About fifty years later, the governor of Syria, Hadrian was declared Emperor of the Roman Empire. At first Hadrian seemed to be a friend of the Jews, promising them religious freedom, and even to rebuild Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. Many older people still remembered the Temple and they were ecstatic that it was about to be restored to its former glory. But, suddenly Hadrian’s promises took a drastic turn: a temple would be built, but in honor of Jupiter. In addition, he prohibited the Jews from observing the commandments fundamental to their faith. Sabbath, circumcision, and family purity were the commandments he targeted. In order to protect their faith, the Jewish people were ready to rebel against Rome, once again. This led to the Bar Kochba revolt and the destruction of Beitar.

Approximately three years after the beginning of the revolt, Bar Kochba led his troops toward Jerusalem. He easily overcame the Roman battallion there. The next two and one half years were peaceful ones for the Jews in Jerusalem. But then, the Romans sent in huge battallions of troops to recapture Jerusalem. After a siege of approximatley one year, they recaptured Jerusalem.

At that time, Bar Kochba and his men retreated to Beitar, where the fighting continued for another three and one half years.

Beitar was situated southwest of Jerusalem, near the Mediterranean Sea. It was protected on three sides by the deep valleys surrounding it. In addition, it was surrounded by a mighty wall. It had its own wellsprings within the city, ensuring a continual water supply in case of an enemy’s siege. Besides being protected physically, Beitar was protected spiritually, as it was a stronghold of Torah study. The residents were confident in Bar Kochba’s leadership, and that he would somehow miraculously deliver them from the Romans.

 At first, the fighting went well for the Jews, but when Bar Kochba grew arrogant and attributed his might to his own abilities, Beitar fell to the Romans. On the ninth day of Av, the city of Beitar was conquered by the Romans. The destruction that took place was unimaginable. Approximately one half million Jews were killed. The Talmud states: “For seven years, the non-Jews fertilized their vineyards with the blood of the Jews” (Gittin 57a). Hadrian owned a vineyard eighteen by eighteen mil and he enclosed it with a fence made out of corpses that had fallen in Beitar. He felt that this would be a lesson to all those who contemplate rebellion. Miraculously, the bodies did not decompose until many years later permission was granted for their burial.

But this was only the beginning of the suffering of the Jewish people. Every Jewish community in Judea was considered to have aided the revolt, and the Romans murdered and plundered the entire country. In addition they implemented a campaign to obliterate the teaching of Torah and the observance of mitzvot. Sages and students were killed one after another. The ten great sages — Asara Harugai Malchut were killed in vicious and barbaric methods typical of the torturous punishment the Romans inflicted upon their victims.  

The Romans decided to eradicate any remaining vestiges of Jewish glory. Although the Temple had been burned years before, there still remained massive stones, foundations, and the like. They levelled the entire Mount and plowed it over into an ordinary field. This final destruction also occurred on the ninth day of Av.

Indeed, Tishah B’Av became “a day designated for punishment” (Rambam). Time and again, throughout the ages, punishment befell the Jewish people on the ninth day of Av. In 1492, it was on the ninth day of Av that the Jews were expelled from Spain. Likewise, the precursor to our present-day tragedy, the Holocaust, began on Tishah B’Av in 1914, with the outbreak of World War I.

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The information in this chapter was drawn primarily from “Tishah B’av,” Artscroll Publications, and “A Time to Weep,” CIS Publications.

The Talmud states: “Whoever mourns the destruction of Jerusalem [and the Temple], will merit to see the joy [of its rededication].” (Taanit 30b, Baba Batra 60b) May we, who have studied about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and gained new insight into its meaning, be worthy to see the joy of its rededication, may it occur speedily, and in our times, Amen.