Picking Up the Pieces: D’var Torah for Tisha B’av
In the midst of our sorrow there is every reason to be hopeful. This is one of the key messages of the fast of Tisha B’av which will take place this coming Sunday. On Tisha B’av we recall great tragedies of the past but we don’t only focus on what transpired, we also emphasize the depth of the suffering. Indeed it’s in that very spirit that, while the fast ends at the end of Tisha B’av, the restrictions of the nine days continue into the next day. There’s hardly been an occasion in our history when there’s been a ‘day after,’ when all our troubles are suddenly totally behind us. There is always something which carries on, some pieces that need to be picked up. And after some of the horrific tragedies of our people it has sometimes taken generations to totally get over them. But Tisha B’av has another major theme for us, it’s the theme of hope. In our prophetic writings the day is referred to as being a ‘mo’ed’ which means a festival and indeed amongst our customs we have trappings of a Yom Tov. For example, we don’t say Avinu Malkeinu which we usually would say on fast days because on a festive occasion we don’t say that prayer. And we look forward to a time when Tisha B’av will genuinely be transformed into the happiest day on our calendar.
These sentiments are reflected beautifully in the Acheinu prayer. We’re reciting Acheinu so very often now for the sake of our hostages, may they please God come home swiftly and safely, and in Acheinu we declare that Hashem will help our people and deliver us – mitzara l’irvacha, from distress to relief, umeafielah leora, from darkness to light, umeshibud lgeulah, from oppression to redemption. The pendulum of Jewish fate swings very swiftly from one extreme to the other. And this entire message is encapsulated so poignantly by the prophet Jeremiah, in chapter 30 verse 7, where he declares ‘v’eit tzazara hie liyakov umimena yivasheah’- this is a time of deep sorrow and distress for the people of Israel but from within the very midst of it they shall be saved.
I wish you all Shabbat Shalom and a Tsom Kal.
