B'Av 1914, which overturned many Jewish communities. As a result, some Jews are particularly careful to avoid all dangerous situations during the Three Weeks. These include: going to dangerous places, undergoing a major operation that could be postponed until after Tisha B'Av, going on an airplane flight that could be postponed until after Tisha B'Av, and engaging in a court case if it can be postponed until after Tisha B'Av. History The first source for a special status of the Three Weeks—which is also the oldest extant reference to these days as Bein ha-Metzarim—is found in Eikhah Rabbathi 1.29 (Lamentations Rabbah, 4th century?). This midrash glosses Lamentations 1.3, "All [Zion's] pursuers overtook her between the straits," interpreting "straits" as "days of distress"—namely the Seventeenth of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av. Rabbi Isaac Tyrnau (who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries) wrote in his book Minhagim, a record of Austrian customs, that haircuts are not taken and weddings are not celebrated during the Three Weeks. His opinion was cited as halacha by Moses Isserles in Rema on Shulchan Aruch, which is the foundation for most of current Ashkenazic practice. Special haftarot Special haftarot (passages from the Prophets), the "Three of Affliction" (tlat de-pur`anuta), are read in the synagogue on each Sabbath of the three weeks. These prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah predict the fall of Jerusalem, unlike most haftarot of the yearly cycle which reflect the theme of the day's Torah reading. Pesiqta de-Rav Kahana is the first source to designate the appropriate 12 selections from the Prophets, the Three of Affliction being "Divre Yirmeyahu", Words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1.1-2.3), "Shim`u Devar Hashem" Hear the word of the LORD (Jeremiah 2.4-28), and "Hazon Yisha`yahu" Vision of Isaiah (Isaiah 1.1-27). The great majority of congregations use the haftarot suggested by Pesiqta de-Rav Kahana, which are not mentioned in the Talmud. But Maimonides in his law code prescribes a slight variation of these three, and the Yemenite Jews read the haftarot that he lists. The nine haftarot of the eight weeks following Tisha B'Av likewise were selected for their content. These are the "Seven of Consolation" (shev di-nhemta) followed by the "Two of Repentance" (tarte di-tyuvta)—which two appropriately fall between Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur; one is read on Saturday like the other special haftarot, but the other is read on the Fast of Gedaliah. The Nine Days According