by Rabbi E. Tauger
Av
A Month Ripe for Renewal
After Napoleon conquered the city of Acre in Northern Israel, he walked through the streets of the ancient seaport. Suddenly, his attention was caught by a group of people wailing bitterly.
Incensed at the thought that perhaps they were mourning because of his conquest, Napoleon sent agents to investigate. His agents returned and told him that it was a group of Jews who were mourning, but although their mourning was prompted by a conquest, it was not Napoleon's victory that they were lamenting. It was the night of Tisha Be'Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. The Jews were mourning the conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple that had taken place more than 1750 years previously.
Napoleon was moved. He exclaimed that any nation whose sense of history is so strong as to remember - and remember to the point of real tears - what took place those many years previously will live to see that history become present again.
Our Sages tell us that whoever does not witness the construction of the Temple should feel as if it was destroyed in his lifetime. But this is not merely a somber message. Quite the contrary, although we commemorate the destruction of the Temple, our concern is forward-oriented. We think about what happened in the past, only to correct the cause for the exile. For when the cause is eradicated, the effect will also cease.
Unwarranted Hatred - Unwarranted Love
Why was the Temple destroyed?
One of the reasons cited by our Sages was unwarranted hatred. This was not only an explanation why G-d withdrew His protective shield from Jerusalem and its inhabitants; it describes the actual events that led to the city's fall. Even during the siege of Jerusalem, while Roman legionnaires surrounded the city, the Jewish people remained fractionalized and divided. The city was torn by ruthless fighting. Without any reason, people were killed and their homes plundered at the whims of violent men. Without purpose or plan, lives and resources were sacrificed to satisfy the impulses of a few men of power.
How can this be corrected? By showing unwarranted love. By reaching out to another person - any other person - and showing him care, consideration, and concern. Do a favor for someone else, not because there is a reason to do so, but because you care for him.
Just as their violence and hatred was impetuous, our acts of love and kindness must also be "rash". Simply put, this means don't spend time thinking of reasons why and whether you should help another person. Use that same time to think about how you can help him. Do good. Don't wait for others to start. Be an initiator, the others will respond. It's impossible that they won't. Some will react sooner; for others, the process will take more time. But ultimately, the heart opens to the heart. There is no human being who can see another person continue to shower good upon him and others without being moved.
Tracking Our Conduct in the Spiritual Realms
This motif will have ramifications in the spiritual realms. The Baal Shem Tov interprets the verse "G-d is your shadow at your right hand," as describing the manner in which G-d relates to us. Just like a shadow moves in the same way as our hands, but magnifies and amplifies that movement; so, too, G-d reacts to us in the same way. The way He relates toward us parallels the initiatives we take toward others
. Reaching out to others and showing kindness and love without consideration of who they are and what they've done evokes a similar response on G-d's part. He radiates kindness to us regardless of our conduct. Like a father who derives great pleasure from his sons coming together, He rejoices when seeing the unity among us and grants us manifold blessings.
A Foretaste of Future Good
The emphasis on love and outreach to our fellow man in this season is not only an attempt to correct the wrongs of the past, it also anticipates the love and unity that will characterize the Era of the Redemption. In that age, "there will be no strife and competition." Instead, the inherent oneness that pervades all existence will be felt consciously. Not only will we know that G-d's unity encompasses every entity that exists, we will feel that unity and it will dominate the way we relate to others and others to us.
At present, glimmers of the Redemption can already be felt. For the innovations in communication and technology have made "one world," a practical, not only a theoretical, construct. In all dimensions of society, from the arts and sciences to commerce and manufacturing, the realization that geographic distance is a technical factor which can be overcome by a few strokes on a keyboard, is pressing our civilization forward. We are witness to tangible manifestation of the concept that separation is only internal. For on a practical level, there has never been such opportunities for communication between people, and yet, precisely in such an environment, many are complaining of a deep and aggravated sense of aloneness, how they feel detached and separate.
There is a need to connect with others, to communicate with them, not merely to speak at them. Today, we are sunk in a sea of information as TV, radio, and the Net saturate us with data. At our workplaces, we are forced to assimilate more details and work at higher speeds than ever before. Under this pressure, people call out to each other: Speak to me, make contact. There is a real need to show others we care, to demonstrate to every person that he or she has inherent value, for within him is a Divine spark and because such Divine sparks are shared by every individual, we are all brothers.
By conducting ourselves in a manner that attests to and reflects these truths, we nudge them closer to revelation. Every entity seeks to express its inner nature. Reaching out with love and kindness inspires and encourages the good and generosity that lie at the core of all others to come to the surface. Such deeds affect the macrocosm as well as the microcosm, bringing closer the Era of the Redemption, when these concepts will be concrete realities, not merely abstract truths.
Telling Tales
The month of Av commemorates the destruction of the Temple. Less than a week later, however, we celebrate the 15th of Av, a day of rejoicing so great that our Sages declared: "Israel never experienced days of rejoicing, as great as the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur." One of the unique dimensions of the 15th of Av is connected with marriages. In that vein, we would like to share a story that relates to both these subjects.
In a small village in Poland, an orphan girl was getting married. The community had borne the expense of the celebration and had tried to insure that nothing was lacking. And yet, at the end of the evening, a tinge of sadness was seen on the bride's face. "Where is the badchan?" she asked timidly. The term badchan means "jester." It was customary in Poland that towards the end of the marriage feast, one of the participants would sing comical rhymes to lift the spirits of the celebrants. Now to perform successfully as a badchan is no easy task and none of the members of the community had that skill. Often local weddings were celebrated without anyone performing in that capacity and the members of the community had not seen why this wedding should be any different. But when the bride herself asked for a badchan, they felt bad. She was an orphan; they had tried so hard to make her feel happy at their wedding. Maybe somehow they could find a badchan. They checked the local inn. Perhaps there was a traveler passing through who could serve in this capacity. To their good fortune, the great Rebbe, R. Naftuli of Ropshitz, had just checked into the inn. He was traveling incognito on a mission to redeem captives in a distant city. When he heard the dilemma of the town's people, he volunteered to help.
Now R. Naftuli was a gifted singer who had a unique sense of humor. Within moments after the beginning of his performance, the expression on the bride's face changed. A first rate badchan was performing at her wedding. The joy of the bride inspired R. Naftali and his performance became more animated. The hour drew late, but no one was keeping track of time, they were too consumed with laughter
. In another corner of Poland, R. Yisrael, the Maggid of Koznitz, arose in the middle of night to recite the lamentations over the destruction of the Temple known as Tikkun Chatzos. Every night, he would recite these laments and the angels of heaven would join him in tearful prayer, imploring G-d to have mercy on His people. But this night, as R. Yisrael began his laments, he noticed that the angels were not joining him. He searched through the spiritual realms to find them. Ultimately, he saw them doubled over with laughter, listening attentively to R. Naftali's witticisms. Yes, lamenting the destruction of the Temple is important, but rejoicing at the marriage of a young couple is of even greater significance.
Torah readings of the month
Parshas Devarim
The Book of Devarim represents Moshe's farewell message to the Jewish people. As they prepared for a transition in leadership - from his guidance to that of Joshua - and a geographic transition - from the desert to Eretz Yisrael - Moshe reviewed the entire Torah for them, summarizing and highlighting its different messages. Similarly, every year, the Book of Devarim marks a time of transition. For it is read during the final months of the year, and concluded during the initial celebrations of the new year to come. It is a time for summing up, for taking stock of where we are, and seeking direction where we are going. And the insights of these Torah readings are uniquely suited to aid in this process, providing us with direction and guidance in this sequence of spiritual change.
Parshas VaEschanan
VaEschanan, the first word of our Torah reading, means "I pleaded." Moses pleaded with G-d, asking Him to allow him to enter the Land of Israel. Why did Moses want to enter the Land of Israel? Did he want to see its sights, or taste its fruits? Our Sages explained that Moses desired to enter the land in order to fulfill the commandments which are associated with our Holy Land. For example, there are tens of mitzvos that concern the crops grown in the Land of Israel that do not apply in the Diaspora. Moses wanted the opportunity to perform these commandments. Why? Moses represented the ultimate of knowledge. He was the greatest of the prophets. He received the Torah from G-d and beheld His presence in a way that no other mortal ever did. Why was such a person concerned with separating a few kernels of grain and giving them to a priest? Because "deed is most essential." Judaism is a religion of deed. It is through fulfilling G-d's commandments in actual deed that we establish our fullest and most complete bond with Him.
Parshas Ekev
This week's Torah reading begins Vihayah ekev tishmayun, "And it shall come to pass after you heed," and continues enumerating generous Divine blessings which the Jews will receive for their observance of the Torah and its mitzvos. Our Sages note that the word ekev also means "heel," and explain that this is a reference to mitzvos which a person "tramples with his heel," i.e., those mitzvos which are not obviously important, but rather are inconspicuously embedded into the fabric of our lives. When a person observes mitzvos that are obviously important, his commitment is not necessarily that internalized. From the outset, he accepts it as a given that he will observe these precepts. As such, his observance is not that involving an undertaking for him. He is doing what he is expected to do. When, however, a person observes mitzvos that can be "trampled with our heels," he shows an extra measure of devotion. By nature, these mitzvos would be ignored; there is no natural tendency pushing him to observe them. Making the additional effort to do so evokes an extra measure of Divine favuor and brings the manifold blessings the Torah mentions.
Parshas Reeh
This week's Torah reading begins: "Today I am setting before you a blessing
and a curse: The blessing that you heed the commandments of G-dŠ and the
curse if you do not heed the commandments." Why did G-d grant man such
a choice? Why did He give man a potential to disobey and ignore His commandments?
Because without such a challenge, of what value would man's Divine service
be? If man was like a robot, naturally and spontaneously doing G-d's will,
could he claim any credit for those efforts? It is precisely when man
lives in a world where G-dliness is not open and apparent, and he has
personal desires which conflict with the Torah's decrees that his choice
to serve G-d is truly virtuous. For man to serve when he has an alternative
requires him to reach to the core of his being, and summon up powerful
spiritual energies. Such service is an achievement, one which brings satisfaction
to both man and G-d.