by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Haber | Jul 20, 2009
The ‘Nine Days’, the period of time from Rosh Chodesh Av through Tisha B’Av, is a period of intense national mourning. The Gemara tells us that when Av enters we should diminish our joy. Indeed, many understand this to mean to cease all joy entirely. [The Shaar...
by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Haber | Jan 5, 2009
There are six obligatory fast days. One is biblically mandated, four were established by the later prophets (Chaggai, Zechariah and Malachi), and one is merely a widely accepted custom. The biblically mandated one is Yom Kippur. The Torah tells us: (Vayikra 16:29)...
