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Rabbi Reuven Taragin Rabbanit Shani Taragin

ELIYAHU AT THE DOOR…

OF DESTRUCTION

liyahu is generally associated Eliyahu teaches him at the door that our past and cry with Rabbi Yose in
with our doors on the eve of time does not stand still and that Rabbi a state of destitution and despair. But
EPesach as we wait for him to Yose should not live his life focused on Eliyahu HaNavi waits for us by the
herald the Geula. The Shulchan destruction and what was lost. Rather, threshold like on Pesach, teaching
Aruch teaches a mnemonic device he should “pray on the road” – learn- us how to progress from a state of
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(known as a”t ba”sh) through which ing how to move on and relate to G-d destruction to a state of redemption.
to remember special dates of the through tefilla as part of a rebuilding He doesn’t interrupt Rabbi Yose in
year based on the first holiday of the process. Even if passers-by may inter- the churva but waits at the door until
Jewish calendar – Pesach. The first rupt – even if the road is beset with he finishes his prayer. He allows us to
day of Pesach is parallel to the day of numerous distractions and setbacks mourn but reminds us that there is
Tav = Tisha B’Av (i.e. they will always – it is still preferable to pray and prog- a road ahead that leads to rebuilding.
fall out on the same day of the week). ress along a road than staying inside a And in the interim, we have a means
Additionally, ּוהּול ְ כאֹי םי ִ רֹור ְ מּו תֹו ּ צ ַ מ: both ruin. of maintaining a relationship with G-d
days have associations of potential Eliyahu is at the door to encourage and through prayers and Torah learning as
redemption (as Mashiach is born on instruct us to move forward and not a community.
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Tisha B’Av ) and memories of bit- be stunted by destruction. Our tefil-
terness! And so, on Tisha B’Av, like on lot should not be focused on the past Eliyahu assures Rabbi Yose: “When-
Pesach, we hear echoes of Eliyahu by – but as we say three times a day – ever the Jews go into the synagogues
our doors as he is associated with the בּו ׁש ָּ ת םי ִ מ ֲ ח ַ ר ְּ ב ך ְ רי ִ ע םִי ַ ל ָ ׁשּורי ִ ל ְ ו, they express and schoolhouses and respond: ‘May
ָ
coming of the Final Redemption. a trajectory for the future. His great name be blessed!’ the Holy
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One, blessed be He, shakes His head
In fact, in many accounts we find Eli- After teaching Rabbi Yose to beseech and says: Happy is the king who is
yahu by our thresholds – suspended in G-d baderech (on the road), and not thus praised in this house! Woe to the
time and space between worlds – this in a churva, Eliyahu continues to offer father who had to banish his children,
one, and the World to Come; between an alternative, preferable suggestion and woe to the children who had to
inside and out, between parents and – enter as a community into the Beit be banished from the table of their
children. Eliyahu is confronted by Knesset and Beit Midrash! When we father!”
G-d at the door of a cave in Chorev, are in a state of galut, our synagogues And we are confident in the knowl-
appears to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and houses of study are the greatest edge that by the door awaits the
after 12 years at the door of his cave alternatives to the Beit HaMikdash. prophet who will restore the Father
and to Rabbi Yehoshua HaGarsi (Rabbi They demand a greater effort on our to the children and the children to the
Akiva’s devoted attendant) at the door part, because immediate communica- Father!
of his home. Similarly, he confronts tion and revelation are not manifest
Rabbi Yose at the door of a churva – a as in the Mikdash, but echoes of G-d
ruin of Jerusalem – and teaches him, responding to our blessings may still
and us, numerous messages in the be heard. The reality and challenge of 1 Orach Chaim 428:3.
wake of destruction. galut is to recognize what we have lost 2 Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 2:4.
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and what we are lacking while simulta- 3 See Malachi 3:23.
Rabbi Yose is searching for a means to neously working on our current rela- 4 Based on Berachot 3b.
connect with G-d post-churban and tionship with G-d with what we have
enters a destroyed building to pray, in the present. Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational
indicative of his psychological and Director of Mizrachi and the Director of the
emotional state. He can only relate Every Tisha B’Av we re-enter the Mizrachi Matan Lapidot Educators’ Program
to G-d through the ruins of the past! churva as we remember the glory of shani@mizrachi.org

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