Page 14 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'Av AUS 2021

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Chief Rabbi David Lau

Everything That Was

Destroyed Can Be Built

From these events, we came to know the
power of the individual. From the destruc-
tion, we learned how the hatred of one
simple man – and the controversy he
managed to stir up against another Jew –
managed to cause such immense damage.
But, as Rabbi Nachman says, if you believe
destruction is possible, believe rectifica-
tion is possible too.
Every person has the power to destroy, but
also, equally, the power to build.
On Tisha B’Av, we remember the moments
of sorrow and pain that have befallen our
people through the ages. The kinnot give
expression to Jewish calamities, from the
t the Peel Commission of 1936, our people have gone through throughout destruction of the Temples, through the
then Chairman of the Jewish history. The basis of the Jewish holidays
Agency, David Ben-Gurion, is built upon this concept, so that Jewish Crusades, the suffering of the Martyrs in
Aaddressed the crowd with the tradition can be passed on, from father to Spain, the pogroms to the destruction of
European Jewry during World War II. This
following statement: “About 300 years ago, son, from mother to daughter and for all day is unique in that it belongs to all of us,
a ship named ‘Mayflower’ sailed into the future generations, because the essence to each and every one of our people. This
new world. It was a great event in the his- of Judaism is ך ְנ ִב ְל ָּת ְדַּג ִה ְו, and you shall tell
ָ
tory of England and America, but I would your son. fast does not belong to specific rabbis or
personalities, because every member of
like to know if there is one Englishman
who knows exactly when this ship set sail According to tradition, it was on Tisha the Jewish people can and should mark
this historic national day, the day the Beit
and how many Americans know when. Do B’Av that the spies who toured the Land
they know how many people were on the returned to Moshe and to Am Yisrael who HaMikdash was destroyed, the day our
people went into exile.
same ship, and what was the nature of the were awaiting their report in the desert.
bread they ate when they left?” The spies managed to incite the people I pray and hope that just as the Temple
“And yet,” Ben-Gurion added, “More than against Moshe and against the Land. was destroyed by the sinat chinam of ordi-
3,300 years before the Mayflower voyage, Against them stood one man, Calev ben nary Jews, so will it be rebuilt soon, with
the Jews left Egypt, and every Jew in the Yefuneh (who was later joined by Yehoshua the help of G-d, through the ahavat chinam
world knows exactly what day they went bin Nun), who shouted loudly: ה ֶל ֲע ַנ הל ָע, of ordinary Jews in our generation, each
ֹ
out – on the 15th of Nissan. And everyone “Let us go up and inherit it!” One man according to his or her power and abili-
knows exactly what bread the Jews ate – against an entire nation, trying to bring ties in prayer, good deeds, preservation of
matzah. To this day, Jews all over the world the nation to its rightful place, ת ּ ַד ְמ ֶח ץ ֶר ֶא Jewish tradition and strengthening of faith
eat matzah on the 15th of Nissan – in Amer- תֹוב ָא, the Land of the Forefathers, which and healthy, vibrant Judaism.
ica, Russia and other countries, and tell would become the inheritance of their
the story of the Exodus and the troubles children.
that befell the Jews from the Exodus until
today.” This fast also marks the destruction of
the Temple, the holiest place in Judaism.
There is no other nation in the world
that embodies, marks, recalls and is tor- The destruction of the Second Temple was
mented by the events which occurred caused by sinat chinam, baseless hatred;
to them thousands of years ago. But the because of a simple quarrel between two
Jews have been reminding and remember- Jews, one of whom hurt his friend in
ing for thousands of years – not just the public. It was this hatred that caused the
Temple which was destroyed on this day, great fire that eventually led to the destruc- Rabbi David Lau is the Ashkenazi Chief
Tisha B’Av, but all the significant events tion of the Temple. Rabbi of Israel.

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