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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The Three Weeks
- Mourning Over the Churban
Indeed, historically speaking, during the period following the rebuilding of the Second Temple, Tisha B’Av was converted to a joyous day, one of feasting, rather than fasting. Should that not be our mindset today as well?
Yes, in some years this question might be legitimately entertained, but this year, sad to say, is unlike any other year. The worldwide Corona crisis – some have called it the most pervasive calamity since Noach’s Great Flood! - has cast a pall over even the most glorious of surroundings. We feel a sense of isolation, concern over the future, disunity in our streets and doubts about our ability to weather the storm. The lack of faith in our leaders at home and the growing anti-Semitism abroad – particularly in the United States – has left us with a pervasive feeling of abandonment, if not hopelessness.
The haunting words of the prophet Jeremiah in the opening chapter of Lamentations, "Eicha yashva badad – how she (Jerusalem) sits in isolation" strikes a deep chord within us, as tens of thousands of people have truly sat in "bidud," quarantine over the last several months. The world, once at our fingertips, has shrunk dramatically – confining, even trapping us inside small quarters – as international travel has essentially come to a halt and we are warned to stay closer and closer to home. On a personal level, as a long-time staff member of a kosher cruise program, the deep blue seas are now located somewhere between a lovely memory and a hopeful dream.
Circumstances have dictated that the important life-cycle events in our lives must be severely diminished. I have officiated at a number of weddings with 20 or less participants – scaled down from several hundred - and even the recent Brit of our new grandson was limited to just eight family members. On a particularly sad note, funerals are radically restricted, preventing grieving relatives from giving their loved ones a fitting send-off to the world beyond. Just last week, dear friend Eallan Hirshfeld, about whom I recently wrote ("The Power of One," Jerusalem Post, Dec. 4, 2019) passed away. Having led 299 monthly trips to Hevron – and eagerly awaiting the 300th - his funeral undoubtedly would have been attended by thousands, instead of the two dozen allowed in the cemetery. My only consolation for him is that, by Jewish tradition, all Jewish souls are transported to Heaven via Hebron, and so he made that final journey after all.
This condition of bidud is also famously mentioned by the seer Bilaam, who declares, "hen am l’vadad yishkon," Israel is a nation that dwells alone. Over the last years there has been an alarming rise in global anti-Semitism, which seeks to isolate the Jew and brand him as the eternal enemy of humanity. In a world desperately in need of a united, universal front against Corona, verbal and physical assaults on Jews and Israel have proliferated, even casting Jews as the source of the pandemic. Racism may have become the "devil of the day" in progressive society and sparked massive protests, but Jews somehow remain fair game while anti-Semitism is conspicuously excluded from condemnation. The courageous statements of celebrated athletes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Charles Barkley deploring hatred of Jews stand in glaring opposition to nasty, bigoted remarks that go largely unpunished.
It is against this background that we must view Tisha B’Av. The loss of the Temples and the exile-dispersion of our people left us, to a great degree, defenseless as well as homeless. We lost our spiritual center as well as our own country and flag, and though we valiantly tried to establish ourselves in the Diaspora and create "miniature Temples" that mimicked the real thing, catastrophe always lurked around the next corner, biding its time until the right conditions invariably presented themselves.
Now, thank God, we have returned to our land en masse. We are already, in my opinion, more than fifty percent of the world Jewish population and we are growing (estimates of 6.5 million American Jews or even more are absurdly optimistic and mathematically-challenged; could U.S. Jewry really have expanded from 5.5 million in the last generation, with an intermarriage and assimilation rate of seventy percent?!). Our pride has returned, our rightful place on the world stage is assured and our accomplishments are nothing short of miraculous.
But sadly, the flames that vanquished the Temples still burn. The intra-Jewish strife, the lack of respect for other opinions, the sinat chinam that stifles debate and silences dissent has not melted away; it may be even more severe than ever before. As I have written many times, it is only our own rise to greatness that will produce great leaders in its wake.
Yet, as Tisha B’Av comes to a close, the light of optimism comes back into our lives and we are consoled. By tradition, the Messiah will be born on 9 Av; perhaps it is the very outgrowth of our deficiencies that will produce a hero who sees our struggles and yet senses our greatness. And fittingly, Tisha B’Av will be closely followed next week by Tu B’Av, the "holiday of love" that seeks to conquer hate.
My friend Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg, who founded Kids Kicking Cancer to teach young patients how to overcome pain through the use of martial arts wrote, "A perfect God created an imperfect world – perfectly." We are far from perfect, to be sure, yet God instilled in us, individually and collectively, the ability to achieve perfection; that remains our greatest challenge. The tool to accomplish this elusive goal - and to rebuild that third and final Temple - is Tikva, hope. Fittingly, it is the national anthem of the Jewish nation and the key to our survival.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
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Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
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The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
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(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
