If you're flying over Israel on Tuesday night, April 30th
this year, and you look down out of your plane, you will see thousands of bonfires dotting the landscape as far as the eye
can see. That night is Lag Ba'Omer - the 33rd day of the Omer: the 33rd day of counting the seven weeks between Pesach and
Shavuot.
An Offering
According to the Bible (Leviticus 23:11), an offering
consisting of an omer (a specific measure) of barley was brought to the Temple
on the second day of Passover. The omer was, in fact, a yield of a sheaf of barley. Until that offering was made, no grain
from the new year's crop was to be eaten.
Counting
From that day onwards, it was necessary to count forty nine days until Shavuot - the Feast of the Wheat Harvest.
After the destruction of the Temple, the practice of bringing
barley was discontinued, but Jews continued to "count the omer period," a custom which has continued throughout the ages.
Weathering it
The Omer period has several interesting angles: In the agricultural world, it represented a period of tremendous
tension for the Judean farmer who was exposed to sudden changes of weather that were typical for the season between the two
Jewish holidays of Pesach and Shavuot. Indeed, the Hebrew word for a hot dry wind, chamsin, derives its source from the Arabic
word for fifty, since this bothersome weather occurred so frequently during this period.The hot dry wind could burn the stalks
of the ripening wheat, thus spoiling the produce and threatening the farmer's sustenance.
Reminder of the Source
In Jewish thought and tradition, the optimal proportions of rains (and wind and sun) were to be a reward for
keeping God's commandments. So, the counting of the days of the Omer reminded the farmer of the source of his success in producing
grain, olives and grapes - the three staple crops recorded in the Bible. The daily omer count consequently encouraged the
landowner to be more faithful to the ongoing demands of his spiritual duties.
Anticipation
The tension increased as the days passed, but so did the anticipation of going up to the Temple on the upcoming festival of Shavuot (Pentecost). Shavuot was the religious climax
of the counting period. Since Shavuot also commemorated the Giving of the Torah on Mt.
Sinai, observance of the holiday continued even in the post-Temple period
when the offerings were discontinued. The period of the Omer thus became the natural bridge between Pesach and Shavuot. For
what reason did the Children of Israel
leave Egypt if not to receive the Torah?
Thus the Jew counted the Omer as a bride and groom would count the days to their marriage; as each day passes the anticipation
grows.
An Ascent
The Kabbalists had a different interpretation of the Omer based on the various permutations (7 x 7) of the
Sefirot or mystical emanations. These Sefirot denote the ascent from the 49 "gates" of impurity of the Egyptian bondage to
the purity of the revelation at Sinai. In many prayer books and Omer counting charts these combinations are listed at the
side of each day recorded.
A Mourning Period
Over the years, the Omer period has become identified with sad memories for Jewry. Massacres occurred during
the period of the Romans and later during the Crusades. In the days of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, the Jews - led by Bar Kokhba
- attemped to drive out the foreign oppressors from Judea. The revolt was unsuccessful and during the fighting thousands of
Jews lost their lives.
According to tradition, numerous students of Rabbi Akiva died as a result of a plague that raged during the
days of the Omer counting. For that reason, it is customary to observe a a period of semi-mourning during this time: weddings
are not held, hair is not cut, and music is not heard. On the 18th of the month of Iyar however - the thirty-third day of
the Omer (in Hebrew: Lag Ba'Omer, after the acronym for the number 33) - this ban is lifted, since the plague is said to have
ceased on that day.
Throughout history, the period of the Omer has been fraught with
German Jews Being Burned tragedy for the Jewish People. It is told that some 1,900 years ago, all 24,000 students
of Rabbi Akiva died during the Omer because they failed to give each other enough respect. Exactly 900 years ago, whole Jewish
communities were obliterated in Germany during the First Crusade.
Men, women and children were slaughtered, and Torah scholars burned alive. 350 years ago, Ukrainian peasants
under the leadership of a petty aristocrat called Bogdan Chmielnicki, aided by Dneiper Cossacks and Tartars from the Crimea,
unleashed a terrible massacre. In the synagogue in Nemirov, the Cossacks used ritual knives to slaughter the inhabitants and
6,000 men, women and children were butchered.
In remembrance of Rabbi Akiva's students and the other tragedies, it is the custom to abstain from certain
things that bring joy to the heart: Weddings are not held during the Omer period and we refrain from cutting our hair as is
the custom of a mourner.
Lag Ba'Omer: From Darkness to Light
On the 33rd day of the Omer (Lag Ba'Omer), it is told, the plague ceased and Rabbi Akiva's students stopped
dying. Therefore, the rabbis lifted the observances of mourning on that day. But how did it become a day of out-and-out rejoicing?
When all 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students had died, the world was desolate. There were no pupils to go out
and teach and disseminate the light of Torah and the Torah had been forgotten. Rabbi Akiva traveled to the rabbis of the South
to teach them. On Lag Ba'Omer, he started instructing these rabbis, his last five disciples. And from that day, the world
began to brighten from these five points of light. To commemorate this event, in the Land of Israel we light bonfires to symbolize
the great light that the Torah represents.
Hidden and Revealed Light
One of those last five disciples of Rabbi Akiva was the great Talmudic sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. His departure
from this world also occurred on Lag Ba'Omer. On the day of Rabbi Shimon's passing, a great light was revealed to his students
when he uncovered many of the hidden secrets of the Torah. These were allegedly written down in the Zohar (lit. 'shining').
Why the bonfires? If the Torah is represented by light, the Hidden, or esoteric Torah, may be seen as being
even more intense light.
Fire represents the conversion of the material into energy. This process is analagous to the Kabbalistic concept
of "releasing the sparks of holiness" inherent in the material world. According to Judaism, the material world is full of
spiritual potential, waiting to be released. It is fitting that the holiday which celebrates a revelation of the hidden aspect
of the Torah is marked by fire.
There is even a custom in some circles to burn clothing, which is, in general, something Judaism frowns upon
as needlessly wasteful. On Lag Ba'Omer, the message overrides the "normal" set of values. It tells us that all material objects
are simply reflections of spiritual reality.
The bonfires of Lag Ba'Omer symbolize the light of the hidden wisdom that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai revealed
on that day. Today, the most ecstatic celebrating takes place in Meron, the site at which he is allegedly buried.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
Dispelling the Darkness
Tongues of flame reaching into the darkness, climbing ever higher. The bonfires of Lag Ba'Omer commemorate
the anniversary of the passing of the Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, was one of five pupils of Rabbi Akiva who ensured that the Torah
was not forgotten among the Jewish people. The story is told that during the time that the Romans sought to destroy any vestige
of Torah in the Land of Israel following the Bar Kochba revolt, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai hid with his son, Rabbi Elazar, in
a cave near Meron. For thirteen years, they survived by eating carob seeds while learning Torah together. Lag Ba'Omer is the
anniversary of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's death (hilula, in Hebrew) and the holiday has thus become intimately connected with
him.
Why do we celebrate the death of a great sage? Shouldn't we be saddened by our loss? Rabbi Chaim Rappaport
(Mayim Chaim) explains that the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is indeed cause for rejoicing, for it was different from
the death of other righteous men. Usually, when a righteous man dies, he leaves behind him an irreplaceable void, just cause
for mourning. However, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai left in his stead a man who was literally his equal in righteousness, namely
Rabbi Elazar, his son. Of him Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai remarked, "If there are two - it is myself and my son," indicating that
the two were equal. To honor the fact that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai left a suitable replacement, the date of his death was
established as a day of celebration.
Rabbi Aryeh Leibish Blachover (Shem Aryeh) is in principle opposed to designating the date on which a righteous
man died as a day of rejoicing and he censors those who do so. Yet, he draws from primary sources to defend the particular
celebration of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The Talmud (Shabbat 33b) relates that the Roman monarchy sentenced Rabbi Shimon bar
Yochai to death by the sword. Miraculously, he was saved and lived a long life thereafter, until he was taken by Heaven. The
Lag Ba'Omer celebration commemorates his death at the hands of God rather than at the hands of man.
What is the connection between Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and fire? Fire symbolizes a passionate striving to
reach for God. The Mishnah tells us, "Warm yourself by the fire of the Sages" (Avot 2:15). Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai allegedly
spent years of intensive labor developing his masterpiece of Kabbalistic insights into the Torah - the Zohar. Zohar means
light - brilliant light. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was the one who brought the brilliant light of the Torah to the world to
banish the darkness of falsehood. The fires on Lag Ba'omer remind us of this great light and warmth of Torah.
Mystics and Merchants
Meron is a tiny town nestled in the mountains in the North of Israel. Its claim to fame is that several Talmudic
sages are buried there, including Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the alleged author of the Zohar, the central book of Kabbalah (the
Jewish mystical tradition). Throughout the year, people come to pray at the graves in the merit of those buried there, but
on Lag Ba'Omer, the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, tens of thousands crowd into town for the festivities.
Food for the Body and the Soul
Makeshift stands line the roads up to the tombs. Some sell Middle Eastern pastries, others copies of the Zohar,
the book of Kabbalah that was allegedly authored by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
This stand offers several segulot (charms) that are supposed to act as spiritual aids. Although not a central
part of traditional Judaism, the concept of amulets, and other spiritual "first-aid" does exist. However, most rabbinic authorities
maintain that there are no shortcuts to a spiritual life. Hard work both in interpersonal relationships and those between
man and God are necessary. Others maintain about segulot: "It can't hurt!" The packets contain various fragrant herbs used
in religious practice. The red strings and blue glass eyes are supposed to ward against the "Evil Eye" -- a negative spiritual
force, often created by jealousy. The small Sefer Tehillim (psalms) is for reading
because there is believed to be a protective benefit in holy books. This man sells leather pouches for tehillim.
Hotline to God
Even before the "real crowds" arrive, Meron is bustling. Inside the tombs, the men's and women's sections
are filled with people praying. They are NOT -- as could be misconstrued -- praying TO the sages (as Catholics may pray to
a saint), but rather to God, in the hopes that the zechut (merit) of the tzaddik (righteous person) will aid in the reception
of their prayers.
Four times this number of people pack themselves into the tiny room which is the closest accessible point
to the actual burial site.
Mea Sha'arim Meets Woodstock
Meron quickly assumes a festive atmosphere quite unlike any other. In the woods around the town, campsites
are filled with mainly Sephardic Jews. Some tents have televisions, electricity and running water. The frangrance of roasting
shish-kebab wafts upwards toward the tombs. Some have the custom to make a seudat hodayah (thanksgiving meal) and to slaughter
a lamb and roast it. Further up the road, there is a makeshift butcher station that provides kosher slaughter in accordance
with Biblical commandments.
The crowds are mixed. Hassidim and Sephardim (both of which are
more involved with the study of mystical texts than the general population) make up the bulk of the visitors, but there are
Jews of all other types and even curious tourists. For some, this is a deeply spiritual event, where the symbolism of the
bonfires will be seen against the deeper context of Judaism's mystical traditions, which they have been studying. Some come
to experience the unity of thousands of Jews dancing, singing and praying together. And for others, Lag Ba'Omer is just a
fun place to hang out and drink in the energy.
The Main Event
Hours before sunset, people line up along the edge of roof to get a good view of the lighting of the pyre.
These boys are Boyaner Hassidim, one of the Hassidic groups in good attendance in Meron on Lag B'Omer. Some people save their
leftover olive oil from Chanukah to burn the pyre at Meron. The bags on this pyre are full of clothing which will be burned.
It is now nightfall and the pyre has been lit. The music is loud and the crowd sings along. These people are
looking at their Rebbe, the Rebbe of Boyan, who watches the flames from the rooftop above them. It is almost impossible to
move except as one body. The floodlights and loudspeakers run through the night and the people dance until dawn.
Many return to their hometowns the next day. Others remain in Meron, resting from their exertions and breathing
the clean mountain air. Within a few days after the event, the crowds are gone, the stands have been taken down, and even
most of the refuse left behind has been cleaned up. Just a lingering smell of smoke remains as a witness that another Lag
B'Omer has gone by.
From Artscroll's Children's Book of Jewish Holidays:
Beginning with the second night of Pesach we count days from the holiday celebrating leaving slavery in Egypt
to the holiday celebrating receiving the Torah. The seven weeks of counting are called Sefirah which is Hebrew for counting.
Since this counting begins on the second day of Pesach, the same day the Omer (barley offering) was brought
to the Temple, the counting is called "counting the Omer".
We count, "Today is one day in the Omer."
"Today is two days in the Omer."
We continue counting until we reach the forty-ninth day, the end of seven weeks. The day after the forty-ninth
day in the Omer is the holiday of Shavuot.
These seven weeks later became a time of mourning, because of the tragedies which occurred during these days.
Twenty-four thousand students of Rabbi Akiva died in a plague during the days
between Pesach and Shavuot. They were punished because they did not treat each other with proper respect. This should be an
important lesson to us. We must always act kindly and respectfully to others.
A thousand years later, during the Crusades in France and Germany, whole communities of Jews were killed during
this Omer period. And in the years 1648 and 1649 Bogdan Chmielnicki led Russian Cossacks in the attack and murder of three
hundred thousand Jews.
But on the thirty-third day of the Omer there is no mourning. The plague which was killing so many of Rabbi
Akiva's students stopped on that day. The number thirty-three in Hebrew is written L"G, which is pronounced Lag, and so the
day is called Lag Ba'Omer.
Another famous event happened on the eighteenth of Iyar, the thirty-third day of the Omer. On that day Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai died. He was a great rabbi and teacher. On the day of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's death, he taught his students
many of the Torah's hidden lessons. On that day the sun did not set and the day did not end, until he had taught them all
that God allowed him to reveal.
Usually the death of a great man is a day of mourning. But Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai wanted it to be a day of
celebration, not mourning. He made this wish because of all the Torah he had been able to teach on that day.
Another Lag Ba'Omer custom is that children play with toy bows and arrows. The bows and arrows remind us of
when the Romans ruled over the Land of Israel. The Romans did not allow Torah study. Anyone caught studying the Torah was
killed. Rabbi Akiva did not stop teaching Torah. He said, "Jews without Torah are like fish without water! We must continue
studying the Torah!" He and his students disguised themselves as hunters. They carried bows and arrows deep into the woods.
There they would study Torah, sometimes while hiding in caves.
In many communities, very young boys whose hair has never been cut and who have reached the age of three get
their first haircuts on Lag Ba'Omer. In the Land of Israel, many people bring their children to Meron, the place where Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai is buried, and there cut their children's hair for the first time. Many thousands of people come to Meron
to celebrate Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's day.
What Is The Tenth of Tevet?
The fast of Tevet falls in the tenth month starting from the Hebrew month of Nissan, hence its biblical name "the
Tenth Month." This year, the fast falls on Tuesday December 25, 2001. The name Tevet is Babylonian and can be found in the
Book of Esther.
The month of Tevet usually has 29 days. It's zodiac sign is the kid, signifying the time when sheep go to pasture
in the Land of Israel.
It was said that if the winter rains were timely (in the two previous months) and did not fall in Tevet, the sheep would find
sufficient grass to graze upon: this was considered a virtuous sign for the rest of the year.
Events
Two major events are landmarks this month:
The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet
On this day, the siege of Jerusalem began during the
reign of Nebuchadnezzar, prior to the destruction of the First
Temple. The citizens of Jerusalem
knew hunger as never before...
This sad day was proclaimed a fast by the rabbis to commemorate the Destruction of the Temple and the consequent dispersion. The sages pointed out that the day should be devoted
to contemplation of the events leading up to the siege.
In our day: The 10th Tevet has been established in Israel by the Chief Rabbinate as the day of mourning for all those
who perished in the Holocaust and whose day of departure from this world (yahrzeit) is unknown. The day is marked by special
educational programs in the schools.
During Shacharit, morning prayers, the congregation does not say Aneinu ("Answer Us") in the silent Amidah. In the
Chazan's repetition, however, he adds Aneinu with its concluding Bracha (Blessing) before Refaenu. A special Torah reading
for fast days is read from Shemot 32:11-14.
During Mincha, afternoon prayers, some men have the custom to wear their Tallit and Tefillin (prayer shawl and phylacteries)
so as to complete the 100 required blessings that it is good to say each day. The congregation does not say the special concluding
blessing of Aneinu, but this is instead said by the Chazan during the repetition of the Amidah.
There is also another significant event that took place during the month of Tevet:
The writing of the Septuagint
During the month of Tevet, according to the account in the Talmud, there occurred a strange but miraculous event.
The Greek king and tyrant Talmi (3rd cent. BCE) requested of the Jewish scribes who lived under his dominion in Judea to translate
the Pentateuch into Greek. The aim of the exercise was, of course, to discredit both the sages and the Torah.
72 scribes were dispersed in different locations, each being given his instructions independently of the other without
any of the scribes having conferred previously. The Talmud describes how each scribe was endowed with unusual insight and
how, consequently, there were absolutely no discrepancies between the translations. The term Septuagint, ascribed to Greek
translations of the Bible, is based on this story.
Mourning Holocaust Victims
The 10th Tevet is a Day of National Mourning for Holocaust Victims whose Actual Day of Death is Unknown. Why was the
10th Tevet chosen as a Day of Mourning?
So massive was the scale of the Holocaust killing that for most of the dead that there was no firm knowledge of the
Yahrzeit, the actual day of death. And for many, there were no living survivors to say the memorial prayer, Kaddish. So how
were these victims to be remembered?
In 1948, the newly appointed Israeli rabbinate proposed a General Day of Kaddish to be said for all those who fell
into the above two categories. They chose the 10th Tevet which traditionally marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem
which led to the destruction of the Temple.
The selection of the day clearly reflects the incorporation of a contemporary tragedy into the chain of tradition.
One of the issues was, of course, the danger of trampling on Halachah, i.e., of introducing new forms of ritual into the Jewish
traditional forms of commemoration.
By choosing this day, the rabbis were clearly making a statement: the tragedy of the Holocaust must be seen within
the context of those catastrophes associated with the destruction of the Temple and Jewish independence. But why, it could
be asked, was 9th Av not chosen? This 24-hour fast day is by far the strongest in its representation of these notions. In
contrast, the 10th Tevet is by far the least significant insofar as the calendar date was far removed from the precipitous
events that led to the final climax of Jerusalems destruction.
Indeed, the actual national day of remembrance for all the victims of the Holocaust - Yom Hashoa Vehagvurah - was
designated as 27th Nissan, after the happy days of Pesach and close to Israels Independence Day, denoting clearly that the
momentous and indefinable Holocaust clearly needed its own commemoration day.
The Holocaust did not just "happen"
The choice of the 10th Tevet as the memorial day for those whose yahrzeit is unknown is more than just a concession
to the rabbis: The fast of the 10th Tevet is significant because it represents the seeds of Destruction. The Holocaust, like
the destruction of the Jewish Temples of old, did not just happen. Both events were planned systematically. Both incorporated
an element of siege on the Jewish psyche, on the Jewish covenant and on the Jewish body politic.
The 10th of Tevet
It has also been suggested that the approximation of the this fast day to the happy events of Chanukah, in which the
Temple service was restored after the oppressive measures of the Greek tyrants, and in which Jewish independence was renewed,
also serves to teach an important lesson: In practice, the gains of the Hasmoneans were relatively short-lived. Within a hundred
years of Judahs military and spiritual success, Jew was to be pitted against Jew, and foreign influences were once again to
impinge on Jewish tradition.
The fast of the 10th of Tevet thus surely begs every Jew to consider not only events as they were but also the antecedents
that preceded them and the consequences that followed. There is surely much food for thought, in our days, in the juxtaposition
of this fast and the not-so-insignificant recall of the Holocaust victims.
Mourner's Kaddish
May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified (Cong. - Amen.) in the world that he created as He willed. May he give
reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days, and in the lifetimes of the entire Family of Israel, swiftly and
soon. Now respond: Amen.
(Cong. - Amen. May his great Name be blessed forever and ever.)
May His great Name be blessed forever and ever.
Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, mighty, upraised, and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, Blessed
is He (Cong. - Blessed is He) - beyond any blessing and song, praise and consolation that are uttered in the world. Now respond:
Amen. (Cong. - Amen.)
May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen. (Cong. - Amen.)
He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us, and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen. (Cong. - Amen.)
The Mourner's Kaddish
Transliterated with Ashkenazic Pronunciation
Yisgadal v'yiskadash sh'mei rabbaw (Cong. - Amen).
B'allmaw dee v'raw chir'usei v'yamlich malchusei,
b'chayeichon, uv'yomeichon, uv'chayei d'chol beis yisroel,
ba'agawlaw u'vizman kawriv, v'imru: Amen.
(Cong. - Amen. Y'hei sh'mei rabbaw m'vawrach l'allam u'l'allmei all'mayaw.)
Yis'bawrach, v'yishtabach, v'yispaw'ar,
v'yisromam, v'yis'nasei,
v'yis'hadar, v'yis'aleh, v'yis'halawl
sh'mei d'kudshaw b'rich hu (Cong. - b'rich hu).
L'aylaw min kol,
tush'b'chawsaw v'nechemawsaw,
da'ami'rawn b'all'maw, v'imru: Amen (Cong. - Amen).
Y'hei shlawmaw rabbaw min sh'mayaw,
v'chayim awleinu v'al kol yisroel, v'imru: Amen (Cong. - Amen).
Oseh shawlom bim'ro'mawv, hu ya'aseh shawlom awleinu, v'al kol yisroel v'imru: Amen (Cong. - Amen).
Then and now
The Tenth of Tevet today.
The fast of Tevet commemorates a significant stage in the destruction of the Temples and also serves as an opportunity
for us to evaluate our actions on a personal and moral level. But what lessons do we learn from the very fact of the destruction
of the two Temples? What is the message conveyed by God's visible distancing of His Shechina (Divine Presence) from us, and
what have we lost as a result?
"The essence of the fasts to commemorate the destruction of the Temples is not sadness or mourning, which was the
response of the time; the essence is rather to open up the gates of repentance, and to remind ourselves of our bad deeds and
those of our forefathers that had such terrible repercussions for us all...These thoughts should bring us to a recognition
of our own shortcomings and an acknowledgement of our need to engage in a Teshuva (repentance) of our own."
The Rabbis said in the Talmud (Jerusalem, Yoma 1),
"Any generation that fails to witness the rebuilding of the Temple in its lifetime can be considered to have brought
about its destruction."
Despite the striking force of this statement, its meaning is clear: every generation has the power to repent for its
misdeeds and to turn to God in mercy, pleading for redemption from oppression in the Jewish homeland and for the rebuilding
of the Temple. The mere fact of the continuing absence of the Temple and our continued oppression within our homeland must
therefore imply a continuing abundance of sins in our generation, which have prevented God from turning to us in mercy.
In Chapter 18 of Leviticus, the following is written:
"And the land shall not spew you out when you defile it, as it spewed out the nations before you..." The author of
"The Book of our Heritage", Eliyahu Kitov, explains this verse as an assurance by God that the Jewish People will never be
"spewed out" of the Land of Israel as a result of their sins in the same way as other nations have been and will be, but will
rather be only temporarily exiled from it and enabled to return after a certain amount of time.
It is possible, however, to read this verse in an entirely different way, as a warning to the Jewish People not to
allow themselves to be "spewed out" in the same way as God has spewed out other nations. It is in the light of this interpretation
that the centrality of the essential link that continues to exist between the Land of Israel, the People of Israel and the
God of Israel is heightened and renewed every day that we are privileged to enjoy in the Land of Israel.
The ongoing struggle we continue to encounter with a dubious partner in peace is rendered greater meaning by our acknowledgement
of this teaching: as long as the only issue is understood to be one of peace talks with our Arab partners, the Jewish People
cannot hope to achieve true peace. The true peace is one more abstract, yet to be found within the heart of every individual
Jew who chooses to acknowledge his role within a process of individual self-analysis which may rouse God to mercy for him
on an individual level, and for the Jewish People as a national whole.
The question is not only of politics, but also of a crucial need for the unifying of all who are privileged to live
in the Land of Israel. We must remember that we are partners in another pact of peace which unites God, the People of Israel
and the Land of Israel, but that the continuation of this legacy is only to be guaranteed through the unifying of the Jewish
People in the Holy Land, not as a result of their undermining or degrading through religious bigotry, prejudice or any of
the other forms of intolerance that are sadly often such striking features of Israeli life.
The fast of the Tenth of Tevet, along with the other fasts commemorating the destruction of the two Temples, illustrates
the breaking of this link as a result of the failure of the Jewish People to cherish and maintain it. It is in our reaction
to this reminder that we are bound to excel or to fail, yet it is tragically by the very different perceptions of the way
in which to maintain the link , that the modern State of Israel fails so critically today. We must remember that the Temple
guaranteed a closeness with God that we have been unable to recapture in its absence, and that it is through certain actions
and not others that we will be able to re-establish a semblance of the closeness we have lost.
Tu B'Av (Fifteenth Av) is a minor festival that is eclipsed by the intensity of Tisha B'av. Without any special commandments,
prohibitions or rituals, it seems to pale next to the other holidays.
Tu B'Av may be a minor festival, yet it has been blessed with several scintillating names that belie its relative
insignificance. These names give us a clue as to the positive thrust of the day:
The Holiday of the Grape Harvest
The Holiday of Unity
The Holiday of Love
The Festival of the Lord
The "Day of the Breaking of the
Hatchets."
This year, Tu B'Av falls on August 3rd.
It is, in fact, Tu B'Av that gently removes us from the sadness of the preceding days of the Three Weeks and changes
our mood to one of optimism. Let us learn more about what really makes this little holiday so special. Find out:
* Why the Sages said "There were no greater holidays than Yom Kippur and Tu B'Av"
* What special events occurred on Fifteenth Av.
* Why a groom is forgiven his sins before marriage.
* What are the virtues of a good Jewish wife.
* How much wood would a wood-cutter cut... on Tu B'Av.
The Tu B'Av Dance
The Mishna (Ta'anit 4:8), surprisingly enough, proclaims, "There were no greater holidays (yamim tovim) for Israel
than Tu B'av and Yom Kippur, for on them the girls of Jerusalem used to go out in borrowed white dresses ... and dance in
the vineyards. What would they say? 'Young man, lift up your eyes and see what you choose for yourself ...' "
In earlier times Tu B'av was a festival dedicated to young Jewish men and women finding their mates. Even today, the
wall posters of Jerusalem announce special Tu B'av prayers for finding a match.
Why choose the fifteenth of Av for such a celebration? Surely there is ample opportunity on the intermediate days
of Pesach or Sukkot to have the Jewish singles meet? Why pick a week after Tisha B'av?
Why Tu B'Av?
The Talmud (Taanit 30b-31a) quotes six reasons why Tu B'av was made a holiday:
Marriage between different tribes of Israel was permitted that day. In the desert, a ban on inter-tribal marriage
insured that land would not pass out of the hands of the tribe it originally belonged to. [See Numbers 36]
Intermarriage with the tribe of Benjamin was once again permitted after the Pilegesh B'giva civil war. [See Judges
21] (R. Yosef in the name of R. Nachman)
The generation that left Egypt ceased to die in the wilderness. Consequently, Moses returned to his previous high
level of prophecy. (Rabba bar bar Channa in the name of R. Yochanan)
King Hosea permitted residents of the Northern Kingdom to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, once again. (Ulla)
The dead of the great fallen city of Betar were granted burial by the Roman government.
Starting on the fifteenth of Av the sharp heat of the sun begins to wane. Wood cut after that date was thus unfit
for use on the Altar -- it was feared to be wormy.
The Worst is Behind Us
Reasons 3 and 5 are reminiscent of two of the events that Tisha B'av commemorates: It was on Tisha B'av night that
God decreed that the generation of the wilderness would not enter the Land of Israel; and it was on the same day about fifteen
hundred years later that Betar fell to the Romans and its dead were left unburied.
Tu B'av, in contrast, marks the end of the death of the desert generation and the end of the disgrace brought on by
the exposed bodies of Betar. Tu B'av comes when things are at least starting to move in a positive direction. No Temple has
been rebuilt, and the people of Israel have not yet entered the land - but the worst is over. Perhaps this is even reflected
in the weather -- from Tu B'av on, the fierce heat of the sun subsides; the days are becoming shorter.
Jewish Unity
Reasons 1, 2, and 4 express a common theme that must surface soon after Tisha B'av -- Jewish unity. Marriage only
within one's own tribe, though crucial for establishing tribal identity in that first generation, would have left Israel a
loose confederation of states and not a unified nation.
A cease-fire that would have left Benjamin politically associated with the rest of the tribes but still forbade marrying
them would have, in effect, still cut off one tribe from the rest of Israel.
The ability for all of the tribes to marry each other - necessary to facilitate a deep, fundamental sense of Jewish
oneness - is worth celebrating. Likewise, Hoshea ben Elah, the last of the kings of the Northern Kingdom, took a step away
from a total break-off by allowing the pilgrimages that Jereboam, his predecessor, forbade. He thereby tacitly recognized
Jerusalem as the spiritual center of a unified Israel.
The Tisha B'Av - Tu B'Av Relationship
Tu B'av allows us to breath easy after Tisha B'av - the worst has passed and it starts to get better. It comes with
a message, though - we must counteract the national fragmentation that brought about the destruction of our Temple by celebrating
the unity of the Jewish people.
The Day Death Ceased
According to our tradition, every Tisha B'Av (9th Av) following the sin of the Golden Calf found another 15,000 Jews
dying in the wilderness. The last 15,000 gained a reprieve and awoke in the morning uncertain of their fate: perhaps they
had erred in their calculation of the date.
However, when these unfortunate individuals saw the moon in its fullness on the 15th Av, they knew that their calculations
were correct and that they had been spared the harsh decree. They therefore observed the 15th Av as a Yom Tov.
Like Yom Kippur
Just as Yom Kippur is a day of forgiveness, so is Tu B'Av. Just as the Jewish people are delivered from sin on Yom
Kippur and the Second Tablets of Law given on that date, so were the people forgiven on Tu B'Av for the sin of the Golden
Calf.
Consequently, these days were also regarded as days of festivity during which the daughters of the city would go out
to dance in the vineyards without any fear of their breaching the fences of modesty. The day was known also as the "Festival
of the Lord," a day on which all was done solely for the sake of Heaven.
Breaking the Hatchets
Rebuilding the Temple:
Stones - yes; Altar wood - No!
The contribution of wood for the Temple Altar in the time of the return from exile was a particularly exemplary deed.
The land was desolate and Israel's enemies were notorious for preventing any found wood from arriving in Jerusalem. Among
other things they would set up road blocks on the way to Jerusalem. And without wood, the Temple service could not proceed.
So, anyone bringing wood to the Temple performed a courageous and righteous deed. Those that did were known to sing
and play as they did.
The last day for cutting the wood for the Altar was 15th Av each year, since only dry wood not attacked by worms was
suitable. After this date, the waning strength of the sun's rays failed to dry the wood quickly enough before the worms entered
and rendered the wood unfit for the Altar.
The last day of the summer, when preparation of altar wood was completed, was therefore a festive day. It came to
be called "the day of the hatchets," since, after that day, there was no need for the hatchets that year.
End of Planting
The 15th Av is the last day of planting for the year with reference to the Sabbatical Year and orlah, the status of
trees during their first three years.
Trees are not planted within the 44 days preceding Rosh Hashanah of the seventh year, in order to allow the tree to
take root before the New Year. Regarding orlah, if a tree is planted before 16th Av, then the remaining days before Rosh Hashanah
are considered as one of the three years. The fruit is thus prohibited for only two more years.
A Good Inscription
In Jewish ethical writing, the 15th Av is considered as a precursor of the upcoming month of Elul, the month of preparation
for judgement. Some people, therefore, when writing letters to friends, add the phrase ketivah vechatimah tova - 'May you
be inscribed and sealed for a good year," from this day, even though the custom is to do so from the beginning of Elul.
Judaism stresses the importance of modesty.
Tu B'Av illustrates some cardinal principles.
The Joy of Marriage
From time immemorial, the essential strength of Jewish holiness found expression in the restrictions regarding modesty.
The joy of marriage is therefore paramount. For when marriage is performed according to the spirit of the Torah, it is a sign
that the entire life of Israel is sacred. For this reason the Sages said that a groom is forgiven his sins on his wedding
day; he starts his new life in sanctity without a 'basket of sins hanging behind him.'
Another reason given for forgiving the groom is that should some unhappy event occur in the new home, the husband
or wife would be unable to cast the blame upon each other's misdeeds before marriage. Thus days when God forgave sins, such
as Yom Kippur and Tu B'Av, became highly appropriate days for weddings or events that would lead to a successful match.
No Days as Festive...
Thus did the Sages say:
"No days were as festive to Israel as the Fifteenth Av and Yom Kippur. On those days, the daughters of Jerusalem used
to go out dressed in white, wearing borrowed garments (so that all might be equal).... And all Israel borrowed from one another,
in order not to shame the poor.
... And the daughters of Jerusalem went out and danced in the vineyards (outside the city). Whoever had no wife went
there.
And what did they say? 'O youth! Lift up your eyes and see what you choose. Do not set your eyes on beauty. Set your
eyes on family. False is charm and vain is beauty; a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."
Great Sanctity
And the Sages added:
"Come and learn how great was the sanctity of these two festival days! For on all other holidays emissaries of the
Bet Din (religious court) went out to places of gathering and set up a separation between men and women to prevent a spirit
of levity. On these festival days, however, there was no need for such separation, since all Israel erected about themselves
fences of ... holiness."
What is Tu Be-av?
The final mishna of Massekhet Ta'anit (26b) concludes with a famous discussion concerning Tu Be-av and Yom Kippur:
"Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said, 'There were no better days for Israel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, when the maidens
of Jerusalem would go out ... and dance in the vineyards." The gemara (30b) elaborates: "The reason for Yom Kippur is clear,
since on this day we achieve forgiveness and atonement; it was the day on which the second set of tablets were given. But
what about Tu Be-av..."
Further on in the sugya, six different possibilities are suggested as to the reason for rejoicing on Tu Be-av: 1)
It was the day on which members of different tribes were first permitted to marry each other. 2) It was the day on which the
tribe of Binyamin was permitted to rejoin and marry into the nation. 3) This day marked the end of the deaths of the generation
which wandered in the desert. 4) On this day Hoshea ben Elah removed the road-blocks which Yerav'am ben Nevat had placed on
the roads to prevent the people from going to Jerusalem. 5) On this day the Romans allowed those who fell defending Betar
to be buried. 6) This was the day when the cutting of wood for the mizbe'ach (altar) was completed.
These suggestions are varied and give rise to completely different understandings of the nature of Tu Be-av. Some
focus on the theme of the unity of the nation, while others indicate the cancellation of evil decrees. The last suggestion,
which is the only one which has its source in a beraita, involves environmental issues. We will attempt to find some common
thread which joins these varied reasons and creates a unified and defined characteristic of Tu Be-av. In addition, we shall
try to understand the connection between Yom Kippur and Tu Be-av. Let us begin by widening our perspective in order to understand
the fundamentals of these questions within a broader context.
Tisha Be-av Differs from the Other Fasts
The Gemara in Rosh Hashana (18b), addressing the subject of the four fasts, turns its attention to Zekharia's prophecy:
"'So says the Lord of Hosts: the fast of the fourth [month], the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of
the tenth will be unto the house of Yehuda [days of] gladness and rejoicing...' (Zekharia 8:19) - they are called fasts, and
they will be called gladness and rejoicing... At a time when there is peace, they will be days of gladness and rejoicing.
At a time when there is an [evil] decree, they will be days of fasting. At a time when there is neither an evil decree nor
peace, then if people wish, they may fast, and if they do not wish to, they need not." (The halakhic ruling is that even at
a time when there is neither peace nor any decree, "all are obligated to fast on these four days, and no one may make himself
an exception" - Orach Chaim 550:1.) The Gemara concludes that during a time when there is no peace but also no evil decree,
even though the other fast days are voluntary, there remains an obligation to fast on Tisha Be-av: "Tisha Be-av is different,
for on this day many sorrows befell us."
The Rishonim point out that on the 17th of Tammuz, as well, many sorrows befell us, as we learn from the Gemara (Ta'anit
26a), "Five calamities happened to our forefathers on the seventeenth of Tammuz, and five took place on Tisha Be-av." What
then makes Tisha Be-av unique?
Some of the Rishonim explain that Tisha Be-av is nevertheless in its own category because the same calamity, the destruction
of the Temple, took place on this date twice (see Tosafot). But we cannot accept this explanation if we adopt the contention
of the Yerushalmi (Ta'anit 4:5) that in the case of the First Temple, the walls of the city were breached on the seventeenth
of Tammuz (as was the case once again with the Second Temple). Also, if we follow the Rambam, who defines the Second Temple
period as a time when there was neither peace nor any evil decree, and Tisha Be-av was nonetheless obligatory, then likewise
we cannot accept this explanation - since while the Second Temple stood, the calamity had not yet repeated itself. (See Rambam's
Commentary on the Mishna, Rosh Hashana.)
Other Rishonim explain that the special nature of Tisha Be-av is derived from the dimension of the tragedy of the
destruction, rather than from the number or repetition of events which took place on that day (Tosafot). Clearly, a tragedy
on the scale of the destruction of the Temple is far more serious than the breaching of the walls of the city.
Calamity vs. Decree
Apart from the mitzva to pray every day, there is a special commandment to pray in times of national calamity. According
to the Rambam (beginning of Hilkhot Ta'aniyot), the verse "And if war should come upon your land, the enemy who troubles you,
you shall blow on the trumpets" (Bemidbar 10:9) is not a commandment simply to blow the trumpets, but rather includes prayer
and petition. Even the Ramban, who rules (in opposition to the Rambam) that daily prayer is only a rabbinic commandment, admits
at least partially that there is a biblical commandment to pray in times of calamity. He declares, "And if perhaps they interpret
prayer as a biblically-derived principle... then this is a mitzva for times of calamity..." (Ramban's glosses to Sefer Hamitzvot,
positive mitzva no. 5).
The foundation for the obligation to cry out to God in times of calamity is the obligation of teshuva. And so the
Rambam continues, "And this is part of teshuva..." There is a special obligation of teshuva in times of calamity, as it is
written, "When you are in distress and all these things befall you... you shall return to the Lord your God" (Devarim 4:30;
see also "Kol Dodi Dofek" by Rav Soloveitchik, note 3). The Rambam explains, "At a time when calamity strikes and they cry
out and they blow on the trumpets, all will know that calamity has come upon them because of their evil deeds... and this
is what will cause the calamity to be lifted from upon them. But if they do not cry out and do not blow [trumpets] but rather
say, 'This has happened to us since this is the way of the world, and this calamity is coincidental,' this is the way of gross
insensitivity, and will cause them to hold fast to their evil deeds, and other calamities will be added. This is what the
Torah means when it says, 'And if you walk crookedly (in Hebrew: "keri," from the root of the word meaning "coincidence")
with Me then I will likewise walk crookedly with you' - in other words, I shall bring calamity upon you in order that you
return. If you maintain that your calamities are coincidental then I will increase those 'coincidental' calamities."
The biblical obligation of prayer and teshuva at a time of calamity is extended by our Sages to obligate fasting:
"And the Rabbis instructed that there should be fasting for every calamity which comes upon the community, until Divine mercy
is achieved" (Rambam, ibid.). And what stands at the center of these obligations is the Divine Providence which watches over
Knesset Yisrael and entreats them, calling: "Shuvu banim shovavim - Return, O backsliding children!" Obviously, the very obligation
to pray and fast at a time of calamity is based on the assumption that by means of sincere and genuine teshuva the calamity
will be removed.
As opposed to "calamity" (tzara) an "evil decree" (gezera) cannot be removed. It expresses not Divine Providence but
rather the distancing of the Divine Presence, and God "hiding His face," as it were. "Rabbi Elazar said: Since the day on
which the Temple was destroyed, there is a wall of iron that stands between Israel and their Father in Heaven" (Berakhot 32b).
The reaction to an evil decree is not prayer brather mourning and surrender tGod's inscrutable will. "And Rabbi Elazar said:
Since the day on which the Temple was destroyed, the gates of prayer are locked" (ibid.).
The seventeenth of Tammuz, despite the five tragic events which took place on this day, is defined as a day of calamity.
It is true that on this date the first set of tablets were shattered, but following prayer on the part of Moshe Rabbeinu and
teshuva on the part of the nation, we merited to receive a second set of tablets. Likewise, on this date the walls of Jerusalem
were indeed breached, the enemies stood ready to enter, and, therefore, it was a time of calamity for the Jewish nation. But
it was only on Tisha Be-av that a tragic decree was issued: "On Tisha Be-av it was decreed upon our forefathers that they
would not enter the land," and despite Moshe's entreaties, the attempts to mitigate the sharpness of the decree reached its
tragic conclusion at Chorma (Bemidbar 14:45).
On the other fasts there is a special obligation of prayer and entreaties. The selichot and Torah portions read on
these fasts focus on Moshe Rabbeinu's prayer following the sin of the golden calf - the declaration of the Thirteen Attributes
of Mercy. On the other hand, on Tisha Be-av - the day established for weeping for all generations - we sit on the floor, read
Eikha and recite lamentations, and the Torah reading and haftara on this day speak of the destruction. This distinction between
Tisha Be-av and the other fasts was already formulated by Rabbenu David (Pesachim 54b): "On Tisha Be-av there is no 'Ne'ila'
prayer, nor are twenty-four blessings recited, because [this day] is set aside not for prayer but rather for mourning." (The
source for this is to be found in the Yerushalmi, Rosh Hashana 3:4.) Likewise, on Tisha Be-av the "titkabel" clause is not
included in the recitation of Kaddish (OC 559:4; see the commentary of the Vilna Gaon), and the sheliach tzibbur (prayer leader)
does not recite "Aneinu" in his repetition of the Amida of Shacharit (Taz, OC 557:2; see commentary of Dagul Me-revava). Rav
Soloveitchik, zt"l, explained that only on the other fasts does one fulfill the special obligation of prayer at a time of
calamity, as explained above. But on Tisha Be-av, "Even though I cry out and call for help, He has blocked my prayer" (Eikha
3:8; see Berakhot 32b). Thus, even though Tisha Be-av has the status of a fast day, it is still entirely different in its
nature and purpose from any other public fast.
In terms of the other prohibitions of the day, Tisha Be-av is again different from the other fasts. On one hand, there
are prohibitions which are similar to those of Yom Kippur (see Pesachim 54b, "There is no difference between Tisha Be-av and
Yom Kippur except..."). On the other hand, these prohibitions reflect the mourning of Tisha Be-av, rather than the positive
obligations of prayer and teshuva. The gemara (Ta'anit 30a) states, "The Rabbis taught, all the laws pertaining to mourning
apply on Tisha Be-av as well; a person is forbidden to eat and drink (these are not forbidden to a regular mourner; see Rashi
and the Rif, as well as Rav Soloveitchik's essay in "Shiurim Le-zekher Abba Mari" regarding public fasts), to anoint his body,
to wear leather shoes and to engage in sexual intercourse..." (Rav Soloveitchik deals at length with the similarity to mourning
customs.)
In light of the above, let us return to the sugya in Rosh Hashana: "Tisha Be-av is different since on this day many
sorrows befell us." According to the fundamental distinction which we have drawn between a calamity and a decree, we can explain
that what we are referring to here is not a quantitative addition of calamities on Tisha Be-av over and above those of any
other fast. We are dealing not with a calamity but rather with a decree. Therefore, we do not fast within the framework of
the obligations of prayer and teshuva in order that the calamity will pass, but rather as part of our expression of sorrow
and mourning over the bitter decree.
The Day on which the Deaths Ceased in the Desert
With regard to the prohibitions associated with mourning on Tisha Be-av, we find certain leniencies from mid-day onwards.
The laws concerning prayer on this day, too, are different after midday. In the afternoon, "titkabel" is included in the Kaddish,
and "Aneinu" is also included in the Shemoneh Esrei. In the afternoon, the regular Torah portion set for fast days is read
- "Vayechal," including the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, and the haftara we read is "Seek out God when He may be found" (Yishayahu
55). Let us turn our attention to this transition. How is it that we dare to pray "as usual" on Tisha Be-av? Is the theme
of the day not an expression of "He has blocked my prayer"? How can we soften our mourning - since the decree has been issued
and still stands? How can we progress beyond the complete and terrible despair of God's "hiding His face"?
It seems that these questions disturbed our forefathers in the desert. After the decree following the episode of the
spies, they had no idea how it would be possible to continue. During the next thirty-eight years Bnei Yisrael wandered in
the desert with a feeling of utter despair, with no hope and no future. Chazal describe their tragic and hopeless situation
(Yerushalmi, end of Massekhet Ta'anit): "Rabbi Levi said: On every Tisha Be-av eve Moshe would issue a proclamation throughout
the camp, saying, 'Go out to dig, go out to dig.' They would go out and dig themselves graves and sleep in them. In the morning
they would awaken and find that 15,000 had died during the night. In the last year they did likewise, and they got up [in
the morning] and found themselves complete [in number]. They said, 'Perhaps we erred in our calculations [of the date],' and
so it was on the tenth and the eleventh, the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth. Seeing that they were still all
alive, they said, 'It seems that God has canceled this harsh decree from upon us,' and they decreed a holiday." In this typically
anecdotal manner, Chazal describe Bnei Yisrael in the desert as living under the shadow of the decree of the spies. The entire
nation used to dig themselves graves and wait for their appointed time to die. Even in the fortieth year, after all those
who had been included in the census of Moshe and Aharon had already perished, they again dug themselves graves (see Tosafot,
Bava Batra 121a). And even after everyone got up the next morning, they lay again in their graves the next night. (Rav Soloveitchik
taught that the position of the parasha of Para Aduma, which deals with the subject of impurity as a result of contact with
the dead, hints at this spiritual-psychological state of the Children of Israel in the desert.)
It was only on the fifteenth of Av, when they saw the full moon (and it became clear that their calculation of the
date had indeed been correct), that they realized that for Am Yisrael even decrees can pass. Despite the decree, there is
a future; despite the tragedy there is hope. It would seem, therefore, that Tu Be-av symbolizes the power of regeneration
which lies hidden in Knesset Yisrael. On Tu Be-av we discovered the ability to get up in the morning out of the grave dug
by the decree, and to continue our historic journey. Indeed, there was a decree. And every night from the ninth of Av until
the fifteenth of Av the nation continued to sleep in their graves. On Tu Be-av they discovered that the decree had only been
temporary, and had now passed. On Tu Be-av they gathered strength to renew themselves and continue. (It should be noted that
on Tisha Be-av itself the decree had already ended and no more were going to die. However, this became apparent to Knesset
Yisrael only when they beheld the full moon on Tu Be-av.)
According to the Bavli, the significance of the "day upon which the deaths in the desert ceased" lay not in the discovery
of the nullification of the decree, but rather in the fact that Moshe's prophetic powers returned. The sin of the spies brought
in its wake a distancing of the Shekhina and a hiding of God's face. During the thirty-eightyears in the desert therewas no
Divine communication with Moshe. On Tu Be-av God returned the situation to its original state, by means of a renewed expression
of Divine Providence and covenant. On Tu Be-av, Knesset Yisrael understood that its power to rejuvenate itself was connected
with the eternity of the covenant with God.
According to both the Bavli and the Yerushalmi, the "day upon which the deaths in the desert ceased" signifies the
end of the decree of Tisha Be-av. The same is true for those who hold that Tu Be-av is the day upon which those who died at
Betar were permitted to be buried. Following the decree of the destruction of the Temple, and despite the fact that there
was no possibility during the period of the Bar Kokhba revolt of nullifying the decree, nevertheless God's mercy to his Chosen
People did not vanish; the bodies of the dead of Betar did not decompose, and they were eventually permitted to be buried.
Even in the gloom of exile, the nation saw and understood that the Eternal God of Israel had not failed them.
Israel's power of rejuvenation facilitated the healing of deep rifts which divided the nation after bitter conflicts.
Following the terrible war against the tribe of Binyamin at Giv'ah, it was specifically on Tu Be-av that the stormy spirits
were calmed. It was specifically on Tu Be-av that Am Yisrael found the power to become unified once again, and the tribe of
Binyamin was allowed once again to rejoin the community. It was specifically on Tu Be-av that Hoshea ben Elah canceled the
divisive decree of Yerav'am ben Nevat, and on that date all of Am Yisrael was once again permitted to ascend to the Temple
in Jerusalem.
The unifying aspect of all the events which took place on Tu Be-av is rejoicing over the eternity of Knesset Yisrael.
This eternity is rooted in the covenant and finds particularly sharp expression following harsh decrees which threaten the
future of Knesset Yisrael. Tu Be-av embodies the facility of renewal, the ability to return to normal life in those situations
in which normal historic causality could easily have led to the exit of a nation from the historic arena. It was on Tu Be-av
that the generation which merited to enter the land was permitted inter-tribal marriages and allowed to return to a normal
life-style, signaling the growth and development of Knesset Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.
The very season in which Tu Be-av falls reflects the same idea. The summer is hot and dry, and the sun beats mercilessly
on the ground. The rainy season, when God's Providence is felt with full force, is long gone; now one heat wave follows the
next - "the harvest is dried out, the plants are withered" (Yeshayahu 40). There is no wind and no rain, no voice and no one
to answer; the Shekhina is distant and God's face is hidden. Is there any hope? Will this decree ever pass? Suddenly Tu Be-av
arrives, and there is moisture in the air. The fields will be green again. The sun's power is decreasing; the heat of summer
has been broken. "Rabbi Eliezer the elder said: From the fifteenth of Av onwards the power of the sun is broken, and they
would no longer cut down trees for the altar because they are no longer dry" (Ta'anit 30a).
The message of Tu Be-av is turning a decree into a (temporary) calamity; transforming mourning into prayer. The hiding
of God's face is only what is apparent; it is not genuine. The eyes of God are always upon the land, from the beginning of
the year until the end of the year. After midday of Tisha Be-av, from the depths of terrible, tragic despair, sparks of hope
begin to glitter. The decree is indeed awful, but it will pass, and the Eternal God of Israel will not desert us. Once again
we permit ourselves to plead, "Aneinu - Answer us, O God, answer us!" and "Even before they call out, I shall answer." "Titkabel
- accept the prayers and supplications of Your nation, the house of Israel." Once again we proclaim the Thirteen Attributes
of Mercy and the covenant that was made, which will never be revoked. Once again we can proclaim, "Seek out God when He may
be found, call to Him when He is close by."
This idea is what connects Tu Be-av to Yom Kippur. The joy of Yom Kippur, as described in the Mishna, is not the rejoicing
of accepting the Torah, but rather "a day of forgiveness and atonement; the day on which the second set of tablets were given."
The calamity of the shattering of the first tablets on the seventeenth of Tammuz was overturned on Yom Kippur. Following Moshe's
prayers and the repentance of the nation, the covenant was not dissolved and Am Yisrael received the second set of tablets.
Similarly, Tu Be-av - the day on which the deaths in the desert ceased - signifies Knesset Yisrael's power of renewal, allowing
continuation even after the decree of the spies.
From the perspective of Tu Be-av and Yom Kippur, we may take a broader and more authentic view of the nature of Knesset
Yisrael and its destiny. It is possible to rise above the present reality, to catch a glimpse of the covenant which determines
the destiny and eternity of the nation. On these festivals Am Yisrael acts accordingly: "There were no better days for Israel
than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, when the maidens of Jerusalem would go out wearing white clothes ... and dance in
the vineyards... 'Daughters of Tzion, go out and see King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the
day of his wedding and on the day of his rejoicing' (Shir Ha-shirim 3) - the 'day of his wedding' refers to the day on which
the Torah was given, and the 'day of his rejoicing' refers to the building of the Temple, may it be rebuilt speedily in our
days."
Tu B'Av literally means the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av which this year falls on July 28, 1999. The day was
marked as an ancient holiday of nature and agriculture in the land of Israel, celebrated all over Israel at the same time.
From this day onward, the sun's strength decreases and hours of darkness increase, as the rainyseason approaches. Thoughout
Israel, Tu B'Av is marked primarily by an increasein dew and moisture, which induces the flowering of the white squill and
stimulates the olives to begin to fill with oil.
More on this holiday's history can be found in the book "Nature in Our Biblical Heritage" by Neot Kedumim's founder,
Nogah Hareuveni. Available thru our gift shop.
Why do we dance in the olive groves?
"Said Rabban Shimon Ben-Gamliel: there were no better festive days in
Israel than the fifteenth day of the month of Av and Yom Kippur, on which the daughters of Jerusalem would dress in borrowed
white clothes...and go out to dance in the groves"
[Ta'anit 4, 8]
This ancient tradition tells of dancing in the groves for the purpose of meeting and matchmaking among young people
in the days of the Temple. White dresses were worn to symbolize the while squill that appeared all over Israel's landscape
at this time. White is the color of Israel's fall season.
But what made these days so joyous? Yom Kippur - because it is the day of forgiveness - the day the second set of
Tablets were given. For Tu B'Av, many reasons have been found:
1.The law that restricted women with inherited property to marry within her tribe (in order to keep the property within
the tribe) was lifted on that day only.
2.This was the day that the guard that blocked the road to Jerusalem from the Kingdom of Israel was removed, so that
all the tribes could go up for the festivals.
3.This was the day that wood stopped being cut for the altar. Since from Tu B'Av onward the sun's strength weakens,
the cut logs would not dry quickly enough to prevent smoking when burnt.
4.This was the day the olives started filling with oil, hence the day was also called "Olive day".
The lessening of work in the fields, preliminary to the ingathering and plowing, served as an opportune time for "whoever
did not have a wife" to take off from his usual activities and go visiting another tribes to seek a wife from among the girls
dancing in the olive groves.
