Bad things happen to good people
YOSEF ABRAMOWITZ and
RABBI SUSAN SILVERMAN
Jewish Family & Life
The ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, Tisha b'Av, commemorates the destruction of the Temple in ancient times, as well as a whole series of misfortunes that are said to have befallen the Jewish people on the same day over the centuries.
Here's a partial list of the bad things that, according to tradition, have happened to the Jews on this jinxed day:
Destruction of the First Temple, 586 B.C.E.;
Destruction of the Second Temple, 70 C.E.;
Expulsion of the Jews from England, 1290;
Expulsion of the Jews from Spain, 1492;
Outbreak of World War I in 1914.
With a record like that, why would we even want to think about this day?
A major theme of Tisha b'Av is the need to heal internal rifts among fellow Jews. Tradition ascribes the destruction of both Temples not to the obvious overwhelming force of our historical enemies, but to constant internecine feuds. Jerusalem was destroyed, holds this tradition, because the elders of the city did not intervene to save the honor of one of its citizens against the verbal attack of a wealthy leader.
This is a day of mourning and fasting that does not lend itself easily to family activity, especially since it falls during summer vacation. In some sense, the best thing to do is to send the children to a Jewish overnight camp, like those affiliated with Young Judaea or one of the religious movements. At camp the children usually have an outdoor evening ceremony. They read parts of the biblical book of Lamentations, and they conduct organized bunk discussions on contemporary issues that divide us. Before you enroll your child in a camp, ask if the program includes a significant observance of Tisha b'Av.
Adults can attend a synagogue or community commemoration of Tisha b'Av, which will usually include the reading of Lamentations and a study session. In general, however, this is not a holiday for home ritual. Because it is a day of mourning, it is customary not to conduct business on this day nor to take long trips.
Being in Jerusalem on this day and visiting the Western Wall is a moving experience. In the evening, tens of thousands of mourners fill the plaza before the kotel (the remains of the Western Wall of the ancient Temple), many of them sitting on Yemenite prayer rugs, wailing and praying.
This article is reprinted with permission from "Jewish Family & Life: Traditions, Holidays, and Values for Today's Parents and Children" by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman (Golden, 1997).
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