Which sad events are we actually remembering during the three weeks and nine days? The Talmud recounts the five calamitous events that took place on the 17th of Tammuz and another five on the 9th of Av in this passage about fast days.
חמשה דברים אירעו את אבותינו בשבעה עשר בתמוז וחמשה בתשעה באב...
Five calamitous matters occurred to our forefathers on the seventeenth of Tammuz, and five other disasters happened on the Ninth of Av...
The Talmud says that the Second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed because of a mix-up between two men, Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. The classic story of misunderstanding, humiliation and betrayal depicts a society rife with baseless hatred which led to tragedy.
אקמצא ובר קמצא חרוב ירושלים...
Jerusalem was destroyed on account of Kamtza and bar Kamtza...
Have you ever thought about God’s reaction to the destruction of the Temple? The story is told of Rabbi Yosei who walked into a ruin in Jerusalem to pray. He was met by the prophet, Elijah, who gave insight into God’s reflection on the destruction of the Temple and the exile of His children.
...מַה לּוֹ לָאָב שֶׁהִגְלָה אֶת בָּנָיו, וְאוֹי לָהֶם לַבָּנִים שֶׁגָּלוּ מֵעַל שׁוּלְחַן אֲבִיהֶם.
...How great is the pain of the father who exiled his children, and woe to the children who were exiled from their father’s table
The book of Lamentations, Eicha, is traditionally read on Tisha B’Av. Reading a description of the events in heartbreaking, yet beautiful, poetry sets the mood of the day. The Sefaria library connects Eicha to its commentaries which allows you to dig deep into the text.
אֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַּבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃ (ס)
Alas! Lonely sits the city Once great with people! She that was great among nations Is become like a widow; The princess among states Is become a thrall.
The theme of tragedy continues with stories of the rabbinic martyrs during the period of the Bar Kochba rebellion against the Romans in the years 132-135CE. The Talmud relates the stories of the deaths of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon and Rabbi Akiva.
...אָמַר לָהֶם: כׇּל יָמַי הָיִיתִי מִצְטַעֵר עַל פָּסוּק זֶה ״בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ״ אֲפִילּוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת נִשְׁמָתְךָ. אָמַרְתִּי: מָתַי יָבֹא לְיָדִי וַאֲקַיְּימֶנּוּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁבָּא לְיָדִי, לֹא אֲקַיְּימֶנּוּ? הָיָה מַאֲרִיךְ בְּ״אֶחָד״, עַד שֶׁיָּצְתָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ בְּ״אֶחָד״...
...He said to them: All my days I have been troubled by the verse: With all your soul, meaning: Even if God takes your soul. I said to myself: When will the opportunity be afforded me to fulfill this verse? Now that it has been afforded me, shall I not fulfill it? He prolonged his uttering of the word: One, until his soul left his body as he uttered his final word: One...
To end your three weeks and nine days reading on a note of optimism, discover why Rabbi Akiva was laughing in the ruins in this story of hope.
...התחילו הן בוכין ור"ע מצחק אמרו לו מפני מה אתה מצחק אמר להם מפני מה אתם בוכים ...
... began weeping, and Rabbi Akiva was laughing. They said to him: For what reason are you laughing? Rabbi Akiva said to them: For what reason are you weeping?