Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

On Saturday night July 17, we usher in the Fast of Tisha B'Av. While we at Beth Emeth will gather on line, I encourage one to observe traditional practices. On this saddest day of the year, we become a nation of mourners. In this spirit, one does not wear leather shoes on Tisha B'Av. Similarly, one sits on a low chair during the recitation of the book of Lamentations and Kinot, the poetic dirges and elegies.

On the day of Tisha B'Av, one feels that the joy of our covenant with God is in peril. In this spirit, specific references to the covenant in the liturgy are omitted. The wearing of Tallit and Tefillin is deferred from the morning service to the afternoon service.

Two particular Hebrew months are prefaced with adjectives. Mar Heshvan denotes that Heshvan is the only month without sacred occasions. "Mar" means bitter, a meaningful description of Heshvan which immediately follows Tishrei, the month filled with the High Holy Days, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah.

The current month of Av is called Menachem Av. "Menachem" means comfort.

Immediately following the sadness of Tisha B'Av, we look to the rest of the month and the weeks leading up to Rosh Hashanah as weeks of comfort. The Shabbat immediately following Tisha B'Av is called, Shabbat Nachamu - The Sabbath of comfort.

Two months are known for polarities in relation to joy. When Adar enters, one's joy is increased, exemplified by Purim, the happiest occasion on the Jewish calendar.

When the current month of Av enters, one's joy is decreased, exemplified by Tisha B'Av, the saddest day of the year.

Two occasions in the year are known for being major Fasts, starting at sunset on the eve of the special occasion and concluding after sundown the following night. Yom Kippur - an introspective spiritual day and Tisha B'Av - a day when we are mindful of historical national tragedies which have befallen our people.

I wish us all an easy yet meaningful Fast this Tisha B'Av. We pray and yearn for the day when our Fasts will be transformed into Feasts.

Rabbi Howard Morrison