A Tisha B'Av Article To Share

The following article was presented as a reading for Tisha B'Av services at Congregation Beth Shalom.  I found it an interesting read, as it brought to mind several connections to other Judaic topics, but at the same time raised questions in my mind.  I will be posting further on those connections and questions, and so I place the article here for reference.


Tisha B'Av and Contemporary Jews
-Rabbi Joshua Maroof

Tragically, Tisha B'Av is often neglected or overlooked by contemporary Jews.  Many are unaware of its existence.  Those who are familiar with Tisha B'Av may feel alienated from its message of sadness and gloom.  As a result, despite the supreme importance of the day, it is not as widely acknowledged or observed in the Diaspora as it should be.

Tisha B'Av is a reminder to all of us that we live in a dark and unjust world, a world marred by profound ignorance, immorality, materialism, poverty, racism, misogyny, tyranny, and selfishness, and that it is our responsibility to correct this sorry state of affairs.

The purpose of our focus on a wide array of painful and unspeakable tragedies is not to depress, debilitate, or demoralize us, but to awaken within us a sincere desire to avoid such calamities in the future.  This means realizing that the terrible occurrences of the past were not accidental; rather, they were the inevitable and inescapable consequences of the corruption of the society in which we live.

The mourning of Tisha B'Av is designed to create a powerful sense of unity among the members of the Jewish people, both in terms of our shared historical fate and in terms of our shared national destiny, so that, together, we can strive for a genuinely better tomorrow.

We understand that the process of redeeming our broken society cannot begin until we face the stark, harsh, and painful realities that surround us.  We know that the joyous rebuilding of Jewish community and the achievement of the Prophetic ideals of peace on Earth and universal brotherhood will be inspired and fueled by the feelings of sadness and despair we experience on Tisha B'Av.

The message of Tisha B'Av is meant to resonate and should resonate with all those who are sensitive to the plight of mankind and are truly concerned about the injustices and abuses - physical, moral, and intellectual - that are perpetrated daily across the globe.

When we, as a people, cannot tolerate this state of affairs any longer; when we are finally willing to set aside all of our trivial concerns and petty disagreements for the sake of a greater good; when the lessons of Tisha B'Av finally penetrate our hearts and we are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to transform a disappointing and diseased world into the inspiring and idyllic one of which we have dreamed for centuries - then, and only then, will the light of true redemption burst forth in all its glory.