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With the fast of the 17th day of Tammuz (July 13,
2006), begins the annual summer three week mourning period in connection with
the destruction of the two Temples, one 2,500 years ago and the other over 1,900
years ago. The three weeks end on the 9th of Av (August 3) . These
days are not a time of good fortune for the Jewish people. When possible,
it's best to delay pleasure trips and court cases. It is forbidden to get
married, cut hair, shave, and listen to music, in order to emphasize the
mourning.
At a Chasidic gathering after the Tammuz 17th
fast one year, I heard this story from Rabbi Shmuelevitz of Beit Shean:
Once, a poor man made great efforts put aside a few meager
coins of his wages every day. After many years he was able to collect the
significant sum of 1,000 rubles. He changed the coins into a single bill,
which happened to have a picture of the czar, and hid it among his prayer
books.
Sometime after this, he met a forester who was willing sell
a property for 1,000 rubles, though its actual worth was 4,000, since he
needed cash. Overjoyed, the poor man agreed to close the deal in two days,
enough time for him to rush home and return with the money. Amazed at his
good fortune, the poor man dreamt of his new career in real estate and his
eventual profit that he could make in selling the bargain property. He
imagined his coming wealth and new lifestyle and so on.
Meanwhile, the young son of the poor man was playing with
his father's books. The child found the bill and was enamored with the
picture of the czar. The child held it close to the stove, lost his grip and
the bill fell into the flames. He began to cry because he wanted to play
more with the picture.  | | " The husband...also began to cry once he heard about losing the money...." | | |
The wife of the poor man heard her son weeping and joined in
the crying when she realized the money was no more and with it gone was the
security it provided. As the pair cried, the husband returned home, and also
began to cry once he heard about losing the money and all his hopes and
dreams for the future that vanished with it.
The story teaches us how to perceive this era. Some people, like
the child, know there was once a Temple; it was a beautiful and holy building
that was destroyed, which is tremendously sad. Some people, like the wife,
understood what used to happen in the Temple - Priests brought offerings daily
and for special occasions, Levites sang, and nation of Israel came and took part
in all this holy work; all gone, much to our dismay.
Other people, like the poor man, deeply understand what the
Temple meant. It was the place where G-d's indwelling resided - something we
today can not even imagine. It was a place where a person could enter and see
miracles and connect with G-d in a tangible way. In our generation, we make do
without the Temple but the loss is crushing. The Temple will be rebuilt, please
G-d, very soon, but only in the merit of enormous efforts. Its loss is a tragedy
that we must live with every day.
This is truly, truly sad. But I know through which of the three
perspectives I wish to see.
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