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Glite Dictionary
Ninth of Av

Ninth of Av

9.9
A major Jewish day when people do not eat or drink to remember when the temples in Jerusalem were destroyed
  • noun
  • /naɪnθ əv ɑv/
translation icon : Nueve de Av
  • On the Ninth of Av, observant Jews refrain from eating and drinking for 25 hours.

Examples

  • Many synagogues hold special services on the Ninth of Av to remember the tragedies of Jewish history.

  • The Ninth of Av is observed with fasting and mourning.

  • The significance of the Ninth of Av is taught in religious schools around the world.

  • Many Jews reflect on history during the Ninth of Av.

  • On the Ninth of Av, observant Jews refrain from eating and drinking for 25 hours.

  • Many synagogues hold special services on the Ninth of Av to remember the tragedies of Jewish history.

  • The Ninth of Av is observed with fasting and mourning.

Synonyms

Tishah b'Av
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A Jewish day when people fast and mourn for the destruction of the Jerusalem temples

is a shorter general description without the explicit ritual detail
Tisha b'Av
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A day when Jewish people fast and mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem

is the plain name that omits ceremony wording
Tisha B'Av
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A Jewish fast day to remember the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

uses a simpler phrase without specifying both temples
Tishah b'Ab
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A day when Jewish people fast and mourn the destruction of the ancient temples in Jerusalem

gives a general label without naming ritual practices
Ninth of Ab
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A major Jewish fast day when people mourn the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

is the alternative common spelling without extra ceremony detail
Fast of Av
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A major Jewish fast on the ninth day of Av that remembers the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

is framed more generally as a named day without date detail
Fast of Ab
vsNinth of Av
9.9

A major Jewish day when people do not eat to remember when the temples were destroyed in Jerusalem

uses a different form of the name without extra detail

Surface Forms

Ninth of Av singular

Morphology

ninth + of + Av

The form is compositionally clear: a learner who knows 'ninth', 'of' and that 'Av' is a month can infer it means the ninth day of the month Av. However, the specific cultural meaning—that this date is a major Jewish fast commemorating the destruction of the temples—is background cultural knowledge not derivable from the constituents, so full understanding requires prior exposure.

Etymology

Ninth of Av comes from the actual date: the Ninth day of the Hebrew month Av. Many tragedies, most famously the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem, happened on that date, so people now 'mourn' and 'fast' on that day.