Dear Friend,
This Sunday is the fast of Tisha b’Av (the ninth of Av), the day we mourn the destruction of the first and second Temples that stood in Jerusalem.
The Talmud relates that the great Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues visited the Temple Mount shortly after the Temple was destroyed. When they arrived, a fox was seen walking on what had been the holiest area within the Temple. Seeing this painful sight the rabbis began to cry. Except Rabbi Akiva. He began to laugh.
Taken aback, the others questioned the cause of Rabbi Akiva’s happiness. In response he gave the following explanation: “In the writings of the prophets we read of two prophecies – one of destruction, and another of the ultimate redemption. As I stand here and witness the fulfillment of the first prediction, I am confident that the second will also come to pass.”
This Talmudic story teaches that there are two critical components to the healing process. On the one hand we can and should cry, grieve, and mourn. On the other hand, Rabbi Akiva taught that we possess the ability to move on, let go and look forward with hope, strength and optimism.
After we grieve we leave the world of sorrow and move into the world of action, doing whatever possible to create a better tomorrow. Rabbi Akiva’s laughter was not a naive view of the destruction; he too felt the pain. Rather it was a declaration of faith, resilience, and hope, a declaration of confidence in a better future.
Every Tisha b’Av we mourn for the long exile and our history of oppression and persecution. (Click here to visit our Tisha B’Av site) But the very next day, the period of mourning comes to an end and we focus on the future, with hope and belief that soon Tisha b’Av will be transformed into a day of happiness; with the final redemption – may we experience it speedily in our days!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Mendy Paltiel
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