The Tishah B’Av Jew

Just as there are different days of the year, so are there different Jews. For example, a talmid chacham is compared to Shabbos and thus may not perform labor in public. Other elevated Jews may be like Yom Tov, and may only perform work for the purpose of ochel nefesh (basic sustenance).

Then there’s the Chol Hamoed Jew who only works for necessities. The average Jew builds up his business and uses his income to support Torah just as the work we do during the six days of the week provides for Shabbos.

There’s another category of Jews compared a specific moed (holiday). These Jews aren’t exalted or celebrated — to the contrary, they’re mourned and grieved over. This is the Tishah B’Av Jew.

Yirmiyahu Hanavi says, “Kara alei moed, He called upon me a moed” (Eichah 1:15). This refers to Tishah B’Av, which is given the status of a Yom Tov, thus we don’t don tefillin nor recite Tachanun. But Tishah B’Av is a broken Yom Tov, a Yom Tov “lishbor bachurai — of broken young men.” (ibid)