A Time of Sorrow...Then and Now.............

בס''ד  

This coming Thursday night and Friday, July 19 and 20 is Rosh Chodesh Av and the beginning of the nine days until Tish B’Av, when we have a 25 hour fast.

Tish B’Av, is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar because of the incredible series of tragedies which occurred on that date throughout Jewish History. During this time, both the First and Second Temples were destroyed.

The twelve spies sent by Moshe to observe the Land of Canaan returned from their mission. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, brought a positive report, while the others spoke disparagingly about the land. The report caused the people to cry, panic and despair about the ‘Promise Land.’

For this, they were punished by Hashem that their generation would not enter the land. Because of their lack of faith, Hashem decreed that for all generations this date would become one of crying and misfortune for us, their descendants.

 

Other tragedies that happened on the 9^th of Av: Jews were expelled from Spain on July 31, 1492, 8^th and 9^th Av 5252; August 1, 1914 9^th Av, 5674, World War I broke out, causing unprecedented devastation across Europe and set the stage for World War II and the Holocaust; and on the eve of Tisha B'Av 5702, July 23, 1942, the mass deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, en route to Treblinka.

We are just a few days away before the 9^th of Av and look at what is happening in Israel now……. 

 

Israel’s left wing parties want to see the destruction of all homes in Yehuda and Shomron and Israeli tax paying citizens removed; American Jewish leaders are trying to encourage the government not to annex our holy land of Yehuda and Shomron; Israel is under threat from Iran; terrorists in Gaza launch missiles indiscriminately at residents living in the South; missionaries who want to steal our neshama and convert us are openly missionizing; and if that’s not bad enough.. secularist want Israel to loose its Jewish status it’s heart and soul and want to see civil marriage, conversions without following halacha, and our religious way of life. If this happens G-D forbid…we will really have something to cry about.

 

The day of sorrow,

The ninth of Av.

The blackest day,

We Jews know.

Hashem commanded us to fast

And to give up our comforts.

We read Megilla Eichah

And say Kinot.

Why do we have this terrible day?

Is it because we cried for nothing so long ago?

Hashem said “you want to cry,

I’ll give you something to cry about.”

So many tragedies have struck

The Jewish people on the 9^th of Av.

Many were murdered on the 9^th of Av

In pogroms and the Holocaust

For no other reason than they were Jews.

Moshiach, Moshiach, where are you?

“Come now, come now,” we beg.

For we have suffered though out our history.

We need you

To bring glory to our nation. 

Until next time..please feel free to comment and share.

Miriam