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Dear Shooby Doobers,
THE 17th OF TAMMUZ – which happened on Sunday, July 20 – is
the start of a very sad time for the Jewish people. It ends three weeks
later with Tisha B'Av
(9th of Av), which for those over Bar and Bat Mitzva is a 24 hour fast. On Tisha B'av,
not only the first, but also the second Beit Hamikdash
(temple) in Yerushalayim was destroyed. A lot of other very terrible things
happened to the Jewish people on this day.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING - I always say -Mitzva Gedola
Lihyot Besimcha.. (it's a big mitzva
to be happy) so... Why do we force
ourselves to be 'not so happy' over this time? Now that's a good
question! We learn in the Mishna 'mishenichnas Av mema'et besimcha (when the
month of Av comes, we should decrease our joy)
OUR SAGES AND RABBIS were much wiser than us when they made Tisha B'Av a fast day and asked us to be 'not so happy' for these the days leading up to it. Our Holy Sages wanted us to remember and mourn some very important things and to talk about these things at this time every year.
FIRSTLY, they wanted us to remember what it was like to have the Beit Hamikdash - to be able to bring the Korbanot (sacrifices) and to see H-shem's miracles close-up every day. Without Tisha B'Av, we could forget that we ever had something as unbelievable as the Beit Hamikdash and that we once had a King and a united Jewish people living in Eretz Yisrael , that we had Holy Kohanim, that there were Levi'im who sang and played instruments, and that we witnessed daily miracles.
SECONDLY, our Sages also want us to remember what brought about the destruction of the Batei Mikdash. We learn that the Jewish people weren't treating each other well at the time the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed. They treated each with Sin'at Chinam - hatred for no reason. People didn't treat each other with respect and love. The mitzva of ve'ahavta lerei'acha kamocha wasn't kept properly and we didn't deserve the Beit Hamikdash or to witness such miracles and have such closeness to H-shem.
DURING THE 3 WEEKS, it is important to try and act especially nice to our friends and family. You can do this in many different ways:
- Help your mother set the table for dinner
- Ask your father if he needs help taking out the trash
- Pick up after your little brothers and sisters so your parents don’t have to
- Listen to your camp counselors or teachers so they don’t have to scream
- Share your toys with your friends
- Help a friend or a campmate if they’re having a bad day
- Call up your Bubbe or Zaide to say hi and tell them that you love them
DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR FAMILY AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE:
-What other ways can you think of to be particularly nice during this time of year?
-Do you think that these are things you should be doing all year?
-Can you try to continue these things even after Tisha B’Av is over?
TISHA B'AV REMINDS US that we can and will have all of this again with the building of the 3rd Beit Hamikdash in Yerushalayim and the coming of Mashiach Bimheira Beyameinu (soon and in our days) - AMEN!
You are a miracle. You matter. You make a difference. H-shem loves you.
All my love,
Shooby
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