Special Days

Shabbat Nachamu, July 28, 2007
The Shabbat following the Ninth of Av is the Shabbat of joy over our anticipated consolation. It is called Shabbat Nachamu, for the prophetic portion that is read is taken from Chapter 40 of Isaiah which begins with the words "Nachamu, nachamu ami" - "Console, console my people, says your G-d." Click here for more on Shabbat Nachamu.

The Fifteenth of Av: July 30, 2007
The 15th of Av is undoubtedly the most mysterious day of the Jewish calendar. A search of the Shulchan Aruch ("Code of Jewish Law") reveals no observances or customs for this date, except for the instruction that beginning on the 15th of Av, one should increase one's study of Torah, since at this time of the year the nights begin to grow longer and "the night was created for study." And the Talmud tells us that many years ago the "daughters of Jerusalem would go dance in the vineyards" on the 15th of Av, and "whoever did not have a wife would go there" to find himself a bride.
And this is the day which the Talmud considers the greatest festival of the year, with Yom Kippur(!) a close second!