(Copyright, 1960,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Why do some people dip
their bread in ashes when
partaking of the last meal
before the fast of the Ninth
of Ab?
This practice is mentioned in
the Midrash (Lamentations Rab-
bah 3:16) where it is told that
Rav would take a small piece
of bread, sprinkle some ashes
upon it, and say, while eating
it: "This is the meal before the
Ninth of Ab to fulfill what the
Bible states when it says: 'He
hath also broken my teeth with
gravel stones, He bath made me
to wallow in ashes'." (Lamen-
tations 3:16). The ashes, of
course, symbolize the ash-like
ruins of the Temple of Old.
Dipping one's bread into ashes
symbolizes that whatever en-
joyment we have from this
world is always tempered with
the memory of the destruction
of the Holy Temple, which hap-
pened on the Ninth of Ab.
Why do some people re-
frain from eating meat on the
day after Tisha b'Ab?
The custom is to refrain from
eating meat and drinking wine
for the first nine days of the
Month of Ab, since the Ninth
of Ab marked the anniversary
of the destruction of the Tem-
ple and the consumption of meat
and wine was a sign of merri-
ment rather than a sign of
mourning which was desired for
those nine days. The reason for
the extra day of abstinence
from these items is traced to
the expression of Rabbi Johan-
an, who is quoted as saying, he
would rather have made the
tenth of Ab the fast day (In-
stead of the ninth) since most
of the burning of the temple
actually took place on the tenth.
(Babli, Ta'anit, 29a). We, who
observe the fast on the ninth
day, still refrain from meat and
wine on the tenth to be mindful
that the flames roared in Jeru-
salem on that day.
Why is the Sabbath before
Tisha b'Ab called "Shabbat
Chazon" and treated as a
Sabbath of mourning during
which some of the prayers
are chanted in a mournful
fashion?
The tradition is to read the
first Chapter of Isaiah, which
begins with the word "Chazon,"
on this Sabbath since it sounds
the warning which the prophet
gave the people of Israel, fore-
telling of the destruction to
come. Those who use the Mourn-
ful chant, do so to remind the
people in the synagogue that
Tisha b'Ab takes place in the
week following that Sabbath.
I'm Ed Connor. You
know my record as
Councilman. Vote for
me—Ed Connor, Demo-
crat, for governor—
and you know I'll serve
you well in Lansing.
MAKE IT
GOV. CONNOR
`King David Ruined My Life'
By DANIEL L. TICKTON
In a small European town, on
a Tisha b'Ab afternoon many
years ago, six men were sitting
in front of the town's old, gray
shul, its brick walls faded with
discolorations from age.
As old as the shul itself
was were the men who were
there to pray and zu chapen a
shmuess. Now they just sat and
gazed silently into space, no
one caring to talk. Sweat
showed like mirrors on their
faces. They were all wearing
yarmulkes and their shirts were
unbuttoned.
Suddenly their eyes fastened
on a person in the distance.
They all sensed a stranger, for
he was carrying a small valise.
"Aha," voiced one of the men,
"a maggid. We are going to
hear droshes now, probably de-
livering Talmudic discourses.
We'll also have to take up a
collection for him."
As the stranger approached,
they all arose and greeted him
without the usual saying of
shalom alaichem, which is for-
bidden on Tisha b'Ab because
no rejoicing is permitted on
that day. They escorted him
into the shul to wash and rest.
Just before mincha services,
he was introduced to the shul's
gabbai, Reb Mendel, who
showed great respect to the
maggid. He was also honored
by being invited to deliver his
drosheh between minchah and
maariv. The Gabbai also bade
the maggid to come to his house
to break the fast after Tisha
b'Ab.
The maggid rose, slowly
walked up to the middle of the
bimoh, glanced at the inscrip-
tion above: "Da lifnei mi atto
omed" (Know before whom
thou standest), took out his
red handkerchief, wiped the
perspiration from his face, pat-
ted his long black whiskers, and
with a cough or two was ready
to begin. He glanced over the
congregation and began chant-
ing: "To Jerusalem, Thy city,
return in mercy, and dwell
therein as Thou hast spoken;
rebuild it soon in our days and
as an everlasting building; and
speedily set up the throne of
KING DAVID .. ."
A chill went through the
maggid's body as he was inter-
rupted by Reb Mendel. "Never
mind the sermon. You look
tired. Let us daven maariv."
After services Rob Mendel
walked the maggid to his house
where they broke the fast.
Thy ate in silence (as the Tal-
mud states, "No conversing
during the meal"), then said
grace and the maggid retired.
He tossed all night wondering
why he had been so abruptly
stopped by Reb Mendel, just
as he had begun his speech.
After a sleepless night he arose,
went to shul for morning serv-
ices, received a donation, shook
hands with the worshippers and
prepared to leave. However,
Reb Mendel gave the maggid a
five ruble bill and escorted him
to the door. The maggid was
touched, and as he shook hands
he spoke in a sobbing voice:
"You are so friendly, Reb
Mendel, and so religious, why
did you stop me at the begin-
ning of my drosheh? You
shamed me before the entire
congregation. You took away
my means of a livelihood. Why
did you do that to me?" Reb
Mendel nodded. "Come back
in," he said, "sit down again.
It is a long story. Years ago my
parents passed away while I
was very young. I was raised in
many different homes and at
many places. I was blamed
for many occurrences, I was
slapped, went hungry, slept on
hard benches. However, I grew
tip with a muscular physique
and fair looks.
"As I reached by eighteenth
birthday the city shadchan
came and greeted me. 'Mendel,'
he said, Tor what are you
waiting? You have reached 18.
I Like what is written in Pirkey
Jewish Community Council Hits
Injection of Race Issue in Politics
Louis Rosenzweig, chairman to set the clock back. So-called
Ovos: Ben shmoneh esre l'chu- of the community relations mixed neighborhoods is not an
poh (At 18 to the canopy). Are committee of the Jewish Com- issue in this or any political
you to remain an old forgotten
bachelor? Come with me to the
big city. I have just the right
kind of wife for you. Truly an
elderly woman, not a beauty,
but wealthy as Korach.' The
shadchan continued, "L a r g e
dowries and estates left to her
from her three departed hus-
bands.'
"He drove me to her town
and led me to her home. This
is the home. One look at my
prospective bride, and I beck-
oned to the shadchan. 'God be
with you!' I said, 'she is not
only aged, but hunchbacked,
toothless, and possibly bald. I
think that she is ha-2 -1 of hear-
ing also. You should be asham-
ed of yourself!'
"The shadchan stood his
ground. 'Don't be a schmendrik!
I am surprised at you! It is
plainly written in King David's
Psalms: "Yemay schnosainu bo-
hem shivirn shone uvigvuros
schmonirn shone (Our span of
life is 70 years, and with
strength 80 years). She is way
past 70 now. How long can she
last? Say, five, six or seven
years. Afterwards a great for-
tune will await you! Since there
are . no other heirs, then and
only then you may marry of
your choice whom you love,
raise a family, and live for
grandchildren. You will be a
wealthy person, and the world
will be yours. Do me a favor
and marry her.'
"I consented. During the past
years I prospered in lumber.
"What a home life! Have
you noticed my wife? Married
18 years, and no family. She is
nearer 90 and may surely out-
live me. She awakens with a
curse on her lips and goes to
bed with one. She is nagging
and has fits of temper. No
dishes are too expensive to
throw at me during her tant-
rums. Not a day passes without
an argument, including Yom
munity Council, made the fol-
lowing statement regarding the
recent distribution of campaign
leaflets in the Seven Mile-
Livernois area:
"The attention of the Jewish
Community Council has been
called to a leaflet, Home Owner
Warning—Vote August 2, which
was circulated in recent days
in the approximate area bound-
ed by Meyers, Livernois, Eight
Mile Rd. and Davison. Several
of the residents of this area
have called or sent the leaflets
to the Council office with their
expressions of protest.
" 'The Jewish Community
Council has no intention of in-
truding itself into a political
contest. We must, however, in
unmistakable language, con-
demn any kind of voter appeal
which is based upon a racist
approach and which incites
intergroup tensions. Apart from
inaccuracies and distortions of
fact the equation made between
decent neighborhood standards
and the race of a prospective
purchaser, is as specious and
morally unsound as the process
of restricting by religion or by
ethnic group.
"We are confident that those
who received this leaflet will
reject this unvarnished effort
BRING IN YOUR OLD
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Kippur.
"What in the world made you
start your drosheh with the
words King David'? When I
heard you mention his name, it
nearly turned my stomach."
Reb Mendel paused as he
heard heavy footsteps in the
hallway. "That's her," he gasp-
ed. The study's door opened
abruptly. A shrieky voice called
out:
"Mendel, Mendel, who is the
shnorrer with whom you are
talking? Why aren't you attend-
ing your lumber business? Per-
haps Sereleh, your beautiful
secretary, eingesunken soil sie
veren!, is awaiting you! A k/ok
dir in dein kop! Aich mir a
husband!" She slammed the
door with a bang.
Reb Mendel was in a deep
silence. He was somewhat
choked up and added in a whis-
per: "Do you see what I have
meant? King David actually
ruined my life with his predic-
tions!" Tha maggid noticed the
anxiety in Reb Mendel's face.
"And when you mentioned the
words 'King David' in your
drosheh on the bimah, I stop-
ped you. King David is traifeh
for me!"
The maggid hastened to pick
up his valise and, even without
saying goodbye or stopping to
kiss the mezuzzah, made a quick
exit, murmuring to himself,
contest. It is a deceptive sub-
terfuge, designed to excite the
passions, and to distract us by
evasion from the genuine chal-
lenge that faces every American
voter in the privacy of the
polling place—the challenge of
exercising with responsibility
his part in advancing the goals
of American democracy. The
injection of a racial issue handi-
caps rather than serves our
attainment of this goal."
VOTE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 2
VETERAN
ATTORNEY
EXPERIENCED
RE-ELECT
State Representative
JOSEPH A. GILLIS
10TH DISTRICT DEMOCRAT
This advertisement sponsored
by
MEL WEISZ
JERRY HARRIS
JACK J. KRAIZMAN
MAX KLAYMAN
SEYMOUR CAPLAN
S. LAWRENCE STEIN
ROBERT ESTON
BERNARD HOFFMAN
HARRY PLISKOW
HENRY WARTOSKY
"Sol Got shoimer umatzil sein.
Boruch Shepotrani. (May God
have pity on me! Blessed be
Who hath redeemed me!) I'd
rather be a poor maggid."
WEI N TO•C K
8Iect
LAWYER
LEE FRANKLIN
•
CIVIC - LEADER
Rated "PREFERRED" by DETROIT CITIZENS LEAGUE
1958 and 1960
PULL
315
Republican
State
Representative
1 7 -- THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS -- Frid ay, July 29, 1960
Tisha b'Ab Quiz A Tisha b'Ab Tale
• J. FOX
By RABBI SAMUEL