Sjimon den Hollander
  • Personal
    • Introduction
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • My Journey to Judaism
    • Testimonials
  • JUDAISM
    • Judaism - Introduction
    • Jewish History >
      • Paleo Hebrew
      • The Pentateuch
      • Stories of Creation
      • Stories of the Flood
      • Priestly Writings
      • Prophets of Israel and Judah
      • Biblical Poetry
      • Flavius Josephus
      • The Dead Sea Scrolls
      • Midrash
      • Oral Torah and Talmud
      • Origins of Christian Anti-Jewish Attitudes
      • Byzantine Jews Before the Advent of Islam
      • Yannai
      • Jews Under Islam
      • Byzantine Jews After the Advent of Islam
      • Qara'ites
      • Saadia Gaon
      • The Jewish Golden Age (part 1): Hasdai ibn Shaprut
      • The Jewish Golden Age (part 2) Andalusian Poetry
      • The Jewish Golden Age (part 3) Samuel haNagîd and Ibn Gabirol
      • Christian-Jewish Polemics
      • The Crusades and Maoz Tzur
      • Rashi
      • The Tosafists
      • Yehuda haLevi
      • Ritual Murder and Blood Libel
      • The Ḥasidé Ashkenaz
      • Toledot Yeshu
      • Moses Maimonides, Philosopher
      • Moses Maimonides, Rabbi, Leader, Physician
      • Abraham Maimonides
      • Maimonidean Controversies
      • Host Desecration Libels
      • The Barcelona Disputation
      • Qabbala and the Zohar
      • The Cairo Geniza
      • The New Sephardi Identity
      • David Reubeni and Shelomo Molkho
      • Shabbatai Tzevi
      • Da Costa and Spinoza
      • Yiddish Texts
      • Ḥasidism
      • The Jewish Enlightenment
      • Modern Jewish Thinkers
    • Jewish Thought >
      • On Modern Orthodoxy
      • Could Jews Accept the Prophets ​of Christianity and Islam?
    • Jewish Law >
      • A Mikwèh in Uganda
      • Shabbat Distance
  • Scripture
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    • Omer Counting
    • Shabhu'oth
    • Tish'a beAv Evening Service
    • The Month of Elul
    • Rosh haShana Eve in Synagogue
    • Rosh haShana Eve at Home
    • Rosh haShana Morning in Synagogue
    • Yom Kippur
    • Sukkot
    • Ḥanukka
  • CHRISTIANITY
    • Christianity - Introduction
    • Jesus, the Jewish Messiah
    • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
    • Why do Jews not Accept Jesus as the Messiah?
    • The Barcelona Disputation
  • ISLAM
    • Islam - Introduction
    • Islamic Dietary Laws
    • Torah and Qur'an >
      • Tafsîr Al-Tabarî
      • Tafsîr Al-Qurtubî
      • Tafsîr Al-Mîzān
    • Why Do Jews not Believe ​in the Prophet Muhammad?
    • Do Jews Follow the Sunna of Moses?
  • (DIS)COURSES
    • Biblical Hebrew
    • Medieval Hebrew Texts >
      • Syllabus
      • Course Classes >
        • Introduction and Important Information
      • Prep Readers
      • Paragraph Assignment >
        • Assignment Explanation
        • Original Text
        • Guidelines for your Paragraph Assignments
        • Finished Chapters
      • Essay Assignment
      • Glossary
    • The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom >
      • Introduction
      • Chapter 1. Prior Legacies >
        • 1A. The Muslim Legacy
        • 1B. The Christian Legacy
        • 1C. The Jewish Legacy
      • Chapter 2. The Roman Catholic Church >
        • 2A. Theological Doctrine
        • 2B. Ecclesiastical Policies
        • 2C. Imagery of the Jews
        • 2D. Cultural Creativity
        • 2E. Looking Ahead
      • Chapter 3. The Older Jewries of the South >
        • 3A. Southern France
        • 3B. Christian Spain
      • Chapter 4. Northern France and England >
        • 4A. Northern France
        • 4B. England
      • Chapter 5. Germany and Eastern Europe >
        • 5A. Germany
    • Judeo-Arabic Philosophers
    • Sermons >
      • Rosh haShana >
        • Hardships That Generate Inspiration (2019)
        • Rosh haShana Meditation (2018)
        • Abraham’s Struggles and What We Can Learn From It (2014)
        • The Blessings of Monotheism (2013)
        • Rejecting Human Sacrifice (2012)
      • Yom Kippur >
        • Confession: Guilt Trip, or Acknowledgement? (2019)
        • Yom Kippur and Being Connected (2015)
        • Changing Your Brain (2014)
        • Grow Up and Become a Better Person (2012)
    • Holocaust Commemoration
  • OTHER LANGUAGES
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Tish'a beAb Evening Service
​

The Fast of Ab is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, when we commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the exile of the Jewish people, and numerous massacres. Starting on the evening before, for a 24 hour period, we do not eat or drink, deprive ourselves from any physical pleasure, we do not  wear leather shoes, and take no baths. For most of the day (until the afternoon), we do not even great each other, as a sign of deep mourning. Instead of a greeting, we tell each other "Murir Habemos" ('We Shall Die').  Remarkably, the tunes that are sung in the Spanish-and Portuguese Jewish community during this day are among the oldest music in our liturgy, some even from the 16th Century. And they are also among the most beautiful melodies. 
The service is conducted in almost complete darkness, with only candles or small flashlights. 
​
The very first part of the liturgy is sung
by the cantor: 
Psalm 137, also known as "By the Rivers of Babylon".  Especially the last verse is deeply upsetting.
​


On the Eve of Tish'a beAb, before the reading of the Book of Lamentations (see below) the following dirges (laments) are sung:

First, but only if Tish'a beAb falls right after Shabbat, "Ani haGeber":

Followed by "Le-Mi Ebkeh" (For What Shall I Weep?):


We then read the Book of Lamentations. Here below are links with recordings:

Lamentations, Chapter 1
Lamentations, Chapter 2
Lamentations, Chapter 3
Lamentations, Chapter 4
Lamentations, Chapter 5
The Complete Book of Lamentations

​

The Book of Lamentations is followed by a number of additional dirges ("kinnot"):

​First, "Zekhor Adonai Meh Haya Lanu" (Remember, O Lord, What Has Befallen Us):


​Followed by "Aleikhem 'Edah Qedosha" (Of You, Holy Congregation):


​And "Ura-naa Yeminekha Rama" (Raise Your Right Hand...):
​

​After "We-Attaa Qadosh" and Qaddish, the service is ended with
"Ahenu Bet Yisrael" (Brothers! House of Israel!) and
​"Al Hekhaly" (For My Temple):
​
Picture

  • Personal
    • Introduction
    • Curriculum Vitae
    • My Journey to Judaism
    • Testimonials
  • JUDAISM
    • Judaism - Introduction
    • Jewish History >
      • Paleo Hebrew
      • The Pentateuch
      • Stories of Creation
      • Stories of the Flood
      • Priestly Writings
      • Prophets of Israel and Judah
      • Biblical Poetry
      • Flavius Josephus
      • The Dead Sea Scrolls
      • Midrash
      • Oral Torah and Talmud
      • Origins of Christian Anti-Jewish Attitudes
      • Byzantine Jews Before the Advent of Islam
      • Yannai
      • Jews Under Islam
      • Byzantine Jews After the Advent of Islam
      • Qara'ites
      • Saadia Gaon
      • The Jewish Golden Age (part 1): Hasdai ibn Shaprut
      • The Jewish Golden Age (part 2) Andalusian Poetry
      • The Jewish Golden Age (part 3) Samuel haNagîd and Ibn Gabirol
      • Christian-Jewish Polemics
      • The Crusades and Maoz Tzur
      • Rashi
      • The Tosafists
      • Yehuda haLevi
      • Ritual Murder and Blood Libel
      • The Ḥasidé Ashkenaz
      • Toledot Yeshu
      • Moses Maimonides, Philosopher
      • Moses Maimonides, Rabbi, Leader, Physician
      • Abraham Maimonides
      • Maimonidean Controversies
      • Host Desecration Libels
      • The Barcelona Disputation
      • Qabbala and the Zohar
      • The Cairo Geniza
      • The New Sephardi Identity
      • David Reubeni and Shelomo Molkho
      • Shabbatai Tzevi
      • Da Costa and Spinoza
      • Yiddish Texts
      • Ḥasidism
      • The Jewish Enlightenment
      • Modern Jewish Thinkers
    • Jewish Thought >
      • On Modern Orthodoxy
      • Could Jews Accept the Prophets ​of Christianity and Islam?
    • Jewish Law >
      • A Mikwèh in Uganda
      • Shabbat Distance
  • Scripture
    • Torah - Pentateuch >
      • Genesis
      • Exodus
    • Nebi'im - Prophets
    • Ketubim - Further Scriptures >
      • Tehillim - Psalms
      • Ruth
      • Lamentations
      • Esther
  • Liturgy
    • Daily Prayers
    • Shabbat Eve in Synagogue
    • Shabbat Eve at Home
    • Shabbat Morning
    • Purim
    • Passover/Pesach
    • Omer Counting
    • Shabhu'oth
    • Tish'a beAv Evening Service
    • The Month of Elul
    • Rosh haShana Eve in Synagogue
    • Rosh haShana Eve at Home
    • Rosh haShana Morning in Synagogue
    • Yom Kippur
    • Sukkot
    • Ḥanukka
  • CHRISTIANITY
    • Christianity - Introduction
    • Jesus, the Jewish Messiah
    • Could Jews Accept Jesus as a Prophet?
    • Why do Jews not Accept Jesus as the Messiah?
    • The Barcelona Disputation
  • ISLAM
    • Islam - Introduction
    • Islamic Dietary Laws
    • Torah and Qur'an >
      • Tafsîr Al-Tabarî
      • Tafsîr Al-Qurtubî
      • Tafsîr Al-Mîzān
    • Why Do Jews not Believe ​in the Prophet Muhammad?
    • Do Jews Follow the Sunna of Moses?
  • (DIS)COURSES
    • Biblical Hebrew
    • Medieval Hebrew Texts >
      • Syllabus
      • Course Classes >
        • Introduction and Important Information
      • Prep Readers
      • Paragraph Assignment >
        • Assignment Explanation
        • Original Text
        • Guidelines for your Paragraph Assignments
        • Finished Chapters
      • Essay Assignment
      • Glossary
    • The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom >
      • Introduction
      • Chapter 1. Prior Legacies >
        • 1A. The Muslim Legacy
        • 1B. The Christian Legacy
        • 1C. The Jewish Legacy
      • Chapter 2. The Roman Catholic Church >
        • 2A. Theological Doctrine
        • 2B. Ecclesiastical Policies
        • 2C. Imagery of the Jews
        • 2D. Cultural Creativity
        • 2E. Looking Ahead
      • Chapter 3. The Older Jewries of the South >
        • 3A. Southern France
        • 3B. Christian Spain
      • Chapter 4. Northern France and England >
        • 4A. Northern France
        • 4B. England
      • Chapter 5. Germany and Eastern Europe >
        • 5A. Germany
    • Judeo-Arabic Philosophers
    • Sermons >
      • Rosh haShana >
        • Hardships That Generate Inspiration (2019)
        • Rosh haShana Meditation (2018)
        • Abraham’s Struggles and What We Can Learn From It (2014)
        • The Blessings of Monotheism (2013)
        • Rejecting Human Sacrifice (2012)
      • Yom Kippur >
        • Confession: Guilt Trip, or Acknowledgement? (2019)
        • Yom Kippur and Being Connected (2015)
        • Changing Your Brain (2014)
        • Grow Up and Become a Better Person (2012)
    • Holocaust Commemoration
  • OTHER LANGUAGES
    • عربي
    • فارسي
    • Bahasa Indonesia >
      • Pembacaan Kitab Suci
      • Liturgi Yahudi
    • Deutsch
    • Español >
      • Sagrada Escritura
      • Liturgia
    • Français
    • Igbo
    • Italiano
    • Kiswahili
    • Luganda
    • Nederlands >
      • Tanach (Bijbel) >
        • Thora >
          • Genesis
          • Exodus
        • Profeten
        • Geschriften >
          • Psalmen
          • Ruth
          • Klaagliederen
          • Esther
      • Liturgie >
        • Daily Prayers
        • Sjabbat Avonddienst
        • Sjabbatavond Thuis
        • Sjabbat Ochtenddienst
        • Sjabbatochtend
        • Poeriem
        • Pesach
        • Omertelling
        • Sjaboe'ot
        • Tisj'a be-Ab
        • Rosj haSjana Avonddienst
        • Rosj haSjana Ochtenddienst
        • Kipoer
        • Soekot
        • Chanoeka
      • Joodse Geschiedenis
    • Português >
      • Sagrada Escritura
      • Liturgia
  • UGANDA
    • Pesach in Uganda
  • Contact