Tisha B'Av Rituals and Practices

Kinot: Poems of Lament

These mournful poems are the central part of the liturgy of Tisha B'Av.

By the Rivers of Babylon We Remember Zion

This famous psalm is read on the eve of Tisha B'Av and sets the tone for an emotionally challenging holiday.

When Prayer Fails Us

Tisha B'Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, is testament to the failure of prayer to avert national catastrophe.

The Prohibition Against Studying Torah on Tisha B’Av

Why would learning sacred Jewish texts be forbidden on this day of fasting and mourning?

Shabbat Hazon & Shabbat Nahamu

The Sabbaths before and after Tisha B'Av provide a message of comfort and consolation.

Personal & Communal Observances

The customs and rituals all relate to mourning practices.

What Happens in Synagogue on Tisha B’av

There are some unique aspects to communal worship during Tisha B'Av.