Blog

Tisha B’av is part of a collection of post-Biblical commemorations, such as Purim and Chanukah, which were established by Mordechai and then the Jewish community of the land of Israel. Tisha B’av was established by the Rabbis, as were two additional fast days, the 17th of Tammuz and the 10th of Tevet. Fasting was considered by our ancestors as an act of contrition to seek forgiveness for sin. What was the sin associated with Tisha B’av? Sin’at Hinam, causeless H. We have experienced causeless H at the Tree of Life, and know too well that it leads to senseless violence. In the years leading up to the destruction of the Second Holy Temple by the Romans in the year 70CE (Rabbis did not exist during the destruction of the First Holy Temple by the Babylonians in 586CE), there were struggles for political power in the Jewish community coupled with the onslaught of religious zealotry. This culminated in the destruction of the Second Holy Temple. Sound familiar? We continue to witness political struggles coupled with zealotry in the United States and in Israel. I pray that with the potential threat from Iran and its proxies, we do not witness another Tisha B’av moment, as October 7 was painful enough.

After nearly 2,000 years of fasting and mourning, is it enough? If the Rabbis deemed Sin’at Hinam the root cause, what are the remedies? The opposite is Ahavat Hinam, causeless love. We have witnessed far too many examples of the former, and sadly, continue to witness them. Where are the examples of the latter, if this is the solution? Fasting and mourning all day are useless if there is no change of behavior, no action plan for the day after. If we have not increased our engagement in acts of Ahavat Hinam, then the observance of Tisha B’av will have been a waste of time. To paraphrase Avot D’Rabbi Natan, of which I quoted at the symbolic groundbreaking of the new Tree of Life, God doesn’t need our prayers. God needs our acts of Lovingkindness. This is the antidote to Sin’at Hinam.

I’ve written in the past that the most important day in the Jewish calendar is the day after Yom Kippur. If we’ve spent 25 hours fasting and beating our chests to confess sins, yet resume our prior behaviors the day after, then Yom Kippur was a waste of time. So too Tisha B’av. If this day of international mourning does not lead to increased engagement in acts of kindness, then why bother? There are so many ways that each of us can model Ahavat Hinam to better our society. What one will you choose?