Tisha Beav- An opportunity
Tisha Be’av represents the day we collectively mourn for the destruction of both Temples.
Throughout the ages Tish beav has been marred by tragedy for the Jewish people. Many events began on or around Tisha Beav. Here are just a few examples: in the middle ages 1095CE the first crusade by Pope Urban II brought about the death and destruction of thousands of Jews, 1290 CE the expulsion of the Jews from England, 1492 the inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminating in the expulsion, 1942 Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp.
On a broader level Tisha Be’av is the day marked for commemorating all tragedies that have occurred to our people throughout the ages. This is reflected in the Kinnot we recite on the evening and morning of Tisha Beav which spans the period of the first Temple until the Holocaust of modern day.
Kinot are really an extension of the book of Lamentations- Eicha which translates as How? How or Why has this happened. We ask the question about Jewish and human suffering from a place of deep anguish. Tisha Beav is thus a day of questions. Two types of question. One is directed at Hashem. How could He have let this happen. But also a deep look at ourselves. the Kinot reflect periods of Jewish history that were shameful such as the murder of the holy prophet Zechariyah in the Temple courtyard (See Talmud Gittin 57b).
The Jewish answer to the question Eicha (How) is not despair or fatalism. The answer lies in the word Eicha itself. Re-arranging the same letters we get the word Ayeka which is another question (the Jewish answer to a question is a question!). Ayeka means “where are you”. This is the question God asks of Adam and Eve after they sinned and ate from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil. God of course knows their exact GPS position! Ayeha is an existential question that gnaws at our souls. Ayeka? What can you now do to improve the situation and take responsibility. To learn from the past mistakes and transform oneself.
For most of us it is extremely difficult to relate to the destruction of the Temples which occurred nearly two thousand years ago and so it is understandable that the contemporary focus has been on the holocaust whether through video or other types of presentations.
What Tisha Beav does is to create a framework for understanding the nature of Jewish tragedy. By bringing all terrible events together into one day of mourning we are reflecting the idea that all Jewish tragedy is a function of exile.
Exile is a state of spiritual dislocation. When the Temples existed, there was a visible symbol of the bridge between heaven and earth. It was a place that represented the unity of God and his people.
Today we may not be able to truly feel the loss of the Temples like Rabbi Yochana ben Zakaai or Rabbi Akiva who lived through the destruction. They saw with their own eyes the former glory of God in the Temple and the devastation that came by the hands of the Romans.
But we can still tap into the spiritual message of Tisha Beav. We can investigate our lives and identify the elements that are dissonant with our true spiritual calling. Each of us is a mini sanctuary with the potential to bring heaven down to earth. The command to build the Temple originates in the Tabernacle -“Make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in them” . The sages teach it does not say dwell in it but dwell in them for God dwells in everyone.
Our sages teach us that Moshiach was born as the flames consuming the Temple rose to their highest on Tisha Beav afternoon. What an incredible paradox yet a profound lesson. At the height of destruction – at the lowest ebb- is the beginning of redemption.
In every tragedy their must be an opportunity that we can grab to move forward with an even greater purpose and sense of mission. We just need the courage to stop, pause and reflect honestly about our lives and commit to living a little better.
Fast Well.