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Tu B'Av

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Tu B'Av (Hebrew: ט"ו באב, the fifteenth of the month Av) is a celebratory day in the Jewish calendar. In modernity, the day has no special observances, but bears a mildly festive character, which is reflected in the omission of Tachanun, a downkey penitentiary prayer after the morning and afternoon prayer services (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 131:6).

The Talmud (tractate Taanit, 30b-31a) mentions Tu B'Av as a major festive day during the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, parallel in character to Yom Kippur: unmarried girls would lend each other simple clothes (so that the richer girls could not be visually distinguished from the poorer ones) and sing and dance in the vineyards surrounding Jerusalem.

The Talmud states that there were no holy days as good for the Jews as Tu B'Av and Yom Kippur.

There are several reasons mentioned by the Talmud and its commentators (Mishna Taanit 4:8 and Babylonian Talmud 30b and 31a, Rashi on these):

  • During the Jewish people's 40-year wandering in the desert, female orphans without brothers could only marry within their tribe, to prevent their father's inherited land in the Land of Israel from passing on to other tribes. On the fifteenth of Av of the fourtieth year, this ban was lifted.
  • In the same year, the annual dying of participants in the Sin of Spies ceased.
  • The Tribe of Benjamin was allowed to intermarry with the other tribes after the incident with the Concubine of Giv'ah.
  • The wood offerings for the Temple ceased.
  • The nights, traditionally the ideal time for Torah study, are lengthened again after the summer solstice, permitting more study.
  • The Roman occupiers permitted burial of the victims of the Massacre of Bethar. It was discovered that - through a miracle - the bodies had not disintegrated at all, despite being exposed to the elements for over a year.

As stated, the day has no specific observances nowadays. Nevertheless, it bears a festive character, and is considered auspicious for marriage. It also marks an informal "high" to counter the "low" of the Three Weeks.

In secular Jewish culture in Israel, Tu B'Av is considered the festival of love and also known under this name (Hag Ha-Ahava) (similar to Valentine's Day). Night long concerts are held beginning at the eve of Tu B'Av, the most central of which occurs at the Tsemah beach on the Sea of Galilee, just south of Tiberias.[citation needed]


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