Five songs to get you in the mood for Tu B’Av

Have you ever wondered how Tu B’Av became marketed in Israel as an Israeli Valentine’s Day? When I went to Israel to visit my cousins, I was surprised to see Tu B’Av being celebrated as such a commercial holiday. Being the yenta that I am, I set out on a journey to find out why.

In Jerusalem, during the Second Temple period, the month of Av signified a matchmaking day for single Israelite women to go out into the vineyards and dance in order to find a suitor. There’s only one brief mention of Tu B’Av in the Mishnah, so the sages of the Talmud speculated on different histories for the holiday, from celebrating the end of prohibitions on intermarriage to the Israelites having finally been forgiven for the sin of the golden calf.

In 1925, Zionists settling on kibbutzim in Palestine saw this holiday as a way of establishing new Israeli traditions in the spirit of Zionism, combining ancient Canaanite traditions with contemporary kibbutzim culture. These parties were similar to toga parties in which “20-something” kibbutzniks would go out into the open air fields and dance to celebrate summertime and the harvest of grapes.

The popularity of these Tu B’Av simchas are why today Tu B’Av has become a day to celebrate the spirit of summertime — and, most importantly, love. After all, according to the Beatles, “All you need is love.” What could be a better setting for a holiday all about ahava (love) than a Talmud tale rejoicing in wine and dancing?

So with Tu B’Av approaching on July 30, here are the top five tracks to groove to for the month of Av that will have you dancing in the vineyards, like the women of Jerusalem once did in the month of Av. These tracks feature a mixture of klezmer punk music, hip hop, and soul, all of which celebrate ahava.

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“Mind Sex” by dead prez

So let me take this opportunity

Would you share a moment with me, over herbal tea?

Take a walk verbally, make a bond certainly

‘Cause in my hand I bet your hand fit perfectly

And it’s like we floatin’ out in space when you flirtin’ wit me

Dead Prez uses sitar on this slow jam as if they were the George Harrisons of the hip hop world. I love the verses of this track, which offer different levels of intimacy.

“Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake

You’re a good girl and you know it

You act so different around me

Being the nice Jewish girl that I am, I had to feature a track from Drake, the most famous Jewish MC in hip hop since Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys. Drake goes straight up emo soul on this track, which is ideal for Tu B’Av.

“She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5

I don’t mind spendin’ every day

Out on your corner in the pourin’ rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile

And she will be loved, and she will be loved

This is the slow jam of my life. Maroon 5’s verses are sensitive while the flow of the song is soulful. Ideal for Tu B’Av or crying into a jar of nutella.

“Girl” by The Internet ft. Kaytranada

Girl, they don’t know your worth

Tell ’em you’re my girl and anything you want is yours

Hip hop funk alternative group The Internet sounds like a mixture of The Indigo Girls and A Tribe Called Quest. This track has a feminist undertone to its verses — the importance of knowing your worth.

“What A Night” by Balkan Beat Box

What a night we had…

Balkan Beat Box often work together in a cohesive way like a bateria, a fast-paced Brazilian samba band — yet on this track they feature a slow dance hall vibe, and the haunting verses make this slow jam ideal for a holiday based in mysticism.