The Hebrew Month of Av (also Menachem Av) is the eleventh month of the civil year and the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of 30 days and usually occurs in July–August on the Gregorian calendar.
Av means "father." It is customary to add the name "Menachem," which means "comforter" or "consoler"—so Menachem Av.
The Gemara states, "When we enter [the month of] Av, our joy is diminished." This is because the darkest events in Jewish history occurred during the first week and a half of this month, particularly the Nine Days culminating in Tisha B'Av, the 9th day of Av.
In Jewish history, tragic events during the month of Av include the sin of the spies, Aaron Hakohen's death, the First Temple's invasion by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE, civil war in besieged Jerusalem in 67 CE, and the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 CE. The 9th of Av marked the destruction of the Holy Temples by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Romans in 70 CE, Betar's fall to the Romans in 133 CE, and the expulsion of Jews from England in 1290 CE. On the 17th of Av in 1929, the Chevron Massacre claimed the lives of 67 Jews.
However, the month also contains a holiday called Tu B'Av, which was, in ancient times, considered one of the happiest days of the year.
The astrological symbol of the month of Av is the lion.
The reason for this is that, According to our sages,
the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar depicted as a lion, destroyed the Lion of G‑d [Jerusalem] so that the awaited Moshiach, symbolized as a lion, would rebuild it.
Furthermore, the Talmud states that Moshiach, born on the 9th of Av, descended from the tribe of Yehudah, which the lion represents.
Additionally, Eichah states that without Hashem's protection, we would face the dangers of history, akin to encountering a bear or a lion.
Significant Jewish historical events that occur during the month of Av:
[1 Av]
Peaks of the tallest mountains emerged above the receding waters of the Flood.
Egypt was afflicted with Frog(s).
Yahrzeit of Aharon HaKohen. (This is the ONLY yahrzeit mentioned in the Torah. It is not recorded in Parshat Chukat, which tells of Aharon’s death, but rather in Mas’ei, when we bench Rosh Chodesh Av.)
[4 Av]
Rashba proclaimed a ban on the study of metaphysics and philosophy by students under 30 in 1305. The Cheirem was both famous and controversial.
[5 Av]
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Tzfat, the Ari Z”l, 1572.
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Israel Hildesheimer, 1899. He fought side by side with Rabbi S.R. Hirsch in defense of Orthodoxy.
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, 1940.
[7th of Av]
Rabbi Sholom Noach Berezovsky
Rabbi Sholom Noach Berezovsky (Hebrew: שלום נח ברזובסקי; August 8, 1911 – August 8, 2000) served as Slonimer Rebbe from 1981 until his death. He is widely known for his teachings, which he published in a series of books entitled Nesivos Sholom.
[8th of Av]
Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv Broida, also known as the Alter of Kelm (the Elder of Kelm), was one of the early leaders of the Musar movement and the founder of the Kelm Talmud Torah.
[10 Menachem) Av]
The first Beit HaMikdash was destroyed by a fire that started the day before, 586 BC.
Columbus set sail for the New World in 1492.
[12 Menachem Av]
The famous disputation between the Ramban and Pablo Christiani began in 1263. King Jayme of Aragon hosted the debate, guaranteed the Ramban freedom to say what he pleased, and rewarded the Ramban with 300 gold coins for his "most admirable defense of a wrong position."
[13 Menachem Av]
Yahrzeit of Sir Moses Montifiore, 1885
[17 Menachem Av]
120 Jewish families arrived in Buenos Aires 1889, "giving birth" to the modern Argentinean Jewish community. (Today's community numbers between 250,000 and 300,000 Jews, maybe as many as 200,000 in Buenos Aires.)
Arabs attacked Jews throughout Eretz Yisrael, among whom were students of the Yeshiva in Hebron in 1929.
[18 Menachem Av]
The Ner Maaravi (the western lamp of the Menora in the Beit HaMikdash) was extinguished during the reign of King Achaz. The date was observed as a fast day. Tradition is that the Western Lamp never went out. It was used to light the other lamps that were rekindled each evening. The Ner Tamid of our shuls is based on the Ner Maaravi of the Menora. (Rabbi Bloch z" l points out the extra significance of this occurring during the time of Achaz. He had removed the Copper Mizbei'ach from the Beit HaMikdash and replaced it with one modeled after an Assyrian altar. This was not only a heresy, but it removed the source of fire used to relight the Menora if the Ner Maaravi ever went out.
Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yaakov Culi (a.k.a. Kuli or Chuli) was a Talmudist and Biblical commentator of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He belonged to an exiled Spanish family and was the grandson and pupil of Moses ibn Habib.
[21 Menachem Av]
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, 1918.
Yahrzeit of Yeshayahu Menachem b. Yitzchak of Cracow, 1599. He was the originator of the Heter Iska.
[23 of Av]
Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, known as The Steipler or The Steipler Gaon, was a rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and posek.
24th of Av
Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolis
Ephraim Zalman Margulies (sometimes transcribed as Margolis) (December 19, 1762 – August 24, 1828) (Hebrew: אפרים זלמן בן מנחם מאניש מרגליות) was a Galician rabbi born in Brody, brother of Chaim Mordechai Margulies.
26th of Av Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, January 13, 1887 – August 19, 1979) was the Satmar dynasty's founder and first Grand Rebbe.
[28 Menachem Av]
Moshe Rabeinu descended Har Sinai for the second (of three) 40-day period.
The Council of Four Countries, Polish Jewry's autonomous governing body, met for the last time in 1762.
Yahrzeit of the NETZIV, HaRav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin, author of Haamek Davar, 1893.