Liberal Judaism - Written Word - Thought for the Week

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The Book of Deuteronomy (D'varim) is a series of speeches by Moses to the Israelites, before his death and their entry into the Land of Israel. This portion contains two reviews of history: the first focusses on the years of wandering around Sinai and the concern that the present generation would remain worthy to enter and conquer the Land; and the second focusses on the final two years with an emphasis on the people's fate being tied to the will of God.

"...[God] has watched over your wanderings through this great wilderness (Deut 2:8). "

This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Chazon because it is the Sabbath which precedes the memorial day of Tisha B’Av – the 9th day of the month of Av. Tisha B’Av is the day on which many tragedies are remembered, in particular the destruction of the first and second temple – though the destruction did not necessarily happen exactly on the ninth. According to the development of the myth surrounding the day it is also said that the expulsion from Spain happened on the 9th of Av (1492) and the order for the expulsion of Jews from England occurred too – in 1290. Early reformers in Judaism rejected any observance of Tisha B’Av but in more recent times it is seen as an opportunity not to think about a rebuilding of the Temple but to remember tragedies that have occurred in history.

The Haftarah reading this Shabbat contains a prophecy from Isaiah against Jerusalem and there is an allusion to the traditional reading on Tisha B’Av (Lamentations) in the words of Isaiah 1:21, “Alas…” Lamentations also begins with this word, “Alas…”

How should one feel today as Jew approaching Tisha b'Av. How many have been the times that our people have been warned about complacency when they have felt comfortable in their surroundings. Perhaps now, more than ever, Jews have more freedom than at any time in the past and I am finding it difficult to conjure up too much of an 'alas,' for my own people. There seems to be so many other peoples to really worry about in the world.

I then read the Jewish Chronicle and any other Jewish media and see blazoned that anti-semitic incidents are rising at a dramatic rate here and across Europe. In Eastern Europe, nationalism that has as a foundation stone hate of Jews, gains ground with every election. Of course there is more.

So I find myself in a quandary and ironically find meaning in the megillah for Tisha b'Av, Lamentations:

‘This I call to mind, therefore I have hope. Surely love, O God, never ceases; surely Your mercies are unendind. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. You, Eternal One, are my portion, says my soul; therefore I will hope in You. Let us search and examine our wys and return to God. Help us to return to You, O God; then we shall return. Renew our days as in the past’.

May this Tisha b'Av help us to be realistic about our situation: thankful for our freedom and thoughtful about our situation and the freedoms still lacked by people because of who they are.

Parashat D'varim (Deutoronomy: 1:1 - 3:22)

by Rabbi Aaron Goldstein