The Jewish holiday of Tisha B'av falls on Wednesday, July 26 until sunset on Thursday, July 27, 2023. Some call it "the saddest day" because it commemorates two major tragedies that happened thousands of years ago: The destruction of Solomon's Temple in 586 BC by Babylonians led by King Nebuchadnezzar II during his siege against Jerusalem; and then later when Roman legions under Titus sacked Jerusalem again after breaching its walls with battering rams and siege towers in 70 AD.

This blog post explores the traditional Jewish understanding of how temple sacrifices atone for the sins of the world. Learn why God called Israel to be a priestly nation and how their offerings of intercession and atonement enabled Gentiles to receive forgiveness from Him. Discover what the Talmudic rabbis said about it, as well as insights from Rashi on Numbers 29:12-34. Finally, find out how we can come into right standing with God through prayer, repentance, faith and holy day observances.

On this solemn day, we remember specific events in history and how they impacted us as a people. Although today is not necessarily meant to be celebratory, it should also not be forgotten. Today Jews around the world will join together in mourning and reflection.