Page 39 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'av 5782 USA

Rabbi Doron Rabbanit Sally Rabbi Binny
Podlashuk Mayer Freedman

ith a body as supple as a tree trunk efore Eicha, I find myself thinking of the y mind wanders to a story I heard years
(I can hardly touch my knees when bitter arguments that tear families and ago. During the summer of 1942, on a
communities apart.
bending!), I only have one thought B train to Treblinka, a father is overheard
in mind during the moment before The Talmud (Gittin 56) relates that telling his young son: “You see? That’s
WEicha: how am I going to get during the Roman siege against Jerusa- Ma tree!” He must have told his child
through this excruciating exercise of sitting lem just before the destruction of the Second stories in the ghetto, but the boy had never
cross-legged on the hard floor? Temple, the zealots wanted to fight to the death actually seen a tree…
Once I finally settle into a semi-comfort- while the Sages wanted to surrender to salvage Such stories tear at your soul. On a train to
able position, I hear the words of Yirmiyahu: what they could. The zealots burned down the Treblinka, crushed into a cattle-car with no food
Eicha yashva badad, “How the city sat alone”. storehouses of grain in the besieged city to force or water, after years in the ghetto, this father still
But instead of feeling morose, my mind wan- a fight, and the city descended into a terrible wanted to teach his son! We Jews always focus on
ders to the daily traffic jam I sit through while famine. When Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asked the future, never losing hope despite the pain.
trying to enter Jerusalem. I daydream about his nephew, Abba Sikkara, leader of the zealots, But then I hear: Eicha? How did it come to
another entrance to the city cutting through a why they wanted to kill the people with famine, this? How could a civilized world allow one-and-
mountain that will open soon and cut my travel Abba Sikara answered that if he publicly disagrees a-half million children to be murdered? How could
time by twenty minutes. And then I feel guilty with the zealots, they will kill him. Together they our world sink to such depths of evil? How could
that I cannot connect to the tragic words of the devised a plan for Rabbi Yochanan to secretly Cossacks literally ride through human beings tied
prophet. As we read the depressing descriptions leave the city to make a deal with Vespasian, to trees in 17th century Ukraine? How could the
of Jerusalem, it becomes harder and harder to get ending the siege and saving the people. Catholic Church burn our ancestors alive at the
into the mood. I just can’t see Jerusalem that way! The zealots were so fanatical that even their stake in 15th century Spain?
Reading Eicha and mourning for Jerusalem leader feared them and couldn’t reason with As the reading continues, I try to put aside
today is not a simple task. I am blessed to work them. This inability to talk with one another, theology and philosophy and focus on that first
in the city, in a kollel where words of Torah are to calmly consider the other’s view and come word: “Eicha?” How can we even begin to com-
heard all day. Seeing its tremendous develop- to a compromise is a malady affecting us today prehend what we have been through? “Ayekah?”,
ment, both spiritual and physical, the destruc- as well. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was some- “Where are You Hashem?” But then I remember
tion of Jerusalem described by Yirmiyahu seems how able to bridge these gaps, by maintaining this question was first asked of humanity, when
far away. Yet with all that we have, we must familial connections even with those with whom G-d said to Adam in the Garden: “Where are you?
remember that the crown jewel is still missing. he bitterly disagreed and working together to Yesterday we were so close, but you have lost your
The Beit HaMikdash, the home of the Shechinah devise a creative solution. way…” I realize I must ask a different question; not
and the center of our national consciousness, Rabbi Yochanan was not only a giant of ‘where was G-d?’ but ‘where was man?’
remains in ruins. I remind myself that although Torah knowledge but also humble and kind,
we have come a long way, we are still lacking always quick to extend a greeting to people
what’s most important. approaching him, whether Jews or gentiles. His
With G-d’s help, next year we will have a Beit humility and respect for all people were the keys
HaMikdash. And then, most importantly, I won’t to his success in bridging the gaps during that
have to sit in this excruciating position ever again! challenging time – and these qualities are the
secret to greater understanding and unity in our
generation as well.
Rabbi Doron Podlashuk is the Director of the
Selwyn & Ros Smith and Family Manhigut Toranit
Program, and the Director of the English Tzurba Rabbanit Sally Mayer is Rosh Midrasha at Ohr Rabbi Binny Freedman is Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat
M'Rabanan Series. Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum. Orayta.

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