A few years ago, my son asked:
Why do we fast on Tisha B’Av? He knew
the answer is to commemorate the destruction on the Beit HaMikdash. What he was really asking was, “What is the
relevance of Tisha B’Av for us today?”
Tisha B’Av was established because
of the tragedies and difficulties of the past. But what about the present? We have Israel. Things are far from perfect everywhere, but
Jews have it better today than any time since the Temple stood.
So, why DO we fast and recount
the tragedies of the past and sit low to the ground? How does Tisha B’Av relate to us?
Our Sages were aware of this
issue. Here are three statements of the Sages in which they teach how the
Temple’s destruction may be relevant for all time.
1) The Talmud in Berachot 32b states in the name
of Rabbi Elazar:
מיום שחרב בית המקדש נפסקה
חומת ברזל בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים
From the day that the Temple was destroyed, a wall of
iron has separated Israel from their Father in Heaven
The Temple was an inspiring
location, one in which daily miracles occurred. When the Beit HaMikdash stood, if you ever questioned
the existence of God or God’s role in your life, you could go to Jerusalem and
feel God’s presence. That was one of the
purposes of the three pilgrimage festivals on which everyone would go to
Jerusalem: to recharge the spiritual batteries.
What about today? Where should we go when we have religious
questions or feelings of doubt?
On Tisha B’Av, we need to come to
terms with a more challenging religious environment.
2) The Talmud in Sota 48a states:
מיום שחרב בהמ”ק – אין
יום שאין בו קללה
From the day that the Temple was destroyed, not a day
goes by without some sort of curse.
There is pain in the world: the
pain of those who are ill, isolated or marginalized. There is the k’lalah of rising
anti-Semitism around the globe and uncertainty that many Jews endure. There is the continuing danger to Israel from
all kinds of threats. There is insecurity
here in America: violence, inequality, a loss of morality, and a sense of being
adrift.
On Tisha B’Av, we have the
opportunity – the responsibility – to confront that pain and resolve to address
it the best we can.
3) The Midrash states:
מיום שחרב בהמ”ק נתמעט
השלום
Since the day that the
Temple was destroyed, peace has been diminished
The modern Jewish community is
noteworthy as much for our dwindling affiliation rates as we are for our
divisiveness, strife and discord amongst the Tribe. I don’t think I need to (or want to) list the
ways in which our community disagrees.
It is so unfortunate that it takes a mortal threat for Jews to put aside
our differences.
On Tisha B’Av, we are reminded
just how divided and fragmented we can be.
Tisha B’Av has always been about
much more than the Temple. From the time
of the Temple’s destruction, we have faced the complexity of religious
experience, the curses, and the loss of peace.
If we have difficulty mourning
the historical tragedies, their reverberations provide plenty upon which to
reflect and be sad on Tisha B’Av.
There is another event that took
place on Tisha B’Av. According to the Sages
(Midrash Eicha Rabba 1:51), Mashiach was born on Tisha B’Av.
What does this mean? It is not an historical event or an
aspiration. The intent is that every
year, Tisha B’Av generates a new impetus for redemptive action. In addition to mourning that which has been
destroyed, Tisha B’Av is a time to rebuild.
May this Tisha B’Av usher in different
types of building:
A building of our spirituality
and connection to God
A building of peace: within
our families, our community, and the world
A building of lives committed
to mindfulness, emotion, and responsiveness
This kind of Tisha B’Av
observance will bring each of us that much closer to redemption.
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