By: Michael Arges
EAST WINDSOR — A day of many disasters for the Jewish people will be remembered on Wednesday evening and Thursday as Jews throughout the world observe Tisha B’Av, a special day of mourning and fasting.
"Tisha B’Av" means the ninth day of the Jewish month Av. On this day in the Jewish calendar, not only were the first and second of the great temples in Jerusalem destroyed (586 B.C.E. and 70 C.E.), but several other major tragedies came to the Jews. The Jews were expelled from Spain on this day in 1492, and the transportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto to Nazi concentration camps began in 1942.
"It’s really the saddest day in Jewish history," commented Beth El Synagogue Rabbi Jay Kornsgold. "It’s the type of day when all of us are considered mourners."
The day is marked by a 25-hour fast, from sundown on Wednesday to an hour after sunset on Thursday. On this day, "just like a mourner who’s mourning for a relative, we’re not allowed to wear leather shoes," he noted, because leather shoes are traditionally considered a luxury. In addition to no eating and no wearing of leather, on Tisha B’Av there is no drinking, no bathing, no anointing, and no sexual relations.
The mood of mourning is simply and solemnly expressed in the evening service of Tisha B’Av.
"When we do the service that evening, if one is able to, we sit on the floor or sit low, like we do when we are in mourning," Rabbi Kornsgold said. "There’s a quick evening service, about 15 minutes, and then we go into Lamentations, when we sit on the floor."
The synagogue lights are dimmed for this service, and the readings are from the Book of Lamentations. The Tisha B’Av service at Beth El will be Wednesday at 8 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. at Congregation Toras Emes.
Congregation Toras Emes will also hold services at 8:15 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, and offer a special program on the destruction of the temple at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, sponsored by the Chosetz Chaim Heritage Center.
Chabad of the Windsors will have its service at 8:30 p.m. (call Rabbi Sholom Leverton at 448-9369 for details).
This day also marks the end of a three week period in which Jews traditionally do not have weddings. By tradition, when both temples were destroyed, the walls of Jerusalem were pierced by enemies three weeks before the Temple destruction. So this three week period of sadness is viewed as a time during which the festivity of a wedding seems inappropriate. Following Tish B’Av there are seven weeks in which the Jews receive consolation for all the bad things that happened to them in the past.
At Sabbath services they read words of consolation from the prophets.The tragedy of Tisha B’Av appears more poignant when seen in light of the Jewish understanding of the transcendent importance of the Jerusalem Temple.
According to Cabalistic and Hassidic teachings, "The Almighty wanted a dwelling place for His presence here in the world built by man. And He wanted us to build a home fitting for Him where His presence will be comfortable and to shine forth and be a light to the entire world," Rabbi Leverton said. That Temple "would be a place where all people would be able to come and re-connect their bonds with Him."
Rabbi Kornsgold believes that Tisha B’Av deserves more attention in the Jewish community than it has received.
"Generally – and I think this is true of all religions – the summer is kind of a down time," he said. He notes, for example, that children may never learn about this holiday, since it comes when schools are out.
And while many Jewish festivals commemorate happy events, Rabbi Kornsgold points out life is not always happy. Tish B’Av helps Jews remember the darker side of human experience.
