# The Three Weeks > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Three_Weeks > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Three_Weeks.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Weeks > Source revision: 1348245954 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Mourning period for the destroyed Jewish Temples}} {{Jews and Judaism sidebar|religion}} '''The Three Weeks''' or '''''Bein ha-Metzarim''''' ({{Langx|he|בין המצרים}}, "Between the [Straits](/source/wiktionary%3Astrait)", cf "dire straits") is a period of mourning commemorating the destruction of the [first](/source/Solomon's_Temple) and [second](/source/Second_Temple) Jewish Temples. The Three Weeks start on the seventeenth day of the Jewish month of [Tammuz](/source/Tammuz_(Hebrew_month))—the fast of the [Seventeenth of Tammuz](/source/Seventeenth_of_Tammuz)—and end on the ninth day of the Jewish month of [Av](/source/Av_(month))—the fast of [Tisha B'Av](/source/Tisha_B'Av), which occurs exactly three weeks later. Both of these fasts commemorate events surrounding the destruction of the [Jewish Temples](/source/Temple_in_Jerusalem) and the subsequent exile of the Jews from the land of Israel. According to conventional chronology, the [siege of Jerusalem](/source/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(587_BC)) by [Nebuchadnezzar II](/source/Nebuchadnezzar_II) occurred in 586/7 BCE, and the second [siege of Jerusalem (70)](/source/siege_of_Jerusalem_(70)) by the [Romans](/source/Roman_Empire), in 70 CE. Jewish chronology, however, traditionally places the first destruction at about 421 BCE: see [Missing years (Jewish calendar)](/source/Missing_years_(Jewish_calendar)) for more information. ==Observances== The mourning observances during the Three Weeks are divided into four levels, increasing in intensity:{{cite book |title=Guidelines: Over Four Hundred of the Most Commonly Asked Questions About the Three Weeks |last=Barclay |first=Rabbi Elozor |last2=Jaeger |first2=Rabbi Yitzchok |year=2003 |publisher=Targum Press |isbn=1-56871-254-5}} #From 17 Tammuz until the end of the month #From [Rosh Chodesh](/source/Rosh_Chodesh) Av until the week in which Tisha B'Av falls #The week in which Tisha B'Av falls until the Eighth of Av #Tisha B'Av itself Standard [Ashkenazic](/source/Ashkenazi_Jews) custom, or [minhag](/source/minhag), restricts the extent to which one may take a haircut, shave or listen to music with instruments. However, communities and individuals vary their levels of observance of these customs. No [Jewish marriages](/source/Jewish_view_of_marriage) or other major celebrations are allowed during the Three Weeks, since the joy of such an event would conflict with the expected mourning mood during this time. Many [Orthodox Jews](/source/Orthodox_Judaism) refrain from eating meat during [the Nine Days](/source/the_Nine_Days) from the [first of the month](/source/Rosh_Chodesh) of [Av](/source/Av_(month)) until midday of the day after the fast of Tisha B'Av, based on the tradition that the Temple burned until that time. ===Time of danger=== The Three Weeks are considered historically a time of misfortune since many tragedies and calamities which befell the Jewish people are attributed to this period. These tragedies include the breaking of the [Tablets of the Law](/source/Tablets_of_Stone) by [Moses](/source/Moses), when he saw the people worshipping the [golden calf](/source/golden_calf); the burning of a [Torah scroll](/source/Torah_scroll) by [Apostomus](/source/Apostomus) during the [Second Temple period](/source/Second_Temple_period); the destruction of both Temples on Tisha B'Av; the [expulsion of the Jews from Spain](/source/Alhambra_Decree) shortly before Tisha B'Av 1492; and the outbreak of World War I shortly before Tisha B'Av 1914, which overturned many Jewish communities. As a result, some Jews are particularly careful to avoid all dangerous situations during the Three Weeks. These include: going to dangerous places, undergoing a major operation that could be postponed until after Tisha B'Av, going on an airplane flight that could be postponed until after Tisha B'Av, and engaging in a court case if it can be postponed until after Tisha B'Av. ==History== The first source for a special status of the Three Weeks—which is also the oldest extant reference to these days as Bein ha-Metzarim—is found in [Lamentations Rabbah](/source/Lamentations_Rabbah) 1:29 (4th century?). This [midrash](/source/midrash) glosses [Lamentations](/source/book_of_Lamentations) 1:3 ("All [Zion's] pursuers overtook her between the straits"), interpreting "straits" as "days of distress"—namely the Seventeenth of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av. [Isaac Tyrnau](/source/Isaac_Tyrnau) (late 14th-early 15th centuries) wrote in his book ''Minhagim,'' a record of Austrian [customs](/source/minhag), that haircuts are not taken and weddings are not celebrated during the Three Weeks. His opinion was cited as [halacha](/source/halacha) by [Moses Isserles](/source/Moses_Isserles) in Rema on ''[Shulchan Aruch](/source/Shulchan_Aruch)'', which is the foundation for most of current Ashkenazic practice. ==Special haftarot== Special [haftarot](/source/haftarot) (passages from the [Nevi'im](/source/Nevi'im)), the "Three of Affliction" (''tlat de-purʿanuta''), are read in the [synagogue](/source/synagogue) on each [Shabbat](/source/Shabbat) of the three weeks. These prophecies of [Jeremiah](/source/Jeremiah) and [Isaiah](/source/Isaiah) predict the fall of Jerusalem, unlike most haftarot of the yearly cycle, which reflect the theme of the day's [Torah reading](/source/Torah_reading). The ''[Pesiqta de-Rav Kahana](/source/Pesiqta_de-Rav_Kahana)'' is the first source to designate the appropriate 12 selections from the Prophets, the Three of Affliction being #"Divre Yirmeyahu", ''Words of Jeremiah'' ([Jeremiah](/source/Book_of_Jeremiah) 1.1-2.3), #"Shim`u Devar Hashem" ''Hear the word of the LORD'' (Jeremiah 2.4-28), and #"Hazon Yisha`yahu" ''Vision of Isaiah'' ([Isaiah](/source/Book_of_Isaiah) 1.1-27). Most congregations use the haftarot suggested by the ''Pesiqta de-Rav Kahana'', which are not mentioned in the Talmud. But [Maimonides](/source/Maimonides) in his ''[Mishneh Torah](/source/Mishneh_Torah)'' prescribes a slight variation of these three, and [Yemenite Jews](/source/Yemenite_Jews) read the haftarot that he lists. The nine haftarot of the eight weeks following Tisha B'Av likewise were selected for their content. These are the "Seven of Consolation" (''shev di-nhemta'') followed by the "Two of [Repentance](/source/Repentance_in_Judaism)" (''tarte di-tyuvta'')—which two appropriately fall between [Rosh ha-Shanah](/source/Rosh_ha-Shanah) and [Yom Kippur](/source/Yom_Kippur); one is read on [Saturday](/source/Shabbat) like the other special haftarot, but the other is read on the [Fast of Gedaliah](/source/Fast_of_Gedaliah).Ashkenazim read this second haftarah on all public fast days except for Yom Kippur. ==The Nine Days== {{main|The Nine Days}} According to the [Mishnah](/source/Mishnah), "from the beginning of [Av](/source/Av_(month)), happiness is decreased."''[Ta'anit](/source/Ta'anit_(Talmud))'' [http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/h/h29.htm 4:6] The last nine days of the three weeks—which are also the first nine days of the month of Av, culminating in the Tisha B'Av fast—constitute therefore a period of intensified mourning in the [Ashkenazi](/source/Ashkenazi_Jews) custom. Many Jewish communities refrain from partaking of [poultry](/source/poultry), red [meat](/source/meat), and wine; wearing freshly laundered clothes; and bathing in warm water. [Sephardic Jews](/source/Sephardic_Jews) observe many of these restrictions only from the Sunday before Tisha B'Av, dispensing with them entirely in years when Tisha B'Av falls on a Sunday. Yemenite Jews do not maintain these customs. ==See also== {{div col}} ; Events *[Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem](/source/Assyrian_Siege_of_Jerusalem) *[Solomon's Temple](/source/Solomon's_Temple) *[Babylonian captivity](/source/Babylonian_captivity) *[Second Temple](/source/Second_Temple) *[Herod's Temple](/source/Herod's_Temple) *[Destruction of Jerusalem](/source/Destruction_of_Jerusalem) *[Jewish–Roman wars](/source/Jewish%E2%80%93Roman_wars) *[Western Wall](/source/Western_Wall) ; Related holidays *[Seventeenth of Tammuz](/source/Seventeenth_of_Tammuz) *[The Nine Days](/source/The_Nine_Days) *[Tisha B'Av](/source/Tisha_B'Av) {{div col end}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[https://aish.com/48943916/ The Three Weeks Guide (aish.com)] *[https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/144558/jewish/the-three-weeks.htm The Three Weeks Guide (Chabad.org)] *[https://shulchanaruchharav.com/?s=three+weeks The Three Weeks Halacha Database (Shulchanaruchharav.com)] *[https://shiratmiriam.com/atzvus-yeiush-and-the-three-weeks/ Atzvus, Yeiush and the Three Weeks- Shiratmiriam.com] *[https://halachayomit.co.il/en/Default.aspx?HalachaID=4020 The “Three We] Category:The Three Weeks Category:Tammuz (Hebrew month) observances Category:Tabernacle and Temples in Jerusalem Category:Av observances [https://halachayomit.co.il/en/Default.aspx?HalachaID=4020 eks” 5785- The Words of Maran Ovadia Yossef zt”l]
{{Jewish and Israeli holidays}}{{Three weeks}} {{Authority control}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Three Weeks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Weeks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Weeks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.