Is there any discussion in the rishonim, as to whether klal yisroel observed tisha bav during the time of the 2nd bes hamikdash? If so did they fast? Were korbonos brought? I assume so. But i heard there is a rambam which discusses this. I have not been able to locate it.
I would appreciate your response
Tuvia Mozes, MONSEY NY
Tuvia - Here is what the Kollel wrote on the subject in our Insights to Eruvin 41a. You can also find on our site Rabbi Landy's audio/video lectures on Megilas Ta'anis, where he discusses the issue briefly.
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
1) FASTING ON "TISH'AH B'AV" DURING THE TIME OF THE SECOND BEIS HA'MIKDASH
QUESTION: The Beraisa quotes Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Tzadok who relates that it once happened that Tish'ah b'Av occurred on Shabbos and the fast was deferred to Sunday, the tenth of Av, which was his family's personal Yom Tov, the day of his "Korban Etzim." When the second Beis ha'Mikdash was built, his forebears donated wood to the Beis ha'Mikdash, and in recognition for that Mitzvah they were granted the privilege of bringing wood to the Beis ha'Mikdash every year on the tenth of Av (as described in Nechemyah 10:35, and Ta'anis 26a). Since that day was his family's personal Yom Tov, they started the fast but did not complete it.
Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Tzadok presumably lived at the time of the Churban, as we find that his father, Rebbi Tzadok, was one of the elders at the time of the Churban (Gitin 57b). When, then, did this incident occur -- before or after the Churban? If it occurred during the time of the Beis ha'Mikdash (as he donated wood to the Beis ha'Mikdash on the tenth of Av each year), then why was the rest of the nation fasting on Tish'ah b'Av? If, on the other hand, it occurred after the Churban, then why did he celebrate a Yom Tov on the day of his "Korban Etzim"?
ANSWERS:
(a) TOSFOS in Ta'anis (12a, DH Hasam) writes that it is evident from the fact that Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Tzadok fasted on Tish'ah b'Av that this incident occurred after the Churban. Tosfos understands, like the TASHBATZ (2:271), that the Jews did not fast on Tish'ah b'Av during the time of the second Beis ha'Mikdash.
RAV MOSHE STERNBUCH shlit'a proves from here that even after the Churban, they observed their families' personal Yom Tov in commemoration of the day on which their families used to bring the Korban Etzim during the times of the Beis ha'Mikdash (see MO'ADIM U'ZEMANIM 7:212). This is indeed the proof of the Yerushalmi Shekalim 10a for this same point, according to the Tiklin Chadetin.
(b) The RAMBAM (Perush ha'Mishnayos to Rosh Hashanah 1:3) has a novel approach. He maintains that even during the time of the second Beis ha'Mikdash, the people fasted on Tish'ah b'Av, during the time that the Jews no longer had dominion in their land. According to the Rambam, it is possible that the incident of Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Tzadok occurred during the time of the Beis ha'Mikdash.