(19) ’Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons; therefore love ye truth and peace.
(ו) חמשה דברים ארעו את אבותינו...בתשעה באב: נגזר על אבותינו שלא יכנסו לארץ, וחרב הבית בראשונה ובשניה, ונלכדה ביתר, ונחרשה העיר. משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה.
(6) Five events befell our ancestors...On the Ninth of Av: it was decreed upon our ancestors that they would not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel, the First and Second temples were destroyed, Beitar was captured, The city of Jerusalem was plowed over. From when the month of Av starts, we reduce joy.
(ד) דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃ (ס)
(4) The roads of Zion are mournful because no one comes to the appointed season; all her gates are desolate, her priests moan; her maidens grieve while she herself suffers bitterly.
רשב"ג אומר כל האוכל ושותה בט' באב כאילו אוכל ושותה ביוה"כ ר"ע אומר כל העושה מלאכה בתשעה באב אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם וחכ"א כל העושה מלאכה בט' באב ואינו מתאבל על ירושלים אינו רואה בשמחתה שנא' (ישעיהו סו, י) שמחו את ירושלם וגילו בה כל אוהביה שישו אתה משוש כל המתאבלים עליה מכאן אמרו כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה ושאינו מתאבל על ירושלים אינו רואה בשמחתה
R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says: Anyone who eats or drinks on the Ninth of Ab is as if he ate and drank on the Day of Atonement. R. Akiva says: Anyone who does work on the Ninth of Ab will never see in his work any sign of blessing. And the Sages say: Anyone who does work on the Ninth of Ab and does not mourn for Jerusalem will not share in her joy, as it is said, Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all that mourn for her.
Jerusalem merits to share in her joy, and any one who does not mourn for her will not share in her joy.
דאמר רב חנא בר ביזנא אמר ר"ש חסידא מאי דכתיב (זכריה ח, יט) כה אמר ה' צבאות צום הרביעי וצום החמישי וצום השביעי וצום העשירי יהיה לבית יהודה לששון ולשמחה קרי להו צום וקרי להו ששון ושמחה בזמן שיש שלום יהיו לששון ולשמחה אין שלום צום אמר רב פפא הכי קאמר בזמן שיש שלום יהיו לששון ולשמחה יש גזרת המלכות צום אין גזרת המלכות ואין שלום רצו מתענין רצו אין מתענין אי הכי ט"ב נמי אמר רב פפא שאני ט' באב הואיל והוכפלו בו צרות דאמר מר בט' באב חרב הבית בראשונה ובשניה ונלכדה ביתר ונחרשה העיר
Said R. Hanah b. Bizna in the name of R. Simeon the Saint: ‘What is the meaning of the verse, Thus had said the Lord of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness?
The prophet calls these days both days of fasting and days of joy, signifying that when there is peace they shall be for joy and gladness, but if there is not peace they shall be fast days’! — R. Papa replied: What it means is this: When there is peace they shall be for joy and gladness; if there is persecution,
they shall be fast days; if there is no persecution but yet not peace, then those who desire may fast and those who desire need not fast. If that is the case, the ninth of Ab also [should be optional]? — R. Papa replied: The ninth of Ab is in a different category, because several misfortunes happened on it, as a Master has said: On the ninth of Ab the Temple was destroyed both the first time and the second time, and Bethar was captured and the city [Jerusalem] was ploughed.
https://www.responsafortoday.com/engsums/1_4.htm
Question:
Is one obliged to fast for a full day on Tish'a b'Av after the State of Israel was founded and the reunification of Jerusalem? May one, alternatively, limit the signs of mourning, and break the fast after Minhah?
.....About a hundred years after the destruction of the Second Temple, the question was raised again by a central figure in the history of the Oral Law, Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. He wanted to cancel the fast of Tish'a b'Av, but the Sages would not let him (see Megillah 5b and the commentary of the Ritva).
The main source for our question is Rosh Hashanah 18b, which comments on Zekhariah 8:19. The controversy revolves around the words of the prophet: what, exactly, is the definition of "peace", and what is the special status of Tish'a b'Av in comparison to the other fast days. Some commentators explain that the time of Peace is when the Temple is standing (Rashi, Rabbenu Hananel, Tosafot). Others explain that it means a time when Israel lives on its own land (Rashba, Ritva) and has its own government (Rambam).
(טו) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' ק֣וֹל בְּרָמָ֤ה נִשְׁמָע֙ נְהִי֙ בְּכִ֣י תַמְרוּרִ֔ים רָחֵ֖ל מְבַכָּ֣ה עַל־בָּנֶ֑יהָ מֵאֲנָ֛ה לְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־בָּנֶ֖יהָ כִּ֥י אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃
(15) Thus said the LORD: A cry is heard in Ramah— Wailing, bitter weeping— Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, who are gone.
(טז) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־ה' וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃
"The Nature of Tisha B'av" by Rabbi Maury Grebenau
There is no question that there is an element of this feeling of despair on Tisha B’Av. However, I do not believe that it is the defining factor in not saying tachanun on Tisha B’Av since the Jewish response is never one of depression and hopelessness. It is interesting to note that we also do not say Tachanun on erev Tisha B’Av (Shulchan Aruch 552:12). If the reason was simply that it was a time when we felt a distance with Hashem then it would be difficult to understand why we didn’t say tachanun before Tisha B’Av as well. This time the Shulchan Aruch gives us a reason. He explains that Tisha B’Av is called a ‘moed’ in the first chapter of Eicha (Lamentations). Although the simple reading of the verse would seem to indicate that ‘moed’ here simply means ‘time’, the implication is that on some level there is a holiday aspect to Tisha B’Av. How can we understand Tisha B’Av as a celebration of any kind?
The Jewish response to tragedy is certainly to mourn but also to move on and find the light contained within the darkness. There is a debate as to whether kiddush levana (blessing the moon) should be done on the night after Tisha B’Av or if we should wait until right after shabbos Nachamu, when we normally say kiddush levana [It is generally said on a Saturday night]. The Ari z”l (quoted in Shaare Teshuva O.C.549:2) felt that it should be said immediately after the fast due to the fact that Moshiach is born on Tisha B’Av. We announce to the world that the moon will be renewed in recognition of this fact. The idea is that in our darkest hour, the seeds of our greatest redemption are born. Even on the saddest day of the Jewish calendar we refrain from saying tachanun. The message is for us to find the message of hope for a brighter future even within the most challenging and troubling of times.