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Religion & Education

Rabbi Sholom Schapiro
KOLLEL TORAH CENTER
07/28/2006
Have a Vision, "Tisha B'Av"

Have a Vision

A father once prepared a beautiful suit of clothes for his son. But the child neglected his father's gift and soon the suit was in tatters. The father gave the child a second suit of clothes, but this one, too, was ruined by the child's carelessness. So the father made a third suit. This time, however, he withheld it from his son.

Every once in a while, in special and opportune times, he shows the suit to the child, explaining that when the child learns to appreciate and properly care for the suit, it will be given to him. This induces the child to improve his behavior, until it gradually becomes second nature to him-at which time he will be worthy of his father's gift.

This Shabbat is called the "Shabbat of Vision" because we read from the prophets the passage that tells us of the vision of Jeremiah. But the great 18 ^th century Chassidic master R. Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev relates the above metaphor to give us a deeper insight into what the "Shabbat of Vision" means. We, the Jewish people, are the son, and the beautiful suit that was twice ruined was our glorious Beit Hamikdash ( Holy Temple) that was destroyed, once and then a second time, on the ninth of Av. Every year at this time we mourn the destruction, during three weeks of mourning that culminate on the ninth of Av. But on this Shabbat, directly preceding the ninth of Av, we are granted a vision of the Third Holy Temple , beautiful and complete. No matter what we do, our souls will have this vision, we must only tap into this awesome spiritual experience.

The father's final reaction in the analogy given by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok is unexpected. After the second suit is ruined, the father does not say, you must now wait until you are ready and then I will have a new suit made for you. Rather, he actually goes ahead and had the suit made. Because the father is sure that the son will be worthy of the new suit.

So when the Second Temple was destroyed, as the first had been, due to the sins of the Jews, G-d went ahead and actually built the Third Temple, in all its perfection and glory, knowing that we will be deserving of it. It's not a matter of if, only of when.

When we see the Third Temple, we are reminded of the magnificence in which we served G-d during the first and second Temples , and which we so sorely miss today. It inspires us to strive ever higher to reach the level where we will merit once again to serve G-d in His Holy Temple, And it reminds us of the complete and unfaltering confidence G-d has in us. The Third Temple is ready. Now we just have to make sure we are.

It's Good to Know - TISHA B'AV

Next Thursday, August 3rd, is Tisha b'Av. In New York, the fast begins Wednesday evening at sunset, 8:10 p.m., and concludes Thursday night at 8:57 p.m.

A Day of Mourning

Picture this: The Israelites are in the desert, recently having experienced the miraculous Exodus, and are now poised to enter the Promised Land. But first they send out a reconnaissance mission, to assist in formulating a prudent battle strategy. The spies return on the eighth day of Av and report that the land is unconquerable. That night, the 9th of Av, the people cry. They insist that they'd rather go back to Egypt than be slaughtered by the Canaanites. G-d is highly displeased by this public demonstration of distrust in His power, and consequently that generation of Israelites never enters the Holy Land. Only their children have that privilege, after wandering in the desert for another 38 years.

The 9th of Av would turn out to be a challenging day for our people throughout history. The Mishna enumerates five sad events that occurred on this day:

1. The abovementioned episode (in the year 1313 BCE).

2. The destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem (423 BCE).

3. The destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (69 CE).

4. The conquest of the city of Betar by the Romans. This brought to an end the Bar Kochba rebellion (133 CE). The city was pillaged and hundreds of thousands of Jews were slaughtered.

5. The plowing of the Temple Mount by the Romans, one year after the conquest of Betar.

And that's not all. The Jews were expelled from England in 1290 on - you guessed it - Tisha b'Av. In 1492, the Jews were expelled from Spain. King Ferdinand decreed that by the end of July, Spain should be Judenrein. They were then given two days extra, until the second of August, the 9th of Av. The expelled Jews were now susceptible to capture, murder, looting, and wild beasts-both the four-legged and two-legged varieties. Word War I was declared on the 9th of Av in 1914. This war ultimately led to the political and economic upheavals which caused the Bolshevik revolution and the Holocaust.

Laws of Mourning:

On Tisha B'Av it is forbidden to:

1. Eat or drink. All adults - even pregnant and nursing women - must fast on this day. Someone who is ill should consult a rabbi.

2. Wear leather footwear.

3. Sit on a normal-height chair until midday . After midday of Tisha b'Av, Thursday at 1:02 p.m. , it is permitted to sit on a regular chair. ("Halachic" midday is the halfway point between sunrise and sunset.)

4. Bathe or wash oneself-"even to insert a finger in cold water." One who becomes soiled may rinse the affected area with cold water.

5. Apply ointment, lotions or creams.

6. Engage in marital relations or any form of intimacy.

7. Greet another with the customary "hello" or "how are you doing?"

8. Engaging in outings, trips or any other pleasurable activities.

9. Study Torah, because "the commandments of the L-rd are upright, causing the heart to rejoice" (Psalms 19:9). It is however permitted - and encouraged - to study sections of the Torah which discuss the destruction of the Temples and the tragedies which befell the Jewish people throughout our history. This prohibition begins at midday of the day before Tisha B'Av, Wednesday at 1:02 p.m.

Order of the Day

? Immediately before the fast begins we eat the "separation meal." This somber meal is not very plentiful-it follows a larger meal eaten a bit earlier. This second meal is eaten while sitting on the floor or a low stool. The meal consists of a hard-boiled egg and a piece of bread dipped in ashes, both symbols of mourning.

? In the synagogue, the curtain is removed from the Ark and the lights are dimmed. After the evening prayers, Eichah (the Book of Lamentations) is read. The leader reads aloud and the congregation reads along in an undertone.

? When ritually washing the hands in the morning, the water should only be poured on the fingers until the knuckle joints. Thursday night before breaking the fast, one should wash netilat yadayim, this time covering the entire hand with water, but without reciting the blessing.

? Tallit and Tefillin are not worn during the morning services. Instead, we don them for Mincha. Tzitzit are worn the entire day.

? After Shacharit, it is customary to read the Kinnot (Tisha b'Av elegies).

? Work is permitted on Tisha b'Av, but discouraged. On this day one's focus should be on mourning and repentance. If one must work, it should preferably be after midday.

? The sections of "Nachem" and "Aneinu" are added to the amidah of the Mincha prayer. Aneinu is only recited by one who is actually fasting.

? The Temple was set ablaze on the afternoon of the 9th of Av, and burned through the 10th. Therefore, the restrictions of the Nine Days (such as not eating meat or swimming) extend until midday of the 10th of Av. Because this year the 10th of Av falls on a Friday, if necessary it is permitted to launder the clothes needed for Shabbat on Thursday night.

For more information regarding the Three Weeks and Tisha b'Av, go to http://theThreeWeeks.org or http://www.AskMoses.com/qa_list.html?h=109 .

Calendar Reminders:

Havdallah

If possible, this week's havdallah wine should be given to drink to a child beneath bar/bat mitzvah age. If no child is available, the one who says havdallah drinks the wine.