Tisha B'Av: Remember
And Understand

RABBI ALON TOLWIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

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10

Today, the ninth of Av has be-
e are American Jews.
We love baseball, picnics come much like Shavuot. It is all
and fireworks on July but forgotten. For the majority of
4th. We enjoy the Amer- Jews, the ninth of Av has lost all
icana that gives our host nation meaning and is ignored. But just
as Shavuot is experiencing a
its unique flavor.
America is not alone in having "come back" of sorts as learning
national holidays, customs and and appreciation grow, we must
pastimes. Every nation has them. implement a program to reintro-
It is somewhat odd, though, look- duce Jews to Tisha B'Av.
There are others who know of
ing at the Jewish calendar, that
we Jews don't have "national" hol- the days existence but reason that
idays. Yet we do have one and it since we have an independent
State of Israel, mourning is no
is indeed very odd.
There is one day that has our longer necessary.
This Sunday is the fast of the
distinct national flavor. It is the
ninth of Av. Tisha B'Av, as it is 17th of Tammuz. The day the
called in Hebrew, is the day that walls of Jerusalem were breathed.
we remember the destruction of It marks the beginning of a three-
the Jewish commonwealths, our week period of mourning for the
existence as a sovereign state. We Jewish people. Some mourn and
remember that we had a Temple, others do not. What can we un-
a place where the Shechina (God's derstand about the meaning of the
presence) resided. It was that day and how can it help us un-
presence that gave us our keen derstand ourselves better as Jews?
sense of being a distinct nation.
Today, that is missing and is
mourned.
It all ended on the ninth of Av.
Our history tells us that the first
Temple and the Babylonian exile
began on that day. The second
King David, in expressing his
Temple was destroyed and the feelings about Jerusalem, com-
Greek/Roman exile began on that posed the following lines:
day. The Talmud tells us more.
On the ninth of Av, the 12 spies, "If I forget you, Oh Jerusalem,
sent by Moshe to reconnoiter and
appraise the quality of the land of May I forget my right hand,
Israel, returned. Their report was
May my tongue cleave to the roof
disparaging.
The Jews who witnessed the of my mouth,
exodus from Egypt, rather than
trusting in God's promise, ac- If I ever don't think of you,
cepted the words of their agents If I don't raise up Jerusalem above
and cried for their poor fortune. my highest joy."
God, on that day, decreed that
Rabbi Shlomo Brevda of New
generation ofJews would not en-
ter the land of Israel. Rather, York explained these verses with
while their children would enter the following parable:
Imagine a wretched widow. She
and inhabit the land, they would
has only one daughter. Her life
die in the desert.
Many years later, the city of Be- has been one trial after the next,
tar was destroyed and Bar Koch- pain and suffering. Except for this
ba, thought by all to be Moshiach, daughter, she has known no
was killed along with thousands nachas. The time finally came for
ofJews. Centuries later, on the her daughter to get married.
ninth of Av in 1492, the decree Everyone came to take part in the
was issued that the Jews were to widow's first real simcha.
While all were standing under
be expelled from Spain. On the
ninth of Av 1914, Archduke Fer- the marriage canopy anticipating
dinand of Austria-Hungary was the ultimate joy, one person cried
assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, uncontrollably, shaking like a leaf.
sparking the beginning of World It was the widow, the mother of
War I and in actuality, World War the bride. "Why are you so upset?"
her daughter asked. "Are you dis-
II as well.
Most recently, Saddam Hus- satisfied with the man I am mar-
sein invaded Saudi Arabia on the rying?"
The mother answered, "My
ninth of Av, initiating the Gulf
War. The ninth of Av has been a dear, I am very happy. I am ex-
consistent black day in Jewish his- tremely happy. This is the first
real nachas I have had in my life.
tory.
But I have just reminded myself
Rabbi Alon Tolwin is Detroit
that your father is not here to par-
director of Aish HaTorah.
TISHA B'AV page 12

Phone 810 356 6430

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Hours:
Mon., Tues. and Thurs. 8:30-5
Wed. and Fri. 8:30-8
Sat. 9-5

Mourning our lack
of understanding.

