Tisha b'Av
Tisha Be'av 5768: "Fire Scars"
Posted by Rabbi Menachem Creditor | Tags: Tisha b'Av
I stood today in a burnt Holy of Holies, staring at the scorched walls reaching toward the sky. I was moved to tears at the ancient loss, standing in island of black. It was a sacred experience beyond time and it will remain with me. The holy "fire scar" I witnessed was not in Jerusalem, but...
Devarim - Erev Tishah Be-Av
Posted by Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld | Tags: Tisha b'Av
(originally published 7/29/01) As we daven here today on the eve of the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, Tishah be-Av, it is important to discuss exactly what is the pedagogical message of this unique day. What are we mourning? Why are we mourning? What did our rabbis hope to accomplish by...
How?
Posted by Jack Kustanowitz | Tags: Tisha b'Av
The book of Eichah, read on Tisha b'Av, starts with the word "Eichah", which repeats over and over. It is a cry of astonishment at reality -- that which we thought impossible came to pass. The Chosen People have been abandoned, the holy city deserted. We are all victims to the line of thinking...
