Epigraph: And We revealed to the children of Israel in the Book, saying, ‘You will surely do mischief in the land twice, and you will surely become excessively overbearing.’ So when the time for the first of the two warnings came, We sent against you some servants of Ours possessed of great might in war, and they penetrated the innermost parts of your houses, and it was a warning that was bound to be carried out. (Al Quran 17:5-6)
The Temple as seen in the Holyland Model of Jerusalem, a 21,520 sq. ft., 1:50 scale-model of the city of Jerusalem in the late Second Temple Period
Source: The Huffington Post
By Rabbi Claudia Kreiman: Associate Rabbi, Temple Beth Zion
This week we observe the saddest day on the Jewish calendar: Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. It is a national day of mourning, when Jews throughout the world focus their attention on the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem (first by the Babylonians, in 586 BCE, and then again by the Romans, in 70 CE) and the beginning of the long and tumultuous exile that followed.
Tisha B’Av is the culmination of a period of three weeks of mourning, which begins on the 17th day of Tammuz, the day the Roman army breached the walls surrounding Jerusalem in 69 CE. During this extended mourning period, many traditional Jews express their grief by refraining from public celebrations, live music and various other acts deemed as festive or luxurious. The mourning practices intensify with the onset of the month of Av.
According to Jewish tradition, the ninth of Av is not only the date of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, but also the anniversary of several other national tragedies throughout our history. This attribution is less about historical accuracy and more about collective memory. By marking all of these tragedies on one day, our ancestors created a powerful framework in which to address the subject of suffering, particularly communal suffering.
Interestingly, the shift in mood after the conclusion of the “Three Weeks” (and the “Nine Days”) is as dramatic as the mourning period that precedes it. The Shabbat following Tisha b’Av is called Shabbat Nahamu, the “Sabbath of Consolation,” which takes its name from the words of the prophet Isaiah we read in synagogue this coming Saturday morning:
Comfort, oh comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and declare to her that her term of service is over, that her iniquity is expiated; for she has received at the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.(Isaiah 40: 1-2)
The prophet continues to speak words of comfort to the people regarding the revelation of God’s mercy at the time of redemption. In so doing, he draws on the imagery of a shepherd caring for his flock:
Like a shepherd God pastures God’s flock, gathering the lamb in God’s arms, carrying them in God’s bosom, gently driving the mother sheep.(Isaiah 40: 11)
The Muslim Times’ Editor’s comment
People of the Holy Prophet Muhammad have certain resemblances with the people of Moses, may peace be on both. This concept is conveyed to us by the Holy Prophet Muhammad himself in Hadith. As the Jews grieve it is time for the Muslims to also ponder, where have they gone wrong?
Categories: Judaism