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TORAT MIZRACHI MIZRACHI SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE

Sivan Rahav Meir and Yedidya Meir

Four Thoughts

for Tisha B’Av

I used to think that “Sinat Chinam” was There are many other fascinating reasons our incomplete reality, and reminds us there
the only reason for the Churban, and which describe a society that has lost its is still work to do.
only used in the context of Tisha B’Av. faith, its respect for its identity and the
1Of course, it’s certainly a significant ability to care for others physically and
reason, but I sometimes felt it led me to spiritually. The Midrash personifies Yerusha-
empty cliches on achdut and achdut alone. I layim in a poignant statement the
also found that people often used the term I was a little embarrassed that I hadn’t city makes to Bavel after she sees
“Sinat Chinam” when it was convenient for known of these lessons from the Churban. 3Bavel rejoicing and reveling in her
them. Maybe today we should be addressing these destruction: “If Heaven had not already
issues too? waged war against me, could you have
Over the past few years, I discovered that done so? If Heaven had not already sent fire
Chazal recorded many other very clear rea- against me, could you have done so?” After
sons for the Churban. When we think of the Churban as the these questions, Yerushalayim tells Bavel, “A
destruction of a building, we mistak- dead lion you have killed, ground flour you
It’s not exactly politically correct, and per- enly define the tragedy. It was not have ground, a burnt city you have burnt,
haps not oft quoted, but this is what’s writ- 2just bricks and mortar that were a destroyed Temple you have destroyed.”
ten in Masechet Shabbat:
destroyed. It was a different reality. This is an incredible statement.
ֹ
ת ַאי ִר ְק ּול ְּ טי ִּ ב ֶ ׁש לי ִב ְ ׁש ִּ ב א ָּ ל ֶא םִי ַל ָ ׁשּור ְי ה ָב ְר ָח אל Nowadays, we are educated to believe
.תי ִב ְר ַע ְו תי ִר ֲח ַ ׁש ע ַמ ְ ׁש Bavel has just plucked the ripe fruit, easily
what we once knew and felt. It’s difficult conquering. Bavel hasn’t killed, burnt or
“Yerushalayim was destroyed only because to explain in words the lack of something destroyed.
its citizens intentionally omitted recitation we never experienced. A spiritual center to
of Shema morning and evening.” which all our hearts were connected. Yerushalayim was already destroyed, crum-
bled from within.
ֹ
י ֵדי ִמ ְל ַּ ת ּ ה ָּ ב ּוּזי ִּ ב ֶ ׁש לי ִב ְ ׁש ִּ ב א ָּ ל ֶא םִי ַל ָ ׁשּורְי ה ָב ְר ָח אל We have to exert ourselves to experience
.םי ִמ ָכ ֲח kedusha for even a moment, when once, The Mikdash was not externally destroyed
Yerushalayim was the epicenter of constant until we destroyed it internally.
“Yerushalayim was destroyed only because holiness for every person. Imagine people in The city was not externally burned until
they disparaged the Torah scholars in it.”
a make-believe world who think marriage we burned it from within. From then until
תֹוקֹוני ִּ ת ּ ה ָּ ב ּול ְּ טי ִּ ב ֶ ׁש לי ִב ְ ׁש ִּ ב א ָּ ל ֶא םִי ַל ָ ׁשּורְי ה ָב ְר ָח אל means sending a weekly text message and today, our enemies simply exploit our own
ֹ
.ן ָּ ב ַר תי ֵּ ב ל ֶ ׁש speaking on the phone once a month. They vulnerabilities.
don’t realize there are much deeper and
“Yerushalayim was destroyed only because more meaningful levels of communication. If we lack faith or motivation, if we are
schoolchildren there were interrupted from They simply don’t know they can strive for divided, if we forget our identity and tra-
studying Torah.” dition, if we become addicted to extrem-
so much more. We’re crawling in first gear ist struggles instead of dealing with the
ה ֶז ּוחי ִכֹוה א ּ ֶ ׁש לי ִב ְ ׁש ִּ ב א ָּ ל ֶא םִי ַל ָ ׁשּור ְי ה ָב ְר ָח אל when we should be flying! essence, with what is important – we are
ֹ
ֹל
.ה ֶז ת ֶא the burners and destroyers.
Av is a reminder for us to dream, to strive
“Yerushalayim was destroyed only because higher than our routine reality. It’s like the In Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s
the people did not rebuke one another.” broken glass at a wedding, which symbolizes famous “spider web speech,” he outlines

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