Not Mourning Tisha'a B'Av- Parshat Devarim/ Chazon 5779/ 2019

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

August 9^th 2019 -Volume 9 Issue 44 8^th of Av 5779

Parshat Devarim/ Chazon

Not Mourning Tisha B’Av

 

I have a problem with distorted history. You know how we always like to look back and think about the alteh heim. How great it was. How holy everyone was. How much better it was in simpler times. It may be great to build up the previous generations and give our children something to aspire to become and achieve. But let’s get real. Life was bad. Life was always pretty bad for the Jews. We talk about “golden ages” in our history, but anyone that reads a bit of history will realize that we haven’t gone a century or two without incredible persecution, anti-semitism and expulsion. As well we haven’t gone a century or two without Jews forgetting all of the terrible things that continuously happened to us mere decades before and deluding themselves into thinking “but now it’s different”. Now we have learned. The “world” will never allow it. We are more civilized, we are advanced, they are our friends. They need us. We are too influential. We have lobbies. Uh huh…As King Solomon and all the prophets teach us “same old –same old…”

I admit, I’m no different. It’s hard to wrap my brain around the concept that normal, nice, seemingly moral people, civilized nations, and regular Moms and Pops could become so hate-filled, so rabid, so evil as to do the things that were done to my nation. I read the stories. I guide in Yad Vashem. I have given classes on Jewish history and I have even shed tears as I read about all the different eras when we have been killed, massacred and been taken like sheep to the slaughter. It is an essential part of our prayers. When we recite tachanun each morning we beseech the almighty

“Habeit Mishamayim U’ri’ey- look down from heaven and see that we have become an object of scorn and derision amongst the nations; we are regarded as sheep to the slaughter, to be killed, destroyed, beaten and humiliated”

“We are exhausted but allowed no rest”

“Why should the nations say ‘Where is there God now?’”

“Listen to our voice and be gracious-do not cast us off into the hand of our enemies to blot out our name”

Do these words have meaning to me living in my nice, comfortable, home in Karmiel and with the most powerful, dedicated and holiest army in the Middle East watching my back. Does is it have any semblance of relevance to you living behind your picket fences and manicured lawns with your kosher restaurants, shtibels, synagogues and behind the wheel of your well air-conditioned, blue-toothed stereo new or leased car. Did it mean anything to the Jews of Germany, of Spain, of the Communist revolution, France, England, Babylonia, Morocco, Yemen, Syria and Africa. Or were they feeling just as comfortable as we do. Were they as excited as I am when there’s a new groom, or a bris in shul on Monday and Thursday and we don’t have to recite tachanun. When we don’t have to recite those words above that seem foreign to us.

This Shabbat is the 9^th day of Av, we will eat, we will drink, we will sing songs. In the words of our sages one can have a feast like King Solomon in his times. But it’s Tisha B’Av? But our temples were destroyed? What about all of the tragedies? Shabbos there is no aveilus. There is no mourning. It’s like not reciting tachanun when we have a festive guest. On Shabbos we are afforded a taste of Olam Haba- the World to Come. On Shabbos we are halfway there to having our Beit Hamikdash back. Shabbos is the one day that I realize what life could be like when I am basking in the divine presence. There are no phone calls, no work worries, no obligations that take me away from connecting to my soul’s deepest desire to unite with my Creator, with my people, with my family, with the entire world in a song about Creation.

It is on Shabbos that I appreciate how much I am missing out on life during the weekday. During the week, I have to run out of davening, I have no time to learn, I am wiped after the day and have no patience for my family, my wife. I can’t think about the rest of the world because I am too busy taking care of everything that needs to be taken care of.  The messages I have to respond to, the responsibilities that consume us. Yet when those candles are lit an aura of tranquility rests on the world. I am uplifted. I close my eyes and sing Lecha Dodi and I for the first time truly long for a day that is always Shabbos. I long for the Mikdash. I come close to Hashem and want Him always with me from my table that is set like King Solomon’s; Shlomo HaMelech who built that first temple. I don’t need to sit on the floor and cry on Shabbos, I don’t want the Divine presence returned because I have it so bad. I want it because I have a small taste of how good it is and I want that ta’am- that flavor forever. I want the whole world to have it.

On Shabbos as well I connect to all of our history and ancestors. They may have not Shabbos clocks to turn on their lights, Air conditioners in their synagogues or crockpots for their chulent, but their Shabbos experience was not much different than mine. The Jews in even the worst conditions had that one day of tranquility. It started in Egypt when Moshe got us Shabbos off, recognizing that it was the key to us appreciating what redemption could be like. Jews in Babylonia, in Russia, in Spain even in the concentration camp testify that even if they were forced to do who knows what, Shabbos still brought with it some medium of hope of faith and yes even of respite. When I pray on Shabbos, when I look out at my Shabbos table, I think of the thousands of years that my people have “sung the song of Shabbos” to the world. And I think of a yom shekulo shabbos- a day and era that is all Shabbos. And I long for it.

Our Temples destruction, our exile from our land and all of the pain and tribulation our people have endured is because we have lost that feeling of the unity of the world that takes place on Shabbos. The lack of appreciation of the land of Israel that led to us to cry and wander in the wilderness upon hearing the report of the spies- that is mentioned in this week’s Torah portion of Devarim by Moshe in his final rebuke to our people, is a result of not appreciating how Eretz Yisrael is essential to achieving the Shabbos of the world. We can’t really have it without being here. The world won’t be One until we light those candles here. The idolatry, murder and abandonment of Hashem and the Torah which led to the destruction of the first Temple again resonates with the break of the nation with our Creator. We had Eretz Yisrael but we failed to connect it to Hashem. We didn’t have those songs of glory that bring that peace and harmony between Hashem and His people.

It has been 2000 years of Exile that we are suffering from. Yes, suffer even in times of tranquility. We suffer even though we may not feel, even though we may not even be persecuted. We suffer because there is no era of Shabbos in the world. We are plagued with sinat chinam, which although in the times of the Temple may have meant murder and Jews killing each other in civil wars, and thank God we have moved beyond that. But we have not yet heralded in an era of love harmony and peace that only the return of the shechina can bring.; That we can taste on Shabbos, when we are hearts and souls are open to one another and to the entire world. We are lacking an era when

(aleinu prayer) “Kol bnei basar yickri’u vishmecha-when all humanity will call out in your name, to turn the earth’s wicked to you…On that day Hashem will be one and His name will be one.”

It is a time when every Jew appreciates the essential role each of us has. When we can see the beauty in each other. When we can look at the entire world and realize that they all have a part of Creation. Each being is in the image of our Creator and we will see it as the whole world is sitting at a Shabbos table, just as my children sit around my Shabbos table and I see their beauty and blessing. That is what we don’t have. That is what we need to long and pray for on a Shabbos that is Tisha B’Av.

My brother sent me a beautiful little prayer from Rabbi Asher Weiss and I couldn’t not include it.

“May we have a litvishe head, a chasidishe heart, the honest and integrity of a yekke, the temimus and purity of a Hungarian (and their cooking- my addition) the honor of Torah and its scholars of a Sefardi and the love of Eretz Yisrael of a Religious Zionist”

The perfect Jew though is not one that has all of these. But one that is able to reveal the beauty of each of us and the Hashem in each of us. Let’s all have a Shabbos meal together. If we did perhaps we would then merit it together in Yerushalayim rebuilt with our Temple and our Father at the head of the table.

Have a precious Shabbos and a comforting Rosh Chodesh Av Tov,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

**********************************************************

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Zi veynt mit tsibele-trern”- She's crying onion tears

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/al-eileh-acapella  – My latest composition Al Eileh Ani Bochiya- Sung Acapella by the incredible Dovid Lowy! Listen and be inspired… and Like and share…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqqg5Hk2UHs- -The spirit lives on powerful inspirational Tisha B’aV story from Aish

https://www.alephbeta.org/playlist/king-chizkiah-the-almost-messiah    – Fascinating shiur from Rabbi Fohrman On Tisha B’Av and the Messiah that almost was… long but worth watching before or on Tisha B’av

https://youtu.be/quPe8PUjY4o    – incredible thousands of NCSY’ers by Kotel singing on Tisha B’Av… you can’t not be moved…

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q  A site of wind turbines for the production of electricity is found in:
A) Gilboa
B) Jerusalem Mountains
C) Tabor
D) Hermon

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS” CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Devarim– It never fails to inspire me when I see how a lamdan turns something I would’ve thought to be obvious on its head and it turns out that it is exactly the opposite of whatI had thought. Chazal tells us the Daas Torah is the opposite of the Daas Baal Habayis- that the Torah view is generally the opposite of the laymans view. The Lamdan is the guy that can usually point that out to you.

In this weeks Torah portion we have the mitzva that Moshe gave the Judges of

Lo Saguru Mi’pnei Ish- They should not fear in front of a man, for the judgement is Hashem’s.

Meaning, as the Chinuch who explains the mitzvos, tells us

“ The judge is forbidden to be intimidated by a man from giving a true ruling. Even if the man is ruffian, a brazen, thick headed person, he should not pay any attention to what damage may come to him personally from ruling justly. As the sifri says Lest one fear that this person will kill  me or my family or will burn down my cros or uproot my plantings. He should not fear him.

The minchas Chinuch on the spot says that this law would apply to non-Jews as well as they have the responsibility to set up courts and their courts should have the same level of repute as Jewish courts do.

So this is a powerful mitzva. And seemingly what the Chinuch says about this applying to non-Jewish courts makes sense. But the Klei Chemda takes issue with this. He asks the basic question. Where else do we find such a mitzva, where one is obligated to endanger his house his family his property just to give a verdict. If I see a lost object, I’m not obligated to endanger myself or even my own property to return it. Even to save another life one does not have to endanger one’s life to save him. So why over by issuing a just verdict is one obligated to go to such extreme lengths to give his ruling.

He suggests that even if the judge himself wanted to pay off the wronged party instead of giving his ruling in order to avoid the whole mess, he would be prohibited to do so. For he would be still in violation of being fearful of giving his judgement. He answers that the Torah specifically tells us that the reason for this law is that the judgement is not his. It is Hashem’s judgement that he is revealing. This is not a law between one man and his fellow. This is bein adam la’Makom, between Man and G-d.  Hashem wishes that His law and His justice be proclaimed to the world. Therefore, he is obligated to do everything he can, to fulfill this Divine Mitzva.

If that is the case, he points out, then this is a mitzva that is only applicable to Jews. Non-Jewish courts are there to create a peaceful just society. Their courts are for civil reasons not spiritual ones. Therefore, if they would be in danger of losing their lives they would not be obligated to do so for the fulfillment of this law.

Pretty amazing and insightful. It is also revealing what our courts and justice systems are meant to be. We are told the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because of the corruption of the courts and the leaders. This was not mere civil violations, this was the withholding of Hashem’s presence from the world. May we merit to rectify this and once again fill the world with Shechina.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Osniel Ben Kenaz the first Judge 1245 BC – It’s funny how this column works out sometimes. This week I’m writing about the first Shofet Osniel ben Kenaz and in fact this Sunday on Tisha B’av is in fact one of the three days a year that Jews are allowed to visit his grave in Area A in Chevron. The Talmud tells us that when Moshe Rabbeinu died 3000 Halachos were forgotten and Osniel restored the Torah to its proper path. He was the half-brother by mother to Calev Ben Yefuneh and it was he that conquered the city of Kiryat Sefer/Devir- (which should not be confused with the current Kiryat Sefer/ Modi’in Illit named after the contracting company that built the first homes there uninspiring as that is). The biblical city of Devir or Kiryat Sefer is actually south of Chevron about 3 KM from the yishuv named… Othniel, after our Shofet!

As reward to answering Calev’s call to conquer the city he merited to marry his niece Calev’s daughter Achsa. An interesting name no doubt- especially since ichsa means yuck in Hebrew and she was known to be beautiful. Our sages tell us her name comes from the root word ca’as which means anger as everyone was angry with their own wives for not being as pretty as Ichsa…. Don’t ask me? I’m just quoting chazal!

Anyways it seems this Achsa was not happy with her portion as it was a field and it would be a lot of work to take care of for her husband who really just wanted to learn and teach. So her father gave her upper and lower springs along with the field. See it never hurts to ask!

Othniel as well defended the Jewish people from an attack by Kushan Rishatayim (Chazal tell us it was Bila’am or Lavan again… don’t ask me I’m just quoting) and freed us from his reign after 8 years of being enslaved by this King of Aram Naharyim which is North Syria/ Turkey/ Iraq area.

Fascinatingly enough we are told that Othniel’s main students were in fact the descendants of Yisro; The Kenni. Being converts they did not have a portion in the land and Othniel gave them the city of Yericho, the city of dates. Fascinatingly enough it seems according to Chazal they were like Bedouins who still live in that area. These Bedouin /converts would go to learn by Othniel and merited to become scholars and scribes in the Jewish world. They left their rich date palms from Yericho and headed down to Arad where Othniel lived and sat by his feet and studied.  

Othniel judged the people forty years. He defended those that were weaker than him and restored the Torah to our people. He was the perfect first judge after Yehoshua.

NO JOKES THIS WEEK IT’S TISHA B’AV

 Shame on you for looking!)

Due to the many requests here is a posting for the unique laws of Tisha'a B'Av which falls out on Shabbos and is postponed to Sunday. Everyone should feel free to ask their own local Rabbi for guidance this is just the general orthodox Ashkenazic tradition for observances of the day of the destruction of the Temple. Of course the primary obligation is remember the destruction and mourn its loss.

When Tisha B'Av falls on Shabbat or Sunday

by Rabbi Elozor Barclay and Rabbi Yitzchok Jaeger

Special laws that apply when the Tisha B'Av observance begins on Saturday night.

Note: The following laws are based on Ashkenazi tradition, and some points are subject to varying opinion. When in doubt, AYLOR (ask your local Orthodox rabbi)

1. What are the main changes when Tisha B'Av falls on Shabbat or Sunday?

When Tisha B'Av falls on Shabbat, the main changes are:

The fast is postponed until Sunday. 

Marital relations are forbidden on Friday night. 

Washing any part of the body with hot water for pleasure is forbidden on Shabbat. 

There is no special Seuda Hamafseket before the fast. 

Some of the laws of Tisha B'Av begin only at nightfall on Saturday night, instead of at sunset. 

Havdalah is postponed until Sunday night. 

2. May a woman immerse in a mikveh on Friday night that is Tisha B'Av? Yes. In this case, marital relations are permitted.

4. Are there any changes to the prayers in this situation? Tzidkas'cha is not said at Mincha. Pirkei Avot is not said at Mincha.

5. May one hold a public kiddush on this Shabbat? If the kiddush can be held on a different Shabbat, it is preferable to defer it. If the kiddush cannot be held on a different Shabbat -- e.g. for an aufruff (groom prior to his wedding), it is permitted.

6. May one eat meat and drink wine at the Shabbat meals? Yes. This is permitted even at Seuda Shlishit.

7. May one invite guests to the Shabbat meals? Yes. However, one should not invite guests for Seuda Shlishit unless he does so regularly.

8. May one sing zemirot at the Shabbat meals? Yes. This is permitted even at Seuda Shlishit.

9. May one go for a stroll on this Shabbat? When the ninth of Av is Shabbat, one may not go for a stroll at any time of the day.

10. May one visit family or friends? No.

11. May one learn Torah on this Shabbat? Before halachic midday, it is permitted to learn Torah. After halachic midday, many opinions permit learning Torah. If a person can limit himself to the topics that are permitted on Tisha B'Av, it is praiseworthy. It is permitted to read the weekly parsha and its translation all day.

12. May one take pills on Shabbat to alleviate the pains of fasting? It is permitted to take them on Shabbat until sunset only if they are mixed with a food or drink. One should preferably prepare the mixture before Shabbat. One may take them without water even on Saturday night, unless they are pleasant tasting.

14. Are there any changes to Seuda Shlishit? Although any food may be served, including meat and wine, and zemirot may be sung, the mood should be somewhat subdued. A person should not say that he is eating in order to have strength to fast, but he may think this. One must stop eating and drinking before sunset, since the fast begins at this time. People should be reminded about this, as it is unlike a regular Shabbat.

15. Must one say Grace After Meals before sunset? It is permitted to say the Grace after sunset, but one should try to wash mayim acharonim (after waters) before sunset, if possible.

16. May one say Grace After Meals with a 3-man zimun? Yes (unlike when the eve of Tisha B'Av falls on a regular weekday, where one should not make a zimun).

17. May one eat or drink after Seuda Shlishit? If one said Grace After Meals before sunset, one may eat or drink until sunset. It is not necessary to have this in mind when saying Grace After Meals.

18. Which prohibitions of Tisha B'Av commence at sunset? All the prohibitions except wearing shoes and sitting on a chair commence at sunset. These two activities are permitted until nightfall.

19. When should one change one's shoes and Shabbat clothes? There are two customs:

Some go to shul before nightfall and begin Ma'ariv at the usual time of Saturday night. The chazzan should say "baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol," remove his shoes, and then say "barchu." The congregation should respond to "barchu" and then remove their shoes. Care must be taken not to touch one's shoes when removing them. The Shabbat clothes are not removed until one returns home after Ma'ariv. This is the prevalent custom in the Diaspora.

Some shuls delay the commencement of Ma'ariv, allowing people to remain at home until nightfall. At the time of nightfall, everyone should say the phrase "baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lechol," remove his shoes, and change into weekday clothes before Ma'ariv. This is the prevalent custom in Israel.

20. According to the first custom, may one bring Tisha B'Av footwear to shul before Ma'ariv?  

Even if there is an eiruv this is forbidden, since one may not prepare on Shabbat for after Shabbat. It is also forbidden to change one's shoes before going to shul, since this is disgracing the Shabbat. It is therefore advisable to leave suitable footwear in shul before Shabbat to wear after Shabbat.

21. Is the blessing recited over the spices? No. It is forbidden to smell spices, since a person must refrain from such a pleasure on Tisha B'Av.

22. Is the blessing recited over a Havdalah candle? Yes. According to one custom, it is recited in shul before the reading of Lamentations. According to another custom, it is recited at home before Ma'ariv, if there is time. According to some opinions, the blessing should be recited over two regular candles and not over a braided Havdalah candle.

23. May one wash the Shabbat dishes on Saturday night? No. They may not be washed until Tisha B'Av afternoon.

24. Should a person who is not fasting recite Havdalah before eating? Yes. However, if he only needs to drink water throughout the fast, he should not recite Havdalah.

25. Should such a person recite Havdalah immediately after Shabbat or wait until he needs to eat? He should wait until he needs to eat.

26. Which sections of Havdalah are recited? The introductory verses and the blessing over spices should be omitted. The blessing over a candle should be omitted if he already recited or heard it at the termination of Shabbat, or if he is reciting Havdalah during the day.

27. Should Havdalah be recited over wine, grape juice, or another drink? According to most opinions, beer is the most preferred drink.  

If this is not possible, some opinions prefer the use of a drink that has national importance. (A rabbi should be consulted to ascertain which drinks qualify for this purpose.) Other opinions question the use of such drinks, and prefer the use of grape juice. If nothing else is available, wine may be used.

28. If wine or grape juice is used, should the cup be given to a child to drink? If a child above the age of six is available, the cup should be given to him. If not, the person who recites Havdalah should drink the cup himself.

29. How much of the cup should be drunk? A cheekful only.

30. Are children obligated to recite Havdalah before they eat? According to most opinions, they do not recite Havdalah before eating.

31. After the fast, may one eat or drink before Havdalah? With the exception of water, it is forbidden to eat or drink anything before Havdalah.

32. Which drink should be used for Havdalah? One should use wine or grape juice. The person who recites Havdalah should drink the cup himself.

33. Which parts of Havdalah are recited? Only the two blessings "borei p'ri hagafen" and "hamavdil." The introductory verses are omitted, as are the blessings over the spices and candle.

34. When are the various restrictions lifted? Some are permitted immediately upon completion of the fast (e.g. bathing, laundry and haircuts), while others remain prohibited until the following morning (meat, wine and music).

Excerpted from "Guidelines" - over 400 commonly asked questions about the Three Weeks (Targum/Feldheim). 

***********
Answer is A–  Truth is if I wasn’t there all the time I probably wouldn’t know this either. It’s really a tough exam, in case you didn’t realize. I mean how are we supposed to remember which mountain had the windmills/turbines on them? Certainly in the Golan Heights there are a lot of them, as the Golan is mostly powered electrically by these wind electricity, Israel of course being the most advanced country in the world for alternative energy resources. But the answer is not the Chermon near the Golan, as I’m sure most of my tourists might have guessed, because that’s where I usually speak about it. Rather the answer is on those bald mountains-cursed by Dovid HaMelech after the death of Shaul, that we see by our Nachal Kibbutizm water hike; Har Gilboa! Well I got that one right to and so the score is Schwartz 33 and 6 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam so far.