Special Features A New Beginning In essence, what we have in the book of D'varim is a new beginning for the People of Israel. Moshe Rabeinu (in last week's sedra) summarized the history of the first generation of nationhood. That generation is gone (with notable exceptions) and beginning in this week's sedra, Moshe is almost starting from scratch withthe new generation. The early history is a vital component of our Jewish Life throughout the generations, but there is definitely a new starting point. The basics of belief in G-d are set down for the people in the form of the Aseret HaDibrot and the first portion of the Sh'ma. A new set of warnings and cautions are presented.At any significant juncture in history (perhaps in every generation), we must be aware of the past, learn from the past, respect the past. But we must have a clear plan for the future, which often means departing from the way things were done previously. After Tish'a b'Av Tish'a b'Av is not like the other fast days, in several ways. One feature that makes it different is that it isn't over when it's over. The fasting is done, but the AVEILUT HACHURBAN continues. Not for a long time, but a noticeable bit. This year, because Tish'a b'Av was a Thursday, some of the Nine Days restrictions endwith the fast (or continue only until Friday morning) and others are lifted only at noon on the 10th of Av. The Nine Days, and Tish'a b'Av itself linger. Psychologically, we are not able to say "goodbye" to Tish'a b'Av with that first welcome sip of orange juice (or whatever you like to break your fast with). Our Sages seemed to have planned very carefully to bring us to a deep level of mourning of the Churban, then simultaneously ease us out but keep us mindful of the continuing reasons to mourn. In the afternoon of Tish'a b'Av, we rise from the ground to sit on normal chairs, we return our "crown of glory" to our heads (bywearing T'filin), the shul came back to normal. The NECHAMA begins even as we continue to fast. Yet, we are not yet finished mourning. The reason that the mourning continues into the tenth of Av is that the Beit HaMikdash burned on the 10th. In fact, it was mostly destroyed on the 10th. The Churban only began on the 9th. But there is another message in the mourning continuing beyond the fasting: Tish'a b'Av will probably be back again. Until the Beit HaMikdashis rebuilt. Until we get our act together and hasten the coming of the Mashiach. There is a delicate balance. The Three Weeks, the Nine Days, the week in which Tish'a b'Av falls, Tish'a b'Av itself, are behind us, in one sense. The Shabbatot of Consolation are upon us. Shabbat Nachamu is coming. But, on the other hand, there are aspects of mourning the Churban that are with us the year round, not just for hours after the fast ends. There is the unpainted, unplastered square at the entrance to many homes. There is the broken glass at a wedding. There are other things as well. But the mourning is counterbalanced in many ways. The mishna says that as Av enters, we diminish our joy. The month of Av is a "bad" month for the Jewish People. But it really isn't that bad. We mourn during the first third of the month. Then, we "rename" the month Menachem Av and we turn full-face towards the bright future. Nachamu Nacahmu Ami ... The Shabbat following Tish'a b'Av is SHABBAT NACHAMU. Sources say that one should be a little more joyous on this Shabbat than the other Shabbatot of the year. It is fitting to plan to make this Shabbat a bit more special, in your own particular way. Perhaps sparkling wine for Kiddush. Or a favorite dish. Or a special dessert.More Z'mirot at the table than usual. Even the other songs in the back of the bencher. Special guests. A pleasant walk on Friday night and/or Shabbat afternoon. Extra Torah learning with the whole family. Use you imagination. Shabbat Nachamu is Shabbat of a new beginning. We get a chance to improve the spiritual and religiousquality oif our Shabbatat, and that is good. One should include interpersonal aspects too. Overly mourning the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash is NOT a CHUMRA, not a praiseworthy strict behavior. It can be construed as a lack of faith in the coming of the Geula. We need to balance the mourning of the Churban with the complete faith in the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. Rememberthe ratio: 3 haftaras of calamity to 7 haftaras of consolation. There's a point here. And after Shabbat Nachamu, comes the midpoint of the month - the 15th. TU B'Av Which brings us to the final mishna in TAANIT. Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel tells us that there were no more joyous festivals in Israel like T"U b'Av and Yom Kippur. Right in the middle of this "tragic" month, the month whose entrance was accompanied by the diminishing of our joy, we have the most joyous of festivals. Ponder the various reasons for T"U b'Av, and see in each one the message of consolation and promise, and therefore, joy. In the aftermath of the "sin of the spies", G-d decreed that the entire adult male population of that generation should die out during 40 years of wandering. Not only was this decree handed down on Tish'a b'Av, but the "sentence" was carried out on Tish'a b'Av each year. Each year, the men of Israel would dig graves andsleep in them. In the morning, Moshe would announce "let the living separate from the dead". Each year, approximately 15,000 men were thus buried; the others living on for at least another year. In the final year of wandering, none of the remaining 15,000 died. Not on Tish'a b'Av eve, nor the next night, nor the next.The people thought they had erred in the calculation of the days of the month, but when the full moon of Av took its place in the sky, all joyously realized that the decree against the remaining men had been rescinded through G-d's Mercy. The 15th of Av was thus marked as a day of joy. Tish'a b'Av commemorates the Sinof the Spies; TU b'Av marks the joy of being alive and having the ability to make amends and "move on". If marks forgivenes, even from very serious sins. There's more... The 15th of Av is the midpoint of the summer season, with Tammuz and half of Av already past and half of Av and the month of Elul yet to come. In the time of the Beit HaMikdash, T"U b'Av was the end of the wood-gathering for the Altar. After this date, the power of the sun diminishes due to the shortening length of theday. Since it is essential that the wood for the fires of the Altar be free of worms and insects, it was feared that after T"U B'Av the wood might not sufficiently dry out to avoid infestation. The completion of the wood-gathering season was an occasion for special Korbanot in the Beit HaMikdash, and TU b'Av was celebratedas a family festival for those involved in this special mitzva. Again, observe - Tish'a b'Av marks the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash; TU b'Av celebrates its existence. More... Following the terrible episode of the "pilegesh from Giv'a", there was a ban placed on marrying into the tribe of Binyamin. This ban was lifted on a T"U b"Av. If the second Temple was destroyed because of SIN'AT CHINAM, gratuitous hatred between Jews, then this aspect of T"U b'Av stands in opposition to Tish'a b'Av.cont. p.18 More... When the daughters of Zelofchad were told that they had to marry within their tribe (so that the property given to them would not switch to another tribe upon their marriage and subsequent death - their sons, who officially belonged to the tribes of their fathers, would inherit their mothers' land), the people mistakenlyconsidered the decree to apply in all cases. As a result, there was little or no inter-tribal marriage. Many years later, a Sanhedrin clarified the issue, explaining that it was only that first generation to whom the Land was apportioned that had the restriction. This clarification resulted in a "reuniting" of all of Israel,and was associated with TU b'Av. More... The mishna tells us that the young maidens of Jerusalem would dress in borrowed white dresses, so as not to embarrass one who had no dresses... and they would dance in the vineyards... (so that eligible young men might choose their brides). This, the two items mentioned above (daughters of Zelofchad and the tribe of Binyamin), and the fact that there have not been weddings during the Three Weeks, combine to make T"U b'Av a special day for Shiduchim and marriages, and a truly joyous day. More... Following the fall of Beitar about 65 years after the destruction of the second Beit HaMikdash, the Romans did not permit the dead bodies of the Jews to be buried, as a punishment for rebelling and resisting Rome. A few years later, a new emperor allowed burial of the bodies. Our sources say that this was on the 15th ofAv. The bodies had not decayed. Sanhedrin at Yavne declared this a miracle and composed the fourth bracha of Birkat HaMazon - HaTov V'ha'Meitiv to thank G-d for His kindnesses, even in the darkest of times. Notice the trend here. Just about every aspect of Tish'a b'Av finds its way into the makeup of TU b'Av, but in a positive way. Today, T"U b'Av is marked by not saying Tachanun, not fasting, and by the popular custom of having weddings on that day. Most importantly, T"U b'Av represents in so many ways the light at the end of the tunnel and the reminder that the Geula is just a step away. T"U b'Av is 44 days before Rosh HaShana. That's two weeks and a month. Trees planted by T"U b'Av are considered to have enough time to take root AND grow during the current year, so that it can be counted for Orlah purposes. It is a common practice of religious grape growers to plant their vines by the 15th of Av. Grapes are usually planted as shoots (or whatever they are called) which will produce fruit within three years. The advantage of planting before T"U b'Av is that what is left of the current year will then be considered year #1 of the three forbidden Orlah years. There is a famous story of Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues who say foxes running through the ruins of the Temple Mount. They cried and he laughed. They asked him why he was laughing, and he asked why they were crying. "Such a holy place that has been so devastated, and we shouldn't cry?", they answered. Rabbi Akiva said: "It is for that reason that I laugh". The standard explanation to Rabbi Akiva's strange statement is that since the prophecy of the desolation has come true, so too will the prophecy of Zachariya HaRav Zefanya Drori of Kiryat Sh'mona explained this Midrash with a twist. Rabbi Akiva was laughing BECAUSE the others were crying. Because there are Jews who mourn the destruction of the Temple and are moved to tears when seeing foxes roam the place of the the Mikdash, then the Geula is already on its way. "He who mourns Jerusalem will be privileged to see its rejoicing (or to rejoice in its rebuilding)". We have witnessed, and continue to witness, the return of many Jews to the Torah way of live, and the return of many Jews to the Land of Israel. May these hallmarks of Geula continue, with G-d's help - and ours - and may we see the Complete Geula speedily in our time. It is our fervent prayer and hope that next year we will have a Tish'a b'Av insert in Torah Tidbits like we've never had before, as well as a whole series of inserts on the Third Beit HaMikdash. [The Vaetchanan Homepage]
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