To the editor:
Saturday night, August 2nd is the Jewish fast day, “9th of Av.” The Fast of Av commemorates the ancient destructions of the Jewish Holy Temples and the subsequent Jewish Exiles. The “First Temple,” Solomon’s Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. This is known as “The First Destruction” and the exile is called “The First Exile” or “The Babylonian Exile.” During the reign of the ancient Persian Empire the expelled Jews were allowed to return to Israel and rebuild the Jerusalem Temple. It was called “The Second Temple.” After the Second Temple was built the 9th Day of Av changed from a fast day to a happy day. In 70CE the Romans destroyed the Second Temple and the Jews entered their Second Exile. The 9th of Av subsequently reverted back to being a fast day. To this day, 9th of Av remains a Jewish fast day for mourning the destruction of both Jewish Temples and the travails of both Jewish Exiles.
The Jewish prayer service unique to the Fast of Av, is the recitation of the entire Book of Lamentations. This biblical book is aptly named “Lamentations.”
From cover to cover Lamentations is full of misery. It laments the Babylonian destruction of the First-Temple, the ravages of that war and the travails of captivity and exile. The Talmud attribute the authorship of Lamentations to Prophet Jeremiah. The Lamentations narrator describes himself as a survivor who witnessed the terrible destruction. At times the narrator sounds preachy like a prophet. Jeremiah foretold and experienced the Babylonian destruction of the Jewish Kingdom. In consideration of all this, it seems likely that Jeremiah did indeed author Lamentations. After Jeremiah witnessed the terrible fulfillment of his dire prophecy, he comforted and encouraged his people promising a return of the exiles from the lands of their captivity and a restoration of their former glory. One verse typical of the constant mournful tone of Book of Lamentations is Chapter 2 Verse 13: “… To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you… For your break/wound is as vast as the sea, who can heal thee?” This “Book of Misery” still has, however, a few lines that rescue it from becoming a “Book of Despair.” Personally, I would go so far as to say that these few lines I speak of ,ironically, turn the annual Jewish recitation of Lamentations into a miracle-tonic that contributes to the amazing longevity of the Jewish religion. The text is in Chapter 3 Verses 21-23.: “21-This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22-Verily the kindnesses of the L-rd never cease! Indeed, His mercies never fail! 23-It is renewed with every morning; abundant is Thy trustworthiness.”
The last Hebrew words of that previous verse “…rabbah emoonatecha.” (translation- “…abundant is Thy trustworthiness.”), are the exact same Hebrew words at the end of the daily Hebrew prayer that pious Jews recite every morning immediately upon rising. The prayer is often recited even before getting out of bed.: “I gratefully thank You, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion – abundant is Thy trustworthiness!”
Hersh Goldman
