Page 18 - HaMizrachi#11_2019_Tisha_B'Av_USA_Neat

E Introduction: The Cossacks,
icha
the Chickens and the Messiah

The traveler’s sobbing was so intense that it
awoke Berel the innkeeper. His wife was very
nervous. “Why is our guest crying so bitterly
C ompanion in the middle of the night?” she asked.
“Something must have happened!”

Berel entered the guestroom to find a simple
Jew, dressed like a peasant, shoeless, sitting
5779 on the floor, crying bitter tears over the Jewish
exile from Israel. [This man was really a
pious chassidic master, traveling “incognito”
to learn of the situation of the world. Every
midnight (besides Shabbat and festivals) he
would arise to bemoan the destruction of our
Holy Temples.]

FEATURING “Why are you crying?” asked Berel. “What
disaster has befallen you?”
SHORT THOUGHTS The rabbi replied simply, “I cry over our
FROM Temple’s destruction, and I beseech the

Almighty to bring the Messiah who will return
Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander us to the Holy Land.”

Berel was relieved, “Is that it?! Then please
Rabbi Ari Chwat keep your wailing down so that you don’t
disturb the other guests!” With that Berel
Eve Harow returned to his bedroom and informed his
wife of the cause of the disturbance.
Rabbi Zev Leff Five minutes later there was a knock on the
rabbi’s door. It was Berel again. “My wife
Sarah Medved would like to know if the Messiah comes and
brings us back to the Land of Israel, will we be
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis allowed to take our chickens with us?”

The rabbi was taken aback by the question.
Esty Rollhaus “Chickens? As far as I am aware, it doesn’t
say anything about chickens. You might have
Rabbi Reuven Taragin to leave your chickens here when the Messiah
comes.”
Rabbanit Shani Taragin Berel duly informed his wife.

Dr. Yael Ziegler Five minutes later, another knock. Berel: “My
wife asks you to please not pray anymore for
the Messiah to come. We are doing fine here
and would prefer to stay with our chickens.”

At that the rabbi became agitated, “What
do you mean ‘fine’? Don’t you know how
precarious our exile is? At any moment the
Cossacks could arrive and take your chickens,

18 | Eicha Companion