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Glite Dictionary
Ninth of Ab

Ninth of Ab

9.9
A major Jewish fast day when people mourn the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem
  • noun
translation icon : Nueve de Ab
  • Many synagogues hold special services on the Ninth of Ab to mark the destruction of the temples.

Examples

  • Jews around the world observe the Ninth of Ab by fasting and reading the Book of Lamentations.

  • The Ninth of Ab is a solemn day in Judaism.

  • The Ninth of Ab is considered the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.

  • Many Jews fast on the Ninth of Ab each year.

  • Many Jews fast on the Ninth of Ab to mourn the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem.

  • The Ninth of Ab is observed by reflecting on historical tragedies in Jewish history.

  • On the Ninth of Ab, families often gather to recall the loss of their heritage.

Synonyms

Tishah b'Av
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is the same fast but called with a different name spelling
Tisha b'Av
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is the same observance but labelled using an alternate name spelling
Tisha B'Av
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is the same calendar fast but presented with another name form
Tishah b'Ab
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is the same commemorative fast but shown with a different name spelling
Fast of Av
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is the same observance but emphasises the name rather than the calendar date
Ninth of Av
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is identical in meaning but uses a different month name spelling
Fast of Ab
vsNinth of Ab
9.9

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

is the same commemorative fast but highlights the specific calendar day

Surface Forms

Ninth of Ab singular

Morphology

ninth + of + Ab

The phrase is compositionally an ordinal + preposition + month, so a learner who knows ‘ninth’ and ‘Ab’ will readily infer it denotes the ninth day of the month Ab (a calendar date). However, the cultural/religious meaning (that it is a major fast and day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the temples) is not deducible from the constituents, making the expression only partially transparent.

Etymology

Ninth of Ab comes from the Jewish calendar: it is the ninth day of the month called Ab. One popular story says both Jerusalem temples were destroyed on that date, so people 'fast' and 'mourn' to remember the loss, which is why the day is a major day of mourning today.