THE THREE WEEKS IN A NUTSHELL

All these events were national calamities that significantly impacted the Jewish people. Some were more symbolic (e.g., the idol in the Temple, and the burning of a sefer Torah) and some were tragic events that caused a catastrophic shift in Jewish history (e.g., the story of the twelve spies, or the destruction of the Temples). It is tempting to describe each event as a negative destructive force in Jewish history, and this is certainly how these were all experienced at the time. However, Jews believe in God’s involvement in history, and have faith in a divine plan, and with the hindsight of thousands of years of Jewish history we can see that these events led us to the point we are at today.

These laws are connected to the laws of mourning, designed to focus our thoughts and feelings towards our national sadness for what has been lost. They take our focus away from our individual concerns and joy, allowing us to focus on the bigger themes of national mourning.

Both these days are deeply serious, and both encourage introspection. However, there are also significant differences between the two days. Yom Kippur is not a sad day, but rather one of prayer and personal reflection and growth. Tisha B’Av is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, when we consider tragic events that have befallen the Jewish people. The prohibitions of these days are designed to help with the process of introspection and reflection by taking our focus away from our personal needs and desires (e.g., our appearance and physical needs), allowing us to focus on spiritual and national needs and growth.

THE THREE WEEKS FOR OUR TIME

One can become obsessed with the past and the injustices that have occurred to our people. This can lead to a victim mentality, or to thoughts of revenge. Too much grief can be paralysing and prevent us from moving forward and fully living life. These are not healthy emotions or a positive outlook on life.

But on the other hand, remembering the past is vital to understanding national identity. Rabbi Sacks draws a distinction between memory and history. History happened long ago to someone else. Memory is my story. It’s about where I come from and who I am. Remembering our national collective past connects us to previous generations and is critical to understanding who we are and what we hope our future to be.

The Holocaust survivors Rabbi Sacks met in his life taught him how experiences of tragedy and trauma can be used for healing. The survivors ensured that we remember their story by sharing their memories with young people, not for the sake of revenge, but to teach tolerance and the value of life, to build a life for our people and for the world in which they hope to live.

TISHA B’AV FOR OUR TIME

Although the biblical prophets prophesied doom, they also predicted a future of hope, because they had faith that God would keep His promises and never abandon His people. So while they believed in a shared vision of destruction and catastrophe, they also reminded the people of a brighter future, and the idea that, if we keep faith with God, this future can be achieved.

Jewish history is one of terrible trauma, enough to justify any nation giving up all hope. But the Jewish people never ceased to hope and dream of a brighter future, as promised by God through the prophets. They never gave up hope of returning to their land and rebuilding their nation there. The Jewish story is an inspiration to millions.

While we live in a generation that has been privileged to return to our land and rebuild there, the story is not complete. We are still fighting for our existence in Israel, and we have still not fulfilled our national destiny. The lessons of Tisha B’Av are as relevant today as they ever were, if not more so.

IT ONCE HAPPENED ON TISHA B’AV…

The unnecessary hatred between two Jews, and perhaps more importantly the leadership of the time who turned a blind eye to it, led to this tragic, destructive end. Jewish society as described in the story of Bar Kamtza was not a society of unity. The people were unkind and acted with hatred. We often use this story to learn about sinat Ḥinam (baseless hatred) and the Rabbis tell us that this was the underlying reason why we were punished with exile, and why the Temple was destroyed.

The antidote to sinat Ḥinam is ahavat Ḥinam (unconditional love) and if and when we achieve this as a nation, and spread this message to the world, we will be able usher in the Messianic Era, which will in turn bring a rebuilt Third Temple.

The message of this story is the impressive emotional connection that these (and all) Jews had to their history, so much so that they mourned the 1,700th anniversary of the destruction of their Temple as if it had just happened. A nation that remembers its past as if it were recent history, experiences its national pain, and continues to yearn for a brighter future will one day achieve that future. Our takeaway from this is the importance of reliving and experiencing our past, learning the lessons from it, and never giving up hope in our future.