Tisha B'Av
All You Have to Do Is Listen
There is an old saying which praises the individual who can tell his neighbor, “Go to hell” and make him feel happy to be on his way. Of course, this talent of subtle diplomacy has always been a rarity as can be seen from Rabbi Akiva's statement, “I swear that in this generation there is no one who knows how to rebuke.” read more »
Messianic Meals & Fast Days
Once upon a time, our people enjoyed in tranquility the Holy Land, the City of David, Mount Moriah, the Temple, and the Holy of Holies. Sadly enough, we did not fully appreciate what we had - and so we lost it. read more »
No Reason to Be Simple
Why do people tell stories? I’ll tell you a story.
It was a stormy, moonless night and two men - one foolish, the other wise - groped their way through the dark, gloomy forest. With no source of illumination whatsoever, they were hopelessly lost. Suddenly, there was a deafening crash of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning. read more »
Falling or Rising Tears
Jewish holidays are not mere memorials of ancient events. To follow the secular vogue and shift the date of a festival to create a conveniently long weekend would not only be distasteful and sacrilegious; it would miss the point entirely. Emanations of holiness reach the world on the Shabbat; streams of forgiveness on Yom Kippur, and heavenly drops of freedom revive us on Passover. These distinct forms of holiness however can only wend their way into our souls and our lives on those specific days. Just as there are times of joy, there are moments of sadness. Jewish mysticism explains that the forty days from the beginning of Tammuz until the ninth of Av are times of Jewish travail and foreboding. It was during those days that the twelve spies sent by Moses, traversed the Promised Land with the mission of seeing its goodness, thereby conquering the potential for tragedy. read more »
Why I Like Tisha b’Av
I admit that Tisha b’Av is not everyone’s favorite holiday. Not even mine. Still, there is something about the ninth day of Av that I am grateful for; not because it is enjoyable, but because of what it says about the Jewish people. Tisha b’Av warns me that I must remember. And a nation which remembers and knows its past will not forget to hope for its future. read more »
