Page 38 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'Av AUS 2021

TISHA B’AV READING

Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy

Transitioning

Beyond Covid

any Jewish life-cycle events, community is mirrored as we move from a If the physical community of Jewish ritual
festivals and customs encom- time of tragedy to a new chapter in history. is important, we must consider how crucial
pass a transition between one this aspect is to our people when Covid-19
Mstage and another. After a Channeling the halachic tradition, it is finally passes. Are there any areas in which
important to define a time for us to pause
wedding, we continue the celebration with and consider which habits formed during we should, in the words of Eicha, “renew
the week of sheva brachot and continue this this time are important to us as individuals our days as of old?”
special energy throughout the first year of and communities, consciously adopting Usually, maintaining old habits is easier
marriage, the shana rishona.
those we would like to keep and those we than creating new ones, but in this case,
would not. perhaps the roles are reversed. Some have
become more lax with regard to going to
Many questions have been
raised. Working often required synagogue or shiurim and this needs to
a commute and more face-to- be rethought. It may not be a challenge
face interactions, but now we to hold onto some new habits that have
know this is not always neces- been developed over the course of the
sary, and we may forgo human last year or so, but it will be a challenge
engagement in some ways. Is to make sure we leave room for the right
this okay? Similarly, is it appro- long-standing ones that have shaped us as
priate to adapt to more online activity individuals and societies.
in an effort to save money and time? So as we transition out of the communal
Even on a basic level, will fewer people mourning of Tisha B’Av through Shabbat
tread outside their homes for groceries Nachamu, it is important that we take
when they can order virtually at the the time to focus on developing an exit
click of a button? There will be inevita- strategy into a hopeful future. For once
ble good coming out of this, yet at the in our lives, our focus does not need to be
same time, we are at risk of some new on forming new habits alone but rather
habits replacing our crucial in-person on rediscovering and reclaiming the time-
interactions. This is true universally, tested old ones.
and it will have a unique impact on our
particular communities as well.
From the ancient Beit HaMikdash in
After the passing of a loved one, family Yerushalayim to the synagogue, from the
members enter different phases of Diaspora to Israel, Jewish ritual through-
mourning, starting immediately with the out the ages, while evolving, has always
pre-burial aninut stage, then the week of relied on a physical sense of community.
shiva, then one month since the passing With the adaptability learned through
(shloshim), up until the first anniversary or the pandemic, so many Jews around the
yahrzeit. These stages enable us to take the world have managed to retain elements of
time to process our emotions properly and this sense of community even from afar,
transition forward in a steady and struc- such as learning Torah through Zoom or
tured way. praying in a smaller minyan with neigh-
bors at a safe distance. At the same time,
The Shabbat following Tisha B’Av, Shab-
bat Nachamu, is another example of this, many have faced terrible realities such as
not being able to attend in-person events;
when we move beyond the three weeks of Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy is the Co-Founder
mourning culminating in Tisha B’Av, the for example, I was forced to deliver my of Israel Impact Partners, optimiz-
grandmother’s eulogy online and others
saddest day in the Jewish calendar. ing non-profits on behalf of leading
have experienced countless Shabbat ser- philanthropists.
As the world slowly and unevenly emerges vices and meals alone. This is far from the
from Covid-19, this transition for us face-to-face interactions upon which our A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
as individuals, nations and the Jewish tradition thrives. mizrachi.org/speakers

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