they eat will depend upon the mercy of governments under whose sovereignty their presence is suffered. A sympathetic government will grant them farming rights, but a despotic government could make them starve. Therefore sustenance for the Jewish people is ultimately linked to possession of their own land. If it's not your land, you can never guarantee the acquisition of food!
~ But we see from the Sabbath of the week and the Sabbath of the land that physical sustenance is not sufficient. Enter Jerusalem, corresponding to the Sabbath day and the Sabbatical year; the land of Israel is the source of our physical security and the City of Jerusalem is the fount of our spiritual rootedness and inspiration. One without the other is incomplete and abnormal for us as a "holy nation and kingdom of priests."
~ Hence, the identification of Jerusalem with the Divine Presence. Whenever the Torah speaks about "the place (HaMakom) that G-d will choose," the reference is to Jerusalem. Maimonides rules that the sanctity of Jerusalem is eternal, because its sanctity is based upon the metaphysical presence of the Divine on the Temple Mount. Regardless of the devastation that the rest of the land may have undergone as a result of foreign conquest, no enemy has the power to destroy or nullify the Divine Presence, which never leaves Jerusalem and can never be nullified (Laws of the Chosen Place, 6:16).
~ As the seat of the Sanhedrin, Jerusalem is also identified with Torah, the Wisdom and Teaching of G-d. After all, the Torah was interpreted and expanded by the Supreme Court of 71 judges, whose chambers were next to the Holy Temple. This is the source of the universal aspect of Jerusalem as well. The G-d of Israel is the G-d of the world , and the Torah of ethical monotheism must come forth from Jerusalem to the entire world (Isaiah 2). Hence, the commandment for the Jews to ascend to Jerusalem during the three major Festival of the year, where they would experience an intensive rendezvous (mo'ed) with G-d and Torah, where they would see and be seen by the Divine Presence. And it is eminently logical that the Almighty would choose Jerusalem as His special place and as the source for His teaching; after all, it was at Mt. Moriah (lit. instruction) that Abraham demonstrated his ultimate commitment to G-d at time of the Akeidah (binding of Isaac).
~ A similar connection between the land of Israel and the ideal of Jerusalem is to be found in the thrice-daily Amidah prayer.
~ It's interesting that the ninth Amidah blessing is the blessing for the land of Israel, and is also our prayer for physical sustenance: "Bless this year on our behalf, O Lord, our G-d, and all kinds of its produce, and grant blessing on the face of the land and satisfy us from its bounty, "mituvAH", the land's goodness, which is the preferred reading of the text.
~ Following this blessing of prosperity and physical sustenance from the land, the next blessing is for the ingathering of the exiles. Scattered throughout the four corners of the world, history has proven again and again that there is only one possible haven for the Jews which can best provide our physical security, and that is the land of Israel.
~ But the journey doesn't end with a four-room apartment and a view of the Mediterranean under the protection of the I.D.F. After securing physical well being, we must continue to seek the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the spiritual goals the City of Peace represents.
~ "Return in mercy to your city Jerusalem, and dwell in it as you have promised; speedily establish in it the throne of David, and rebuild it soon, in our days, as an everlasting structure. Blessed are you G-d, Builder of Jerusalem."
~ Here Jerusalem is defined as G-d's city, the home of the Divine Presence. It is also clearly established as the seat of Jewish sovereignty, the house of the throne of David, the one king who represents the cultural distinctiveness of the Jewish people. After all, it was King David who ecstatically danced before the Holy Ark when it was liberated from Philistine captivity, and it was King David who authored the Psalms of praise and supplication to G-d.
~ And the King of Israel is also meant to symbolize the King of Kings; Jewish sovereignty is seen by our tradition as the first step in guaranteeing the continuity of our spiritual message to the world which is the ultimate purpose for our physical nationhood. And so the following blessing in the Amidah is our prayer for the Messiah, herald of universal peace and redemption: "Speedily cause the shoot of David to sprout forth... we await your salvation..."
~ It is probably because we recognize Jerusalem as the seat of the Divine Ruler of the Universe that after the Six Day War we immediately announced the inviolate right of followers of every religious denomination to worship at their respective Jerusalem shrines. Once Jewish rights are secured, the universal dream of humanity worshipping the Divine Lord of Peace, each religion in its own way, can begin to be realized (Micha 4). May this year see our celebration of Jerusalem and its ultimate goal realized.

~ This festival is referred to as the Feast of Weeks and refers to the seven weeks that separate it from the Passover festival. The Holiday commemorates G-d giving Moses the Torah at Mount Sinai. The moment of revelation also concludes the Exodus since the Exodus meant little without the revelation of G-d's word, the Torah, to the people of Israel. Customs include eating dairy foods and decorating the synagogue with greens and fragrant flowers.

~ This fast day is the beginning of the Three Weeks, an annual period of mourning over the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem - as it is said: "All who mourn the destruction of Jerusalem will merit the celebration of her rebirth.". Historically, when the Babylonians attacked Yerushalayim, eventually resulting in the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jewish people, the Wall of Yerushalayim was breached on the 17th of Tammuz. Three weeks later, on the ninth of Av, the Temple was destroyed.
~ In addition to marking destruction of the Temple, we also lament the many other calamities that have befallen our people on this ominous day. The Mishna in Ta'anit 4:8 associates the 17th of Tammuz as the "Fast of the Fourth Month" mentioned by the prophet Zechariah. According to this Mishna, the 17th of Tammuz will be transformed in the messianic era in a day that"shall be joy to the House of Judah" full of "gladness and cheerful feasts". The fast on this day is observed from the break of dawn until dusk, one of four Jewish fasts to be observed in this manner (3 Tishrei, 10 Tevet, 13 Adar and 17 Tammuz). Special prayers (vayechal and anenu) are added to the morning and afternoon prayer services.

~ This fast day stands out from the other three fasts related to the destruction of the Temples. It is so important because it marks the day when both Temples were destroyed - the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E. It is a major fast day and therefore bears some resemblance to the only other major fast in the Jewish liturgical cycle, Yom Kippur.
~ The Tisha B'Av fast begins at sundown and continues until three stars are visible on the following night. The Midrash states that G-d marked the ninth of Av as a day of catastrophe because of the incident of the spies in the desert. Moses sent spies to the land of Canaan and they returned with a report emphasizing the impossibility of conquering the Promised Land because of the strength of its inhabitants. The people. on hearing the spies' report began to weep and complain about being taken out of Egypt. G-d declared, "You wept without cause. I will therefore make this day an eternal day of mourning for you. G-d then ordained the later destruction of the Temple on that day and condemned the generation who had left Egypt to wander for forty years in the desert and ultimately to death because they were unworthy of entering the Promised Land. Other catastrophes associated with Tisha B'av are the fall of Beitar ending the Bar Kochba rebellion (135 C.E.) and the expulsion of the Jews from England (1290) and from Spain (1492)."

~ Following the sad period of the Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av, the Jewish calendar ushers in the minor, but optimistic festival of B'Av. This festival has been blessed with several scintillating names that belie its relative insignificance but give us a clue as to the positive thrust of the day: The Holiday of the Grape Harvest, The Holiday of Unity, The Holiday of Love, The Festival of the Lord, The "Day of the Breaking of the Hatchets." Tu B'Av gently removes us from the sadness of the preceding days of the Three Weeks and changes our mood to one of optimism. The Talmud (Taanit 30b-31a) quotes several reasons why Tu B'av was made a holy day, including marriage between different tribes of Israel was permitted that day; intermarriage with the tribe of Benjamin was once again permitted after the Pilegesh B'giva civil war; the generation that left Egypt ceased to die in the wilderness; King Hosea permitted residents of the Northern Kingdom to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem once again; and the dead of the great fallen city of Betar were granted burial by the Roman government (138 C.E.)