By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel
CHULA VISTA, California — Philosopher George Santayana is perhaps best known for saying, “He who forgets the past, is condemned to repeat it.” This attitude finds profound expression in much of the rabbinic literature regarding the period of time that is better known as, “The Three Weeks,” which culminates with the holiday of Tisha B’Av—the Ninth of Av.
During the Three Weeks, we reflect upon the events that led to the loss of Jewish independence. This coming Monday evening, we will be remembering how the death of nearly two million Jews marked the largest number of Jews killed (according to Josephus) prior to the Holocaust. As Jews, memory is never something that is passive; it must be active, dynamic, and—hopefully—transforming.
Unlike most Jewish holidays, Tisha B’Av recalls the time when the Babylonians destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem in the year 586 B.C.E. Jewish tradition also teaches that the Second Temple was also destroyed on this day, but this time it was by the Romans in the year 70 C.E.
THE QUESTION
Thus far, I probably did not tell you anything you probably did not already know. However, anyone familiar with the biblical chronology of the Temple’s destruction will see an obvious problem with this rabbinic tradition. Historically, the Tanakh teaches us that the Temple was really destroyed on the 10th of Av (cf. Jer. 52:12-14).
You are probably asking yourselves, “Wait a minute! Something’s wrong with this picture. Jews do not fast on the 10th of Av, but on the 9th of Av!”
Ok, we can now ask the most important Jewish question of the day: Why did the Sages designate the 9th of Av as the fast day commemorating the Temple’s destruction? One reason suggested is that the Babylonians originally torched the Temple on the 9th; and from this perspective, the beginning of a tragedy is believed to be greater than its ending. However, this explanation seems to fall short of the mark for according to 2 Kings 25:8-10 plainly states the destruction began on the 7th of Av and ended on the 10th!
To understand the Bible, you must learn to read in between the lines; this same principle applies no less to reading rabbinic texts as well.
I suspect the symbolism has more what to do with the Jewish attitude of hope, for the number nine corresponds to the period of pregnancy; our Sages thus teach that the Messiah was born on the 9th of Av! This would indicate that the seeds of renewal and hope lay in the ashes of the past; despair must not have the final word. The theme of redemption in Jewish history reminds us that each of us plays a pivotal role in the healing of the world that must begin first with healing our own wounded spirit.
A SHORT TALMUDIC LESSON
A famous Talmudic story illustrates my point quite nicely.
About 25 years after the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, four rabbis had a most remarkable discussion when they visited Rome. As Rabban Gamaliel, R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah, R. Joshua and R. Akiba were walking on the road, they heard the noisy crowds that had just arrived from the Italian port city of Puteoli . . . The Sages began to weep, but R. Akiba was buoyant.
Shocked by their colleague’s demeanor, they asked him, “Akiba, why are you so happy?” Akiba answered the rabbinic question the same way all rabbis answer a question—with another question! Akiba retorted, “Why are you weeping?” They replied, “Look at these good for nothing pagans, who worship graven images and burn incense to their deities. Why should they be entitled to live in safety and ease? Our Temple, the ‘Footstool’ of our God, has been destroyed by fire—how can we not weep?!”
Akiba’s answer reflected an optimistic attitude the Sages did not consider. He replied, “That is precisely why I am merry! Look, if this is the fare of those who offend God, how much better will the fare be of those who truly worship their Maker!” Had the Rabbis seen the Vandals’ sack of Rome in 455, they probably would have felt vindicated.
Scene Two:
As the Sages eventually made their way back to Jerusalem, they soon arrived at Mount Scopus where they saw a fox emerging from the place that used to be the Holy of Holies. Once again, the Sages began to weep, while Rabbi Akiba looked happy.
They asked him, “Why are you so happy?” He replied, “Why are you so sad?” The Sages replied that the sacred place that proscribed death to anyone else who was the High Priest had now become a haunt for foxes, “How can we not weep at the sight of this tragedy?” But Akiba replied that there were two prophetic predictions about the destruction of Jerusalem.
Simply put, as far as Akiba was concerned, the prophecy of gloom and doom pertained to the destruction of the first Temple and the Second Temple, but Akiba believed that there would come a future time when the streets of Jerusalem would once again be inhabited by the sound of music and young people. Listen to the prophecy of Zechariah:
- Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women, each with staff in hand because of old age, shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in her streets. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the LORD of hosts? Thus says the LORD of hosts: Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun. I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong, you who in these days hear these words spoken by the prophets on the day when the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid for the building of the temple (Zech. 4-9).
In other words, rather than focusing on the destruction of the past, it is far better to believe that God will someday rebuild the fallen city of Jerusalem and restore it to her former glory. When the Sages heard Akiba’s comforting words, they replied, “Akiba, you have truly comforted us! Akiba, you have truly comforted us!”
BACK TO THE FUTURE
Whenever I read this Talmudic passage, I think about how we—in our generation—have been so privileged to see Jerusalem restored to her former glory in our time. Yet, I find it also so appalling—even disturbing—that the Jewish communities of the Diaspora have yet to recognize this great miracle that God has allowed us to see and witness before a cynical and anti-Semitic world.
When Obama, Biden, and Hillary dared to call East Jerusalem, an “occupied territory,” the Obama administration made an error that no previous presidential leader had ever made before. As Jews, we need to take note of this historical change in American foreign policy.
Think about it . . .
Dear friends, if the area of East Jerusalem is not considered “Jewish,” then none of Israel is “Jewish” either. Rabbinic tradition teaches us that the Temple was destroyed because Jews failed to stand together as a community against Rome. The United States should not be standing side by side with Hamas, it should be standing side by side with Israel.
Let us use this time to show our support for the Jewish State—especially now in a time of great adversity.
Hillel once said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” This period of Jewish history must be remembered as a time when the Jewish people learned from the mistakes of the past.
We can become a united people—despite our religious or political differences. It begins with a choice and a positive attitude. Let us do our part, and pray that God will give us the strength to survive against our multitude of enemies.
*
Rabbi Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista. He may be contacted at michael.samuel@sdjwishworld.com