Machshavaמחשבה

Spiritual Darkness in Tammuz and Av

Jewish sources explain the months of Tammuz and Av as periods of spiritual withdrawal and heightened divine judgment, during which calamities and misfortunes occur with greater frequency. The sources discuss both the mystical reason for these phenomena and the practical precautions traditionally observed during these months.

דִינָא קַשְׁיָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא

6 sources · all verified

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What the sources say

The Zohar itself identifies Tammuz and Av (along with Tevet) as the three months during which stern Divine Justice prevails in the world, as the Zohar (Shemot 18:193) states explicitly: "These are the three months in which the world is under the aegis of stern Justice, namely Tammuz, Ab, and Tebet."

The Shem MiShmuel elaborates on the Kabbalistic mechanism: during Tammuz and Av, the Shem MiShmuel (Sh'lach 5:2) explains that the supernal holiness — described using the imagery of the Arizal that the divine "utterance" sustains all physical matter — ascends on high and withdraws from the world, leaving it, as he quotes from the Zohar in the name of Yirmiyahu, bereft and shamed, with Knesset Yisrael remaining "alone below."

This metaphysical vulnerability translates directly into practical halacha: the Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chayim 551:1) rules that a Jew who has a legal dispute with a non-Jew should postpone it during Av because "his mazel is bad," and the gloss there adds a warning to be careful from the Seventeenth of Tammuz through Tisha B'Av not to walk alone during certain hours of the day because of a destructive force that holds sway during that period.

Source 1 · Rishonim

Verified

Mishneh Torah, Fasts 5:1-11

משנה תורה, הלכות תעניות ה׳:א׳-י״א

Mishneh Torah, Fasts 5:1-11

The passage lists five calamities that occurred on the Seventeenth of Tammuz: the breaking of the Tablets, cessation of the daily Temple offering, breaching of Jerusalem's walls during the Second Temple's destruction, burning of a Torah scroll by the wicked Apostmos, and erection of an idol in the Temple.

וְאֵלּוּ הֵן יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי בְּתִשְׁרֵי שֶׁבּוֹ נֶהֱרַג גְּדַלְיָה בֵּן אֲחִיקָם וְנִכְבַּת גַּחֶלֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּשְׁאָרָה וְסִבֵּב לְהָתָם גָּלוּתָן. וַעֲשִׂירִי בְּטֵבֵת שֶׁבּוֹ סָמַךְ מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר הָרָשָׁע עַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וֶהֱבִיאָהּ בְּמָצוֹר וּבְמָצוֹק. וְי"ז בְּתַמּוּז חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים אֵרְעוּ בּוֹ. נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת. וּבָטֵל הַתָּמִיד מִבַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן. וְהֻבְקְעָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בְּחֻרְבָּן שֵׁנִי. וְשָׂרַף אַפּוֹסְטוֹמוֹס הָרָשָׁע אֶת הַתּוֹרָה. וְהֶעֱמִיד צֶלֶם בַּהֵיכָל:

These days are the following: The Third of Tishrei. This is the day on which Gedaliah ben Achikam was slain and the ember of Israel that remained was extinguished, causing their exile to become complete. The Tenth of Tevet. This is the day Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked, the King of Babylon, camped against Jerusalem and placed the city under siege. The Seventeenth of Tammuz. Five tragedies took place on this day: a) The Tablets were broken; b) In the First Temple, the offering of the daily sacrifices was nullified; c) [The walls of] Jerusalem were breached in [the war leading to] the destruction of the Second Temple; d) Apostmos, the wicked, burned a Torah scroll; and e) He erected an idol in the Temple.

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Source 2 · Rishonim

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Tur, Orach Chayim 551

טור, אורח חיים תקנ״א

Tur, Orach Chayim 551

From the beginning of Av, the Jewish people diminish their rejoicing, and one who has judgment against him from the Other Side should seek to be saved from his evil mazel; during this period (from Rosh Chodesh to the fast), people reduce their business dealings and refrain from building, planting, and betrothing, and do not hold engagement feasts—since an engagement without a feast lacks joy, whereas a wedding without a feast does possess joy.

ט"ב אין בית דין יכולין לבטלו כיון שהוכפלו בו הצרות משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה ובר ישראל דאית ליה דינא בהדי עו"ג לישתמוט מיניה דריע מזליה תניא בפרק החולץ קודם לזמן הזה פירוש מר"ח עד התעני' העם ממעטים בעסקיהם מלישא וליתן מלבנות ולנטוע ומארסין ואין כונסין ואין עושין סעודת אירוסין דבאירוסין בלא סעודה ליכא שמחה אבל בנישואין בלא סעודה איכא שמחה.

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Source 3 · Rishonim

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recovered from “Zohar 3:275a-276a”

Zohar 3:275a-276a

ספר הזהר, שמות י״ח:קצ״ג

Zohar, Shemot 18:193

Yitro

In the context of the Masei/atonement passages, the Zohar describes times of spiritual concealment and the need for heightened vigilance when the forces of judgment are active. It is relevant to explaining disruptive events as expressions of din.

אִלֵּין תְּלַת יַרְחִין, דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא וּמָאי נִינְהוּ. תַּמּוּז, אָב, טֵבֵת, (נ"א שבט) מַאי מַשְׁמַע.

These are the three months in which the world is under the aegis of stern Justice, namely Tammuz, Ab, and Tebet. And what mean these words?

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Source 4 · Acharonim

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Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 551

שולחן ערוך, אורח חיים תקנ״א — ד"ה דין שבוע שחל ט' באב להיות

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 551:1

When the month of Av begins, joy is diminished; a Jew with a legal dispute against a Gentile should delay it due to bad mazel, and one must be careful from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av not to go out alone during the 4th to 9th hours of the day because the demon Meriri rules during that time.

דין שבוע שחל ט' באב להיות בתוכה. ובו יח סעיפים: משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה ובר ישראל דאית ליה דינא בהדי עכו"ם לישתמיט מיניה דריע מזליה: הגה מילה שהיא מר"ח עד ט' באב נוהגין שהמוהל ובעל ברית ואבי הבן לובשין בגדי שבת (מנהגים) אבל בלאו הכי אסור אפי' בשבת של חזון אין מחליפין ללבוש בגדי שבת כי אם הכתונת לבד (מרדכי הל' ט"ב והגהות אשירי פ"ד דתענית ואגודה ורוקח) אבל פורשין פרוכת של שבת אם לא שאירע ט' באב בשבת ונדחה שאז אין פורשין פרוכת של שבת ומי שיש לו נישואין בשבת נחמו מותר ללבוש בגדי שבת בשבת של חזון: (מהרי"ל) צריך ליזהר מי"ז בתמוז עד ט' באב שלא לילך יחידי מד' שעות עד ט' שעות (משום שבהם קטב מרירי שולט) ולא יכו התלמידים בימים ההם:

1. Laws of the Week that Tisha B'av falls within and in it 18 paragraphs. When one enters Av, we reduce in joy. And a Jewish person that has to him a legal dispute with a Gentile, one should delay from (adjuring) because there is bad mazel. Rema: A Bris Milah that is from Rosh Chodesh Av until Tisha B'av, we are accustomed that the Mohel, the Baal Bris (the one who holds the baby), and the father of the son wear Shabbos clothes (Minhagim). But beside for this, it is forbidden even on Shabbos Hazon (the Shabbos prior to Tisha B'av) we do not switch to wear Shabbos Clothes except for undergarments (Mordechai Laws of Tisha B'av and the Haagos Ashiri Chapter 4 of Taanis, and the Agudah, and the Rokeach). But we do spread the Shabbos Parachos Covering (i.e. the sheet cover in front of the Aron with the Torah Scrolls) except if Tisha B'av falls on Shabbos and is pushed off (to Sunday) then we not spread the Shabbos Parachos Covering. One who is marrying the week of Shabbos Nachmu (that is the week after Tisha B'av) is allowed to wear Shabbos Clothes on Shabbos Chazon (Maharil) It is necessary to be careful from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av not to go out alone from the 4th to 9th hour (of the day) because the demon Meriri rules and do no hit students on these days.

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Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 551

ערוך השולחן, אורח חיים תקנ״א — ד"ה אמרו חז"ל בתענית שם

Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 551:9

The Chazal in Taanit teach that a Jewish person involved in legal proceedings with a non-Jew should distance himself throughout that month because there is a harmful constellation during the entire period; regarding a circumcision performed from the beginning of the month through the ninth of Av, the mohel, sandak, and father of the child wear Shabbat clothes, but other honorees (except the Kvater) do not, though women customarily wear fine clothes since dressing honorably for the circumcision is their principal mitzvah obligation.

אמרו חז"ל בתענית שם: האי בר ישראל דאית ליה דינא בהדי אינו יהודי – לישתמיט מיניה כל החודש, דריע מזלא בכל החודש. ומילה שהיא מראש חודש עד תשעה באב נוהגין שהמוהל, והבעל ברית שהוא הסנדק, ואבי הבן – לובשין בגדי שבת. אבל שארי בעלי הכיבודים, אפילו הקוואטי"ר – אין לובשין בגדי שבת. אך הנשים נוהגות ללבוש, לפי שזהו עיקר מצוה שלהן, במה שלובשות בגדים יקרים לכבוד המילה (מגן אברהם סעיף קטן ג).

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Source 6 · Hasidic

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Shem MiShmuel, Sh'lach 5:2

Sh'lach

The passage teaches that Tammuz and Av are months in which the highest holiness withdraws upward, leaving the physical world impoverished and afflicted—the three upper letters of the Tetragrammaton ascend while the Community of Israel remains below—and it is therefore no accident that calamities have occurred in these months in double measure; in the future, when rectification is complete, these months will become the beginning of festivals because the lower aspects will also ascend, establishing them as times of Israel's attachment to their Father in heaven.

Tisha B'Av

Sources addressing the customary prohibitions and stringencies observed during the Nine Days before Tisha B'Av, including restrictions on meat, wine, and other practices, along with contemporary poskim's applications and variations between Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions.

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