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6. Rav Kook adds that Torat Eretz Yisrael justification for the destruction: for G-d is is Tisha B’Av – and that his ability to appear
includes not only the study of Gemara, yashar and G-d could not tolerate tsaddikim depends on each and every one of us.
but also returning to learn Tanach, like these… Rather, [G-d prefers] people who
Jewish thought, Mussar, Chassidut, act in a way that is yashar even in worldly
Hebrew, Israeli geography, military, matters, not those who act crookedly even Eicha Today: Heightening
agricultural and national mitzvot, and for the sake of Heaven; this causes the Grief and Initiating Hope
analyzing redemption. destruction of creation and the annihilation Sarah Medved and Esty Rollhaus
of the world’s population.
While Megillat Eicha may have served as
Accepting Others When we are unable to disagree agreeably; a powerful cathartic avenue for Yirmiyahu
Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander when we are unable to engage with others and his contemporaries, does this cathartic
whose customs differ from ours, think experience still resonate with us today?
The Netziv, Rav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, differently or desire different outcomes in How ought we to relate to this text, as
explains in his introduction to Bereishit that life, we add to the destruction. Jews generations removed from the
the difficult atmosphere which prevailed at overwhelming emotional experiences of
the time of the Second Temple’s destruction I served as community rabbi of Boca firsthand observers? The mere fact that we
was due to the lack of tolerance and piety Raton, Florida, which in 14 years grew still read Eicha, that we recall and mourn
amongst religious leaders and those engaged from 60 to 600 families. I saw with my a destruction that occurred so long ago,
in Torah study: own eyes how Jews who were distanced
came closer to Judaism precisely because indicates an aspect of our unique national
We may explain that during the Second we did not disparage them and were not character. In “Out of The Whirlwind,” Rav
Temple, there were tzaddikim and chasidim, condescending toward the streams of Soloveitchik describes the distinction
as well as those who toiled in the words Judaism with which they had been affiliated. between aveilut chadashah, mourning for a
of Torah; however, they were not yesharim Derogatory discourse distances people, recent, personal loss, and aveilut yeshanah,
[literally: straight] in their dealings with even if the depths of their hearts are thirsty national mourning “due to a historic disaster
others. for a spiritual encounter with G-d. that took place 1,900 years ago. This category
is the handiwork of man…The aveilut is a
Due to the baseless hatred in their hearts It is not a coincidence that the trop, the result of recollection of events. Judaism here
towards each other, they suspected that cantillations, of the Book of Lamentations introduced a strange kind of memory, a very
those who disagreed with them on religious and the Book of Esther are remarkably unique and singular memory.”
matters were Sadducees or heretics. This similar. What separates these two scrolls are
brought them to bloodshed under false not the Masoretic musical notes, but rather This type of memory, he argues, is based
pretenses and many other evils until the tone in which they are voiced. This is a on Judaism’s belief in a unitive time
the Temple was destroyed. This is the keen reminder that the Mashiach’s birthday consciousness. We do not acknowledge the
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