Day 9 of Av (the date on the Jewish calendar, which falls this year on July 30) is the most mourning day for every Jew. On Av, the Jerusalem temple was destroyed, and a daily fast was established in memory of this event. Since in the Jewish tradition, the day comes in the evening, fasting covers the full day of Av 9 – with sunset on Wednesday evening and until the first three night stars emerge on Thursday. During this time, it is forbidden to drink, eat, wash, anoint the body, wear leather shoes, and marital intimacy is not allowed. There is also a custom in the evening and in the morning to sit on the floor or on low chairs.
9 Ava read the Kinot – “laments” for the destruction of shrines, the scroll of Eikh, holy texts that directly tell about the events of the destruction of the Temple, about human sorrow and repentance (for example, the book of Job), the prophecies of the prophets.
The 9 Av fast ends a special three-week period called “between the gorges”, which begins with the 17 day fast of Tamuz, established in memory of the damage to the city wall of Jerusalem. At this time, customs are observed that emphasize the mourning nature of days – this is a whole process that, through a series of physical limitations, reminds us of the colossal spiritual loss that befell the people almost 2 thousand years ago.
The destruction of the Temple is not just the destruction of some grandiose structure that demonstrated the power and unity of the Jewish people. This is the destruction of the spiritual center that unites the entire Jewish people. After all, only in the Temple is it possible to fulfill the most important commandments and serve Gd in a certain way. With the end of the temple service, it would be logical for the disappearance of Judaism and the gradual dissolution of Jewish culture, the assimilation of the people. But Judaism, having undergone the strongest transformations, has remained to this day a living religion, and the Jews have preserved their unity in the Torah and the commandments.
Shortly before the events of the destruction of the second Temple, the greatest sage Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, pretending to be dead, accompanied by his two disciples, was able to leave the surrounded Jerusalem. Appearing before the Roman emperor Vespasian, he asked him for permission to settle with his disciples in the small town of Yavne. The emperor satisfied a seemingly insignificant request, but it was from this moment that a completely new history of Judaism began, the center of which was the house of doctrine, the whole way of life – serving the Most High, every house of a righteous person – a small temple.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai did not so much find a solution to the problem of his time as he created the conditions for the future development of Judaism for many generations to come. After the news of the destruction of the Temple, the sages faced a serious question: how can you preserve your spiritual mission, not being able to follow many of the direct instructions of the Almighty? And Rabbi Yochanan proposed an approach that, at first glance, is revolutionary, but in fact based on the Divine revelations of the prophets. The sages focused not on what they had lost, but on what remained of the Jewish people, looking into the future.
This is exactly the way Gd pointed out: “For I want mercy, and not sacrifice, and Gd more than burnt offerings.” Now, when the people were deprived of the opportunity to prove their loyalty to the Almighty by sacrifices, they had to strengthen their education, increase the number of good deeds. To the question of Rabbi Yeshua: how are we going to atone for sins now without offering sin-atoning sacrifices, Rabbi Yochanan replied that we can do this by showing our mercy towards our neighbor.
In conclusion, it is necessary to explain one important detail so that there is no false impression that the Temple is only one of the historical stages in the development of the spiritual and cultural life of the Jewish people. Today, as always, the Temple remains of the highest importance for the Jew – from the moment of its destruction we have not forgotten about it for a day. In our daily prayer we remember the order of the service, pray towards the Temple and even at the most joyful moment, on the wedding day, remember its destruction, breaking a glass at the end of the ceremony. For almost 2 thousand years, our religious life has been associated with unquenchable sorrow. But this is not a sorrow of despair over an irreparable loss. It is a sorrow that inspires moral improvement, reminding us daily that spiritual work is not yet complete. This means that we have a duty to improve every day, so that one day, by the will of the Almighty, it becomes possible to build the Temple and establish harmony and justice in the world.
The author is the head of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia
The editorial position may not coincide with the opinion of the author
READ ALSO