A Soulful Journey

"He who sees his first wife die, it is as though he has been witness to the destruction of the Temple."   Sanhedrin 22b Human relations, love are paramount.  They bring us life and when they leaves we are empty and vapid.  And still, we never give up hope.

Rabbi Elazar taught, “From the moment that the Beit haMikdash (Temple) was destroyed Heaven’s gates were locked, as it states “Even when I cry out he shut my tears away.”  And “Hear my prayer O God, and listen to my outcry; do not be deaf to my tears.” Psalms, 39,  Baba Metsia 59a Do not hold back.  Weep.  That is your key to unlock Heaven's Gate.

One Tisha B’Av Napoleon rode by a synagogue in small town and noticed Jews sitting on the ground and wailing bitterly. “Why are the Jews crying?” he asked a bystander. “They are mourning their land which was destroyed about two thousand years ago,” he was informed. These words deeply impressed Napoleon.  “A nation that can mourn over the destruction and loss of their land which occurred two thousand years ago,” he exclaimed, “such a people will never perish.    They may be certain they will survive and hat their land will eventually be restored to them.” Remember.  Never give hope.  Never jettison your faith.  Remain true.

"From the day when the temple was destroyed, we should be right to make a decree binding upon ourselves not to eat meat nor drink wine but it is a principal not to impose on the community a degree to which the majority of the community cannot adhere." - Talmud Life can be vexing and arduous yet we must not make it worse for others because we are suffering.  Consider others before pronouncing or acting.

When the Temple was destroyed, the number of Nazitites was increased, who would neither drink wine nor eat any meat.  Rabbi Yehoshua went to them and asked why.  They said: "How can we eat flesh now that the Temple is destroyed ?  It was the Temple that made flesh holy through sacrifices to God.  And how can we drink wine, seeing that wine was used as a part of the Temple ceremony?" Rabbi Yehoshua replied, "In that case how can you eat bread, seeing that the Temple's meal offerings are no more?" They said: "Perhaps we shall live on fruit." Yehoshua replied, "In that case we cannot eat fruit, for the offerings of the first fruit [on Shavuout] are no more." They replied, "Perhaps we can manage of fruits that were not used in the Temple ritual." Rabbi Yehoshua then said, "Still, you may drink no water, for water was used as a part of the Temple service." Then they were silent. But then Rabbi Yehoshua added, "Not t...

“From the time that the Temple was destroyed, the Holy One has nothing in his world but the four cubits of  Halakha .”   - Berakhot 8a Once upon a time, we went to the Temple to speak directly to God; now the law is our connective tissue to heaven.

Rabbi Yossi once stopped to pray in a broken building in Israel. Elijah the prophet waited for him to finish and then asked, “What did you hear in this building?” The rabbi answered, “I heard a heavenly voice which chirps like a dove and chants: “Woe to Me ! Oh, My children.  For their sins I have destroyed My house, burned My holy Sanctum and exiled Israel among the nations.” Elijah replied: “I swear that this voice speaks not once but three times each day. Furthermore, when Jews in synagogue recite,  yehay shmay rabbah …”  God nods His head and says, “Happy is the king who is exalted in His house.” Why does the Father exile His children? ”Woe to those children exiled from the fathers table.” No parent wants to punish the child. In fact, when they send them to the room without dinner it is the parent that greatly suffers.

Rabbi Hammuna said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because they neglected the education of children; for it is said, “pour it out [God’s wrath] because of the children on the street.”   Why “ pour it out ?” Because the child is in the street.” Ulla said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because they were not ashamed of each other, for it is written, “Were they ashamed when the committed sins?”   “No, they were not ashamed [therefore they shall fall].” Rabbi Isaac said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because the small and the great were made equal, for it is said, “And it shall be, like people like priest, which is followed by “the earth shall be utterly emptied.” Rabbi Amram son of Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Shimon bar Abba’s name in Rabbi Hanina’s name: Jerusalem was destroyed only because they did not rebuke each other, for the said, “Her princes are become like harts that find no pasture.” Just as the hart, the head of one is at the side of the others ta...

“Let a man throw himself into a blazing furnace rather than shame another person in public.”   - Berachot 43 "Shaming another in public is like shedding blood. ” – Baba Metzia 58 Such an incident led to the destruction of the Second Temple.   A well-know dignitary had sent out invitations to a banquet, including one to his good friend Kamza.   The invitation, however, was inadvertently addressed to one Bar Kamza, who was, in fact, an enemy of the host. During the banquet, the celebrant spotted the mistake and ordered Bar Kamza to leave his home.   The guest pleaded with the host not to humiliate him and even offered to pay for the cost of the banquet.   But the host, devoid of feeling, was adamant, seized Bar Kamza and threw him out. Full of rage - particularly since many sages were present did nothing to stop the indignity – Bar Kamza went to the Roman ruler and told him the tale.   This, said the rabbis, set in motion the chain of events wh...

"Why does the Jew mourn of the ninth of Av? Consider this: On the tenth of Tebeth the land was lost and the capital was threatened; but the Jew does not mourn for his lost land. On the seventeenth of Tammuz the capital was lost; but the Jew does not mourn for his lost city. On the ninth of Av the Temple went up in flames; and for that, for the last sanctuary of the Torah, for the lost home off the majesty of God, for that the Jew mourns." - Samson Raphael Hirsch Tears come when something is lost.  But we always are mindful of that which matters most of all.

Gershon read:   “Rabbi Yosi then discoursed on the verse: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentations and weeping, Rachel weeping for her children because they are not.’   We have learned that on the day when the Sanctuary on earth was laid waste and Israel went into captivity with millstones on their necks and their hands bound behind them, the Community of Israel was banished from the home of her Husband to follow them; and when She came down, She said: ‘I will go in front and weep for my home and my children and my Husband.’   When She came down and saw her home devastated and the blood of saints spilled in its midst and the holy shrine and the temple burnt, She lifted up her voice, and higher and lower angels trembled, and the voice ascended to the place where the King dwelt, and the King was minded to turn the world into chaos again.   Thereupon many armies and hosts went down to meet her, but She would not accept consolation.   Hence it i...