1)

(a)Given that Yisrael left Har Sinai on the twentieth of Sivan of the second year, they grumbled about the journey - on the twentieth of Sivan, the twenty-first and the twenty-second.

(b)They ate the quails for a month - from the twenty-third of Iyar until the twenty-second of Sivan (twenty-nine days).

(c)The following day, Miriam spoke Lashon ha'Ra about Moshe, and was sent out of the camp for seven days, following which Moshe sent the spies. On the ...

1. ... twenty-third of Sivan, Miriam speak Lashon ha'Ra.

2. ... twenty-ninth, Moshe sent the spies. (see also Hagahos ha'Bach).

2)

(a)The problem with the fact that the spies left on the twenty-ninth of Sivan and returned on the eve of Tisha b'Av is - that this ought to have totaled thirty-nine days, and not forty, as the Torah specifically writes ...

(b)...two days of Sivan (which is normally a full month) and twenty-nine of Tamuz (which is normally short).

(c)And the reason that the Torah talks about forty days is -The Pasuk however, writes "Kara Alai Mo'ed", implying that they made Tamuz a full month that year, in order that the crying and the punishment should take place on the ninth of Av, rather that on the tenth (perhaps that was because the number ten has connotations of sanctity, and therefore the number nine of having fallen short). Consequently, the spies were indeed away for forty days).

(d)And we learn this from the Pasuk in Eichah "Kara Alai Mo'ed", which implies that Hash-m caused them to announce Rosh Chodesh (which is included in the Parashah of Mo'ados in Emor) a day later (in order to break their young men).

3)

(a)Hash-m's response to their tears that night was - the famous saying 'You wept for nothing, I will fix a night of (real) weeping for all generations!

4)

(a)Nevuzaradan 'the chief butcher' destroyed the Beis-Hamikdash - in the nineteenth year of Nevuchadnetzar's reign.

(b)We reconcile the Pasuk in Melachim which gives the date of the first Churban as having taken place on the seventh of Av, with the Pasuk in Yirmeyahu, which gives it as the tenth - by establishing that the enemy entered the Beis-Hamikdash on the seventh of Av. They proceeded to eat and to wreak havoc for three days; then at sunset of the ninth of Av, they set fire to it, and it burnt until the end of the tenth.

(c)Rebbi Yochanan declared that, had he had a say in the matter, he would have fixed the day of mourning on the tenth (when most of the conflagration occurred), and not on the ninth. Chazal fixed it on the ninth however - because it was the first moment of conflagration that was the most painful.

(d)We know that the second Beis-Hamikdash was also destroyed on the ninth of Av - from the principle 'Megalgelin ... (ve)'Chov al Yedei Chayav' (that Hash-m brings about good through a good person or through a good day, and evil through an evil person or through an evil day.

5)

(a)The Churban occurred on a Motzei Shabbos and on a Motzei Shemitah.

(b)It took place during the Mishmar of Yehoyariv, whilst the Leviyim were singing the Shir shel Yom. The fact that they were singing the Shir for Wednesday, and not that of Motzei Shabbos - was Heavenly ordained, because the last words of that particular Shir comprised an appropriate lamentation for the occasion (as we shall now see).

(c)The Churban occurred when they had just sung "uve'Ra'asam Yatzmisem" (meaning 'and in their evil, he cut them down').

(d)We know that Beitar was also destroyed on Tisha b'Av - from tradition.

6)

(a)The fifth thing that took place on Tisha b'Av was Turnusrufus' plowing up of Yerushalayim. On the same day - they sent for Raban Gamliel to be executed.

(b)When the Roman 'Master' announced in the Beis ha'Midrash that the man with the long nose is wanted - he was referring to Raban Gamliel, who was very tall and good-looking, or because he was the leader of the generation (and the nose represents spirituality, because Hash-m breathed the Neshamah into Adam through his nostrils, which also explains why the sense of smell is the most spiritual [Rei'ach - Ruchniyus]).

(c)When he visited Raban Gamliel in hiding, Raban Gamliel swore that he would 'bring him to Olam ha'Ba' if he saved him from death. - so he committed suicide by jumping off the roof. Raban Gamliel was therefore acquitted, due to an understanding that existed in those days that, if one of the leaders of a plot on someone's life, died, it was a sign from heaven that the plot must be cancelled.

(d)A heavenly voice was heard to announce that the 'Master' was prepared to go immediately to Olam ha'Ba.

7)

(a)When the groups of young Kohanim saw that the Churban was imminent - they took the keys of the Beis-Hamikdash up onto the roof, and threw them up into the air ...

(b)... 'Since we are no longer worthy of guarding Your House, we are handing the keys back to You'.

(c)

1. A Hand came and took the keys. (Note: Some say that this was 'the Hand that is stretched against Your Mikdash' which is referred to in the Musaf Amidah of Yom-Tov).

2. The young Kohanim - then jumped into the fire.

(d)Yeshayah lamented the death of the Kohanim. Hash-m responded - by lamenting too over the Beis Hamikdash that was now desolate.

8)

(a)Rav Yehudah the son of Shmuel bar Shilas quotes Rav as saying - that, just as when Av enters, one minimizes one's Simchah - so too, when Adar enters, one maximizes them.

(b)Consequently, says Rav Papa - someone who has litigation with a Nochri, should avoid having it during the month of Av on the one hand, and should make a point of having it in Adar on the other.

(c)Rav Yehudah the son of Shmuel bar Shilas also quoted Rav as saying that ...

1. ... there was great hope for the exiles in Bavel - on account of the date-palms and linen clothes that were available there.

2. ... when Yitzchak referred to the smell of Yakov (when he came to him for the B'rachos) 'like the smell of a field which Hash-m has blessed' - he was referring to an apple-field (which Tosfos explains to mean an Esrog-field).

9)

(a)Our Mishnah forbids washing clothes during the week of Tisha b'Av. Rav Nachman restricts this to when one washes the garment with the intention of wearing it. Rav Sheshes proves that it is forbidden even if he does not - because the laundries of Bei Rav would close down completely during this period.

(b)Rav Sheishes' reason - is because washing clothes per se looks as if one is taking one's mind off the mourning for the Beis-Hamikdash.

(c)The Beraisa - permits washing clothes on Thursday (during the week of Tisha b'Av) in honor of Shabbos. Since he is washing it in honor of Shabbos, he is clearly not going to wear it immediately.

(d)In any case - we can infer from there that, on any other day of the week, it would be forbidden (even though one intends to leave the clothes for after Tisha b'Av (a Kashya on Rav Nachman).

10)

(a)To answer the above Kashya we establish the Beraisa when he only has one shirt - which Rav Asi Amar Rebbi Yochanan permits to be washed on Chol ha'Mo'ed (even if he washed it before Yom-Tov).

(b)The Tana calls it in honor of Shabbos - because we are speaking when Tisha b'Av falls on Friday. Consequently, if he does not wash the shirt on Thursday, he will not be able to wash it on Friday (which is Tisha b'Av), and he will not have a clean shirt for Shabbos.

(c)Although Rebbi Elazar also agrees with Rav Nachman (who permits washing clothes during the week of Tisha b'Av, that one does not intend to wear until after Tisha b'Av) - the Halachah cannot be like Rav Nachman, because his ruling clashes with a Beraisa (which specifically forbids washing clothes during the nine days, even if one intends to wear it only after Tisha b'Av).

(d)The Beraisa also says that ...

1. ... ironing (woolen) clothes in Bavel (see Rabenu Chananel) is like washing them. Consequently, since ironing is more effective than washing, we can infer - that washing woolen clothes in Bavel is permitted during the nine days.

2. ... ironing linen clothes is permitted (though subsequently wearing them is not, as we shall now see).

11)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan is quoted as saying that ironed linen clothes may not be worn during the week of Tisha b'Av. Shmuel takes this literally, forbidding wearing them until Shabbos, irrespective of when Tisha b'Av falls. Rav however - restricts Rebbi Yochanan's prohibition to the days prior to Tisha b'Av, but permits wearing them during the days between Tisha b'Av and Shabbos.

(b)The Beraisa explicitly permits washing clothes between Tisha b'Av and Shabbos - so how can Shmuel forbid wearing clothes that were washed beforehand, during that time?

(c)Shmuel answers that it is a Machlokes Tana'im - and he holds like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel (as we shall soon see).

12)

(a)The Beraisa (from which we queried Shmuel) permits someone who did not wash his clothes on Thursday (when Tisha b'Av falls on Friday) to do so on Friday afternoon (after Minchah-time) in honor of Shabbos.

(b)Abaye (or Rav Acha bar Yakov) - cursed anyone who washes clothes on Tisha b'Av (in honor of Shabbos notwithstanding).

(c)In the same Beraisa, Rebbi Yosi holds that on whatever day of the week Tisha b'Av falls, one calls up three people to the Torah, the last of which reads the Haftarah. According to the Tana Kama - one only calls up three people on Monday and Thursday, but on the other days of the week, only one person is called up, and he reads the Haftarah.

13)

(a)There are no restrictions with regard to eating Shalosh Se'udos on Shabbos on which either Erev Tisha b'Av or Tisha b'Av falls. In fact - one is permitted to eat 'k'Se'udas Shlomo b'Sha'ato' ...

(b)... referring to the time that Shlomo actually ruled, because for a time during his reign, he was deposed by Ashmadai (and some even say that he was not re-instated).

(c)We already mentioned the opinion of Raban Shimon ben Gamliel, who forbids washing clothes during the entire week of Tisha b'Av (even between Tisha b'Av and Shabbos). Rebbi Meir forbids having a haircut and washing clothes from Rosh Chodesh until Tisha b'Av, whilst Rebbi Yehudah, the most stringent of all - forbids the entire month of Av.

(d)Rebbi Yochanan points out that each of the three Tana'im learns his opinion from the same Pasuk in Hoshei'a "v'Hishbati Kol Mesosah, Chagah, Chodshah v'Shabatah". The source according to ...

1. ... Rebbi Meir - is the word "Chagah", according to ...

2. ... Rebbi Yehudah - the word "Chodshah", and according To ...

3. ... Raban Shimon ben Gamliel - the word "Shabatah".

14)

(a)Rava rules like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel and like Rebbi Meir, both l'Kula. Had he ruled ...

1. ... like Rebbi Meir only - we would have thought that the prohibition begins from Rosh Chodesh.

2. ... like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel only - we would have thought that the prohibition extends even to between Tisha b'Av and Shabbos (like Shmuel).

(b)Rava effectively forbids having a haircut and washing clothes - during the week of Tisha b'Av up to Tisha b'Av, but not after it.