Tisha B'av: Did They Fast During 2nd Temple Times?

by Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon, translated by Hillel Fendel

Maimonides, in his commentary on the Mishna (Rosh HaShanah 1,3), asserts that during Second Temple days, the Jews fasted on Tisha B'Av. He notes that other fast days were optional, but the fast of Tisha B'Av – "since there were multiple troubles on that day" – was obligatory.

On the other hand, the Tashbatz (Responsa II, 271) rules that the laws of fast days clearly apply today, and clearly did not apply when the Beit Mikdash was extant.

Maimonides' view seems to be strange. How could they fast over the destruction of the Holy Temple when they see it standing before their very eyes?

A simple explanation would be that the Second Temple was incomplete. For instance, there was no Ark and no cherubim, and possibly not even a revelation of the Divine Presence. The First Temple was therefore much greater than the Second Temple, and this could be a reason to fast even when the Second Temple stood.

But let us pursue other approaches as well.

The Sfat Emet is of the opinion, unlike the Rambam, that when the Beit HaMikdash stood, sometimes they fasted and sometimes they didn't. During peacetime, they did not fast even on Tisha B'Av, whereas when the military situation was more complicated, and they were subjugated to foreign rule, they did fast. This is based on an opinion in the Gemara (Rosh HaShanah 18b), which states that the fast is conditional not upon whether there is a Beit Mikdash, but upon whether there is peace or not.

This approach tells us something important: The fast is not for what happened in the past, but for what is going on now, and as a reminder for the future. It is firstly for the present, and is therefore contingent upon whether we are enjoying peace or suffering war. When there are difficulties and there is no peace, everything is connected to and a continuation of the destruction of the Temple. This is why our Tisha B'Av kinot prayers include the mention of many things unconnected to the destruction, but rather to other troubles that the Nation of Israel has suffered over the centuries, such as pogroms and the Shoah.

Secondly, the fast reminds us that even when things are good, such as when the Temple stands before us, we still must behave properly – otherwise things are liable to change.

Missing the Candle for the Light

It could be that there is yet more to this idea of "fasting when things are bad." Sometimes, when things are good, they are so good that we don't even realize how good. This is because the light can sometimes be seen only in the darkness. Fasting during times of hardship and destruction helps us focus on the fact that something is missing. Only via genuine contemplation of the Exile and Temple-destruction, can we see a higher and wondrous reality of G-d's presence in our lives.

Perhaps this is the special significance of the Tisha B'Av dirge named Esh Tukad B'kirbi (Fire Burns Within Me). It describes many of the wondrous things we had in the Beit Mikdash and which of course we now lack.

Today, our sorry situation is that the Holy Temple stands in ruins and desolate. Yes, there are many things that we have merited to receive: the return to our homeland after two millennia, most of Jerusalem in our hands, the establishment of a State, and the resurgence of Torah. But much is still missing – whether it be spiritually, or in terms of our limited control of the Land, or especially in terms of a great lack of Divine Presence in our midst and the sense of G-d's rule in our lives.

Fasting Raises a Question

On the fast of Tisha B'Av, we cry over everything that we are missing. We cry over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the accompanying departure of G-d's presence. Amidst our weeping we also remember other things that are a continuation of the above, such as the destruction of Gush Katif and the uprooting of those who lived there. At the same time, we also remember all that G-d has given us, and thus the crying takes on additional significance as it causes us to ask ourselves: Are we behaving commensurately with all that we have merited to receive?

It also leads to this conclusion: Given that we have merited to receive so much, such as the beginning of Redemption, we see that we have the strengths to reach even higher heights, and to spur ourselves ever onward. The more we merit to reach higher levels, and the more we attain true "freedom" [in serving G-d and not our own urges], so must we help others for whom it is hard, and aid them to attain their great dream.

Thank G-d, we are privileged to perform acts of kindness and to help many different types of people – Jews from Ethopia, lone soldiers, youth at risk, and more. Our concern for these groups is not just in order to help them. Rather, the more they attain higher levels and are able to dream higher dreams, the more the Nation of Israel as a whole will rise to higher heights – and with G-d's help, see all together the Complete Redemption.