Just two weeks ago, Jews around the world commemorated Tisha B’Av, our time of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples. It is a day of fasting and contemplation, similar in manner to the way we approach Yom Kippur. Our tradition understands that Yom Kippur is a day of personal introspection, whereas Tisha B’Av is a time for communal introspection. Tisha B’Av itself culminates a three-week period that begins on the 17th day of Tammuz. Our rabbis call these three dark weeks in which no music is heard and no weddings allowed as “Bein HaMetzarim”- between the straits. A time of constraint, a time of darkness. We Jews are now in a lengthy period of “Bein Hametzarim”, in far too long time of constraint and darkness.
On our dark day of Tisha B’Av over 100,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a march known as the March for Humanity that the Jewish News and many leaders in our community called a march for inhumanity. Those leaders were reflecting the feelings of many in the community, while at the same time other Jews were joining the march, walking for peace and justice. How are we to make sense of all the different opinions and messages we are getting now, especially when so many of us live in our silos, only hearing messages from and having conversations with like-minded people?
As a rabbi, my first inclination is always to turn to the wisdom of our ancestors – those who wrote the Bible during First Temple times and just after its destruction, and the sages who consolidated the traditions of Judaism in the Talmud and other texts and rituals developed after the destruction of the Second. We should understand that by calling the three dark weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av “the period of constraint”, our ancients implied that before and especially after there must be a something different – a time of expanse, of light.
Indeed, if we reflect on the Jewish calendar, in the months leading to Tammuz we celebrate two of our greatest festivals. Pesach, our time of national liberation when we became free, free to serve that life force we call God; Shavuot, where we receive the Torah, its mitzvot and halakhot that flow from and guide our commitment to doing that which is right in life. (Of course, knowing what is right at any given time, especially one as complex and challenging as ours, can be quiet confronting and conflicting.).
This time after Tisha B’Av marks the approach to Rosh Hashanah. Through our scriptural readings our tradition frames it as seven weeks of consolation and healing. Following the destruction of the Second Temple, the early sages fixed that on the seven Shabbatot between Tisha B’Av and Rosh HaShanah we read a different and inspiring teaching of consolation from the prophet Isaiah. Following the destruction of the First Temple, Isaiah promised the coming of restoration, with recurring images of light and re-creation (including a reference to our being a light to the nations).
This week’s haftarah concludes, “Truly, God has comforted Zion, made her wilderness like the Garden of Eden, her deserts like the garden of God. Gladness and joy shall dwell there, thanksgiving and the sound of music.” (Isaiah 51:3). Thriving gardens are biodiverse. Exquisite music has many notes that come together to create the melodies and harmonies. Light is made up of infinite spectrums that come together as one. God itself, the one that includes the all. Isaiah encourages us to be inclusive, embrace diversity.
Many things can be true at once. The plight of our hostages. The death and devastation in Gaza. Our concern for our brothers and sisters, our families and friends, living in Israel – and our concern for humanity. At the same time, we can recognise that there has been a march for humanity and yearn for everyone to acknowledge our humanity. We should strive for multi-perspectival thinking and feeling, moving beyond stricture to inclusion, beyond “make wrong” to “pursue right”. From narrow to broad-mindedness, as we sing in the Psalms of Hallel: “min ha metzar karati yah, aneni b’merchav yah – from the narrow straights I call to God, God will answer me from its expanse.” For thousands of years in times of constraint and narrowness we have with our faith reached beyond. We reach toward the expanse of God, the breadth of life. Let us approach this coming New Year with the faith of Judaism, the light for our life’s path.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Jeffrey B. Kamins OAM
Re: March for Humanity.
The truly painful part is that the organizers of the “March for Humanity” have not, if they were genuinely committed to their cause, extended an invitation to Jewish organizations—so that together, they could walk for peace.
Thanks Jeffrey, for your plea for tolerance of the other’s opinion. At least that’s how I understand your drash. It would also be a plea for strength as intolerance is born out of weakness. I hope your voice is heart and understood. After all how can we have peace if we don’t tolerate the other’s opinion.
For me the situation in Israel is so strikingly injust. I wonder how one can justify with good conscience the thousands of innocent victims (collateral damage!!) It has become an aggression in the name of selfdefence. So there is little I find appealing in the political agenda of Germany’s new chancellor. But I do agree with his decision to stop the sale of weapons to Israel. Everything has to be done to stop that senseless war with victims on all sides, especially the ones who are misused when the government claims their aim was liberating the hostages. There is so much more that’s on my mind. Thank you very much again for your so clear words. I wish you all the best. Gerd
Challenging, confronting. And ‘Amidah’ your drash helps me keep finding my Jewish feet, keep finding my Jewish path. In my case, a journey, with the destination out of sight, but I’m only a man! And yes the narrative of Avraham’s two sons a reminder, that with the unspeakable happening, are our fates intertwined?