Entering the nine days of Av
Dear Congregational Family,
Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av. We preface the name of the month with a word meaning "Comforting." While the first nine days of Av are the saddest days of the year, we enumerate the following seven weeks, during Av and Elul, as weeks of comfort.
Our tradition teaches us that when Av begins, our joy is diminished. While the destruction of our two Holy Temples occured on Tisha B'Av, the Mishna enumerates five ancient tragedies which befell our people on that day, starting with the edict that the generation of Israelites which came out of Egypt would die during their forty year journey in the wilderness. The edict came after the episode of the tribal chieftains who came back from a tour of the promised land. Ten incited a panic. Only Joshua and Caleb inspired the people. Ultimately, only they would enter the promised land from that generation.
While the history books may ascribe the two periods of Jerusalem's destruction as coming from the Babylonians and Romans respectively, the Talmud points to many examples of internal breakdowns among our people. The most famous reason offered for the destruction of the Second Temple is "Sinat Chinam," baseless hatred among fellow Jews. Sadly throughout the ages, we Jews have been our own worst enemy because of baseless hatred within our ranks.
During late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern life, Tisha B'Av has become a time to lament all kinds of historical tragedies which have befallen our people. Over the centuries, "Kinot," dirges and elegies, have been composed and recited on Tisha B'Av to liturgically mourn over much of our people's shared collective sadness.
This Summer, due to the pandemic, Tisha B'Av will be even sadder than usual. Much of Israel is locked down. Synagogue life around the world continues to be drastically affected.
For all kinds of reasons, we must follow the advice of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the first appointed Chief Rabbi of pre-State Israel. When confronting the ideological clash between staunchly religious Jews and secular Zionists, he spoke of replacing Sinat Chinam with Ahavat Chinam, replacing baseless hatred with baseless love.
Rabbi Kook's lesson, offered over a century ago, speaks to us today, be it within our families, communities, and synagogues. More than ever, we must choose love over hate.
May we use the week leading up to Tisha B'Av as a time of true inner reflection and personal refinement.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison
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