Page 36 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'Av AUS 2021

TISHA B’AV READING

Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel

When the

Shechina Departs

he secrets hidden in Yechezkel’s of a crumbling home. The breaching of they have not yet descended. Another says
ma’aseh merkava (Yechezkel 10) are the walls of the city signifies the chink in the likeness of a hand came from Heaven
a mystery, but at the level of pshat protection, the disintegration of the cham- and took the keys from him (Yerushalmi
Tthey express a simple and terrible bers that used to be safe and distinct from Shekalim 17b).
reality. The Shechina ‘gathers itself’ from the world. 16 years ago, during the disengagement
its dwelling in the Beit HaMikdash, crosses from Gush Katif, many women and girls
the threshold and leaves the house, fills gathered in the synagogue in Neve Deka-
the courtyard, and then leaves through lim. Someone approached Moriah, the offi-
the gateway, climbs on a chariot and flies cer in charge, and handed her a beautiful
away. It is a description of the Makom (G-d) wedding ring found on site. Efforts to find
leaving its makom (place), leaving behind The breaching of the walls of the owner proved in vain.
an empty house. the city signifies the chink in
protection, the disintegration of In the years that followed, Moriah contin-
The introduction to Midrash Eicha Rabbah ually tried to return the ring. Last year,
reveals the inner story: When the Shechina the chambers that used to be she decided that social networking might
was leaving the Beit HaMikdash, It cuddled safe and distinct from the world. have created a new opportunity to find the
and kissed the walls of the Mikdash over owner. She posted on Facebook describing
and over again, crying and saying: “Woe! The Midrash compares the breaking of the how, in the midst of the destruction, she
Goodbye to my Mikdash, goodbye to my tablets and the burning of the Torah to found this wedding ring, and how, close to
royal house, goodbye to my dear home of tearing up the betrothal and marriage Tisha B’Av, 16 years later, she is still looking
splendor.” contracts. The abolition of the tamid daily for its owner.
offering symbolizes the end of daily family
Leaving the house seems inevitable. It has routines. (And what do we end up miss- I shared that post in a Zoom shiur I gave
lost its right to exist and will be destroyed. ing but the smallness of everyday life, the that day. The wedding ring left behind
But the departing lover tearfully caresses sound of rejoicing or quarrel, the routine of in the ruins of the houses reminded me
and kisses every stone along the way – life itself?) And placing an idol in the Sanc- of the Temple keys thrown by the priests
sobbing, longing, yearning, from the very tuary is the final nail in the coffin of trust at the time of the destruction. Then, in
moment of separation.
and loyalty. The physical ruin completes the middle of the shiur, someone excit-
As happens in disintegration processes, the spiritual destruction of this home. edly announced, “They found the owner!
the internal collapse precedes the exter- At its core, this is the loss of having a home Moriah just posted it!”
nal one. This Mikdash would still stand for in this world, a place of belonging, shelter, It felt like a shot of encouragement. A hint
many years after Yechezkel’s prophecy, but familiarity. A place in the world we could of impending redemption.
in emptiness.
call our own. The exile of the Divine from The keys to the Sanctuary had been
Similarly, of the second Mikdash it is said its home heralds the exile of the people, thrown back...
(Yoma 39) that the doors of the heartbro- setting them on a long and arduous jour-
ken Mikdash terrify themselves and open ney of suffering, yearning and longing.
again and again as if, suicidally, beckoning When the king of Yehuda heard that
the invading enemy to enter. Eventually, Nevuchadnezzar was coming, he took the
the destroyer will be told from heaven: keys of the Beit HaMikdash, ascended to the
“You burned a Sanctuary that was already roof of the Sanctuary and said: “Master of
burned, you ground flour that was already the Universe, in the past we were faithful
ground” (Sanhedrin 96b).
to You and Your keys were handed over
The mishnayot (Ta’anit, chapter 4), which to us. Now that we are not faithful, Your
discuss the reasons for the fasts commem- keys are handed over to You.” One tradition Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel teaches
orating the destruction, describe the story says he threw the keys up to Heaven and Torah at midrashot in Israel.

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