In this month both TEMPLES were destroyed, firstly by Nebuchadnezzar on 9th Av, then by the Romans just over 500 years later, again on 9/10th Av in 70 AD.  AARON also died on Mount Hor, (ie: on 1st Av), see Num 33:38.  It's also believed that the 10 SPIES brought back their evil Report in this month, 3 years after the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, which delayed their entry into the promised land a further 37 years.

 

THE DAY WHEN "ISRAEL BECAME A STRANGER", THE SADDEST DAY FOR HEBREWS  

​

10TH AV/29th Jul 2020 marks one of the saddest days in the history of our people, namely the Destruction of both Temples, firstly by Nebuchadezzar, who first breached the walls of Jerusalem on 9th Tammuz, (which would have been 29th Jun 2020) and to break the city up, see (Jer 52:6), before proceding to destroy the Temple, burning it with fire on 10th Av in around 586 BC, (see Jer 52:12).  Josephus, a black Hebrew Historian who lived at the time records the DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE BY TITUS (/ROME) IN 70 AD:

"Now although any one would justly lament the destruction of such a work as this was, (he’s speaking of the Temple) since it was the most admirable of all the works that we have seen or heard of, both for its curious structure and its magnitude, and also for the vast wealth bestowed upon it, as well as for the glorious reputation it had for its holiness; yet might such a one comfort himself with this thought, that it was fate that decreed it so to be, which is inevitable, both as to living creatures, and as to works and places also. However, one cannot but wonder at the accuracy of this period thereto relating; FOR THE SAME MONTH AND DAY WERE NOW OBSERVED, as I said before, WHEREIN THE HOLY HOUSE WAS BURNT FORMERLY BY THE BABYLONIANS.

​

(The Age & Antiquity of The Temple)

Now the number of years that passed from its first foundation, which was laid by king Solomon, till this its destruction, which happened in the second year of the reign of Vespasian” (the Roman Caesar), “are collected to be one thousand one hundred and thirty, besides seven months and fifteen days; and from the second building of it, which was done by Haggai, in the second year of Cyrus the king, till its destruction under Vespasian, there were six hundred and thirty-nine years and forty-five days".

 

(The Wars of the Jews or the History of the Destruction of Jerusalem Book VI, ch 5). Josephus then goes on to say, 

​

“THE GREAT DISTRESS THE JEWS WERE IN UPON THE CONFLAGRATION OF THE HOLY HOUSE. 

While the holy house was on fire, everything was plundered that came to hand, and ten thousand of those that were caught were slain; nor was there a commiseration of any age, or any reverence of gravity, but children, and old men, and profane persons, and priests were all slain in the same manner; so that this war went round all sorts of men, and brought them to destruction, and as well those that made supplication for their lives, as those that defended themselves by fighting. The flame was also carried a long way, and made an echo, together with the groans of those that were slain; and because this hill was high, and the works at the temple were very great, one would have thought the whole city had been on fire. Nor can one imagine any thing either greater or more terrible than this noise; for there was at once a shout of the Roman legions, who were marching all together, and a sad clamor of the seditious, who were now surrounded with fire and sword. The people also that were left above were beaten back upon the enemy, and under a great consternation, and made sad moans at the calamity they were under; the multitude also that was in the city joined in this outcry with those that were upon the hill. And besides, many of those that were worn away by the famine, and their mouths almost closed, when they saw the fire of the holy house, they exerted their utmost strength, and brake out into groans and outcries again: force of the entire noise. Yet was the misery itself more terrible than this disorder; for one would have thought that the hill itself, on which the temple stood, was seething hot, as full of fire on every part of it, that the blood was larger in quantity than the fire, and those that were slain more in number than those that slew them; for the ground did no where appear visible, for the dead bodies that lay on it; but the soldiers went over heaps of those bodies, as they ran upon such as fled from them..."

 

(The Wars of the Jews Ch 6, Book 6).   This was the reason for Christ's prophecy in Luke 21:20, and marked the day when we the Hebrews became strangers to our own land at the hands of Edom, Obad 1:12-14, and commenced the start of our 2,000 year exile, which Adonai confirmed would not end util His return, (luke 21:24):

​

"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

(The above picture is of the original freeze on the Titus Arch, which stands at the foot of the Palantine Hill on the Via Sacra in Rome today, it was erected by the Roman Emperor Domitian in 81AD to honour the victory of Titus, (his younger brother), and his father Vespasian in subduing (effectively destroying) the city of Jerusalem in 70AD. It shows Roman soldiers carrying the treasures/spoils of the temple which they looted, in the Victory procession through the streets of Rome, that was held to commemorate the victory, in Rome, where it is believed they remain to this day, (see Joel 3:5).

​

​

The Spanish Inquisitions

​

The month of Av, as mentioned previously was a month that has seen many tragedies for Hebrew Israel.  Many are unaware that this month, also saw a mass persecution and expulsion of Hebrews from Portugal? as part of THE INQUISITIONS If you recall, Acts 2: 7-11 tells you that at this time Hebrews lived in every part of the known world, including throughout Europe.  

​

THE EXPULSION OF THE ‘JEWS’ FROM PORTUGAL

​

​

​