9th of Av

For the uninitiated, the 9th of the Jewish month of Av commemorates a number of disasters, including the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem.

During the first 9 days of the month, semi-mourning practices are in place.

Tisha b'Av, the 9th of Av, is surpassed only by Yom Kippor as a day of restraint, and most Jews give at least a passing acknowledgement of the day.

I like to think of myself as an observant Jew. (I dislike the terms "orthodox," "conservative," reform" et al - in the end, a Jew is a Jew is a ...)

But I don't observe Tisha b'Av for the destruction of the Temples.

I don't observe Tisha b'Av for the dispersion of the people to all parts of the planet.

I don't even observe Tisha b'Av for the other, later, events tacked on to the rabbinically ordained fast day.

Yet I do observe the fast.

If not for the Temples and the dispersion and the "other, later events" than why?

We are told that the reason the Temples were destroyed was "senot henam" - senseless hatred.

Not idolatry, which was rampant in Jerusalem even in Solomon's time.

Not for lack of religious practice or enthusiasm.

Because we hated one another.

The Sadducees vs. the Pharisees.

The learned vs. the unlearned.

The "pious" vs. the "less pious."

The "city folk" vs. the "country folk."

The priests vs. the simple, untitled person.

That's why the Temples were destroyed, the rabbis say. That's why the later events occurred.

But that's history.

Unfortunately, it still is "history in the making."

We still have not learned our lesson.

We still indulge in "senot henam."

As I wrote earlier, I dislike the labels applied to us.

Helonee (non-observant), datee (religious), hasid (pious), tzdek (righteous); orthodox, conservative, reform, liberal, humanist, reconstruction.

We need to get rid of all the labels and recognize the common denominator: we all are Jews.

Outside the "clan," we all are human beings, "bnai adam" with a lower case "a", or "bnai Adam" - children of Adam.

There is a reason the Torah teaches us that we all spring from the same parents (and science seems to agree - but that comes as no surprise to me); it is to tell us that we all are the same, albeit with individual capabilities and talents.

I see far too many "orthodox" Jews behave in a way contrary to Torah - I'm thinking of the haradim of Mea Sharim who go out of their way to throw rocks on travelers who violate Shabat - a person could be murdered because of a thrown rock; even the act of picking up the rock on Shabat is forbidden.

Likewise I see many "reform" who loudly denigrate observant Jews for their "outdated" practices. "Keeping kosher was something for hot climates" as if avoiding pork is the essence of kashrut and Judaism.

As long as we - first Jews because we are "chosen" to be an example to the world (sometimes a very heavy burden) but in the end, all of humankind - continue to hate each other for our differences, Tisha b'Av will have its place in our lives.

When will we ever learn?

Yohanon
Yohanon.Glenn @ gmail.com