Siman - Taanis Daf 29
The majority of this Daf discusses the tragic events that occurred on Tisha B’Av and the halachos related to them.
- אתם בכיתם בכיה של חנם
After the Gemara lists the events that lead to Hashem's decree that the Jewish people would not be permitted to enter the land, it brings the passuk that describes the people’s response to hearing the spies report: "ותשא כל העדה ויתנו את קולם ויבכו העם בלילה ההוא" – And all the congregation lifted their voices, and the nation cried that night. Rabbah said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: אותו היום ערב תשעה באב היה – The day the spies returned was erev Tisha B’av, which means they cried the night of Tisha B’av. אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא אתם בכיתם בכיה של חנם ואני קובע לכם בכיה לדורות – “You cried a crying for no reason; therefore, I shall fix for you on this day a crying for generations".
- Why the Rabbanon fixed the fast on the ninth of Av and not the tenth
The Gemara brings a Baraisa that details the events that led to the destruction of Bayis Rishon. בשבעה נכנסו נכרים להיכל – On the seventh of Av, the nochrim entered the Heichal, and they ate and did debased acts there on the seventh and eighth, ותשיעי סמוך לחשכה הציתו את האור – and on the ninth, close to evening, they set it on fire, and it continued to burn the entire day of the tenth of Av, as it is stated in the passuk, "אוי לנו כי פנה היום כי ינטו צללי ערב" – Woe to us, that the day has turned, that the shadows of evening are coming. Based on this that the Temple burned primarily on the tenth of Av, Rebbe Yochanan said: אלמלי הייתי באותו הדור לא קבעתיו אלא בעשירי – Had I lived in that generation I would have fixed the fast day on the tenth of the month. The Rabbanon fixed it on the ninth because אתחלתא דפרעונותא עדיפא – it is better to fix the day based on the start of the tragedy.
- Going to court with a nochri during Adar and not Av
Rav Yehudah brei d’Rav Shmuel bar Shilas said in the name of Rav: כשם שמשנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה כך משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה – Just as when Av begins, we diminish our simchah, so too when Adar begins, we increase our simchah. Rav Pappa said: הלכך בר ישראל דאית ליה דינא בהדי נכרי – Therefore when a Jew has a court case in a non-Jewish court, with a nochri, לישתמיט מיניה באב דריע מזליה – he should avoid him during the month of Av, when a Jew’s mazal is bad, ולימצי נפשיה באדר דבריא מזליה – and should make himself available to go during Adar, when his mazal is good.