Taanis 4:5-6

Taanis 4:5

Wood for the altar was brought by the kohanim and the people on nine dates: on 1 Nisan by the Arah family from Yehuda; on 20 Tammuz by the David family from Yehuda; on 5 Av by the Parosh family from Yehuda; on 7 Av by the family of Yonadav ben Rechav; on 10 Av by the Senaah family of Binyamin; on 15 Av by the Zatu family of Yehuda - with them would come the kohanim, Leviim, and anyone who didn’t know to which Tribe he belonged, plus the families who smuggled first fruits into Jerusalem under the noses of the secular authorities; on 20 Av by the Pachas Moav family of Yehuda; on 20 Elul by the Adin family of Yehuda; on 1 Teves, the Parosh family brought wood a second time. There was no maamad on 1 Teves because Hallel was recited, and musaf and wood offerings were brought on that day (each of which, as we stated in the previous mishna, cancels one of the maamad readings).

Taanis 4:6

Five tragedies befell our ancestors on 17 Tammuz and five on 9 Av. On 17 Tammuz, the Tablets were broken, the twice-daily Tamid offerings were suspended, the walls of Jerusalem were breached, Apostamus burned the Torah, and an idol was placed in the Sanctuary (also by Apostamus). On 9 Av, it was decreed that our ancestors would not be permitted to enter the land of Israel, the first and second Temples were destroyed, the city of Beitar was captured and Jerusalem was razed. When the month of Av begins, we reduce our joy.