This week we discussed Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av), which is coming up over the summer. On Tisha B'Av we commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (both actually, first by the Babylonians and then for a final time by the Romans), followed by the exile of the Jews from their homeland.
Because it was such a tragic date in Jewish history, we have begun to commemorate other tragic events on that day as well, such as the capture of Beitar during the failed Bar-Kochba revolt and expulsions of the Jews from England in 1290 and Spain in 1492.
Tisha B'Av was decreed by the Rabbis of the Talmud to be a day of fasting (also, we recite services without a tune and sit on the ground). I do fast, but I have always been a bit ambivalent about it. I could understand having a memorial service or saying special prayers, but fasting seems a bit harsh (especially in August!) Moreover, the Jewish people can now call the State of Israel home again. Because of this, there are many Conservative rabbis who believe that you only need to fast until mincha (instead of nightfall). On the other hand, others feel this is not adequate. After all, maybe it's necessary to keep the memory of this catostrophic event alive through something as powerful as fasting. What do you think of this half-day practice?
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3 comments:
I think that you should be allowed to only fast for half a day. Firstly, we already fast during Yom Kippur so I think it's harsh to have to do it twice. Also, it's also like have the loophole thing in rules. Lastly, you don't want to ruin your whole day. It's like also how we said do sad memories make you remember the happy ones. You don't want to be down and depressed the whole day.
Fast for a whole day?!!! Honestly, I don't fast even within my family for holidays. Now that I'm a bat mitzvah perhaps I should. Fasting for half a day is quite enough, since you are remembering the tragedy by fasting, but not starving yourself for the cause of Judiasm. People should be celebrating a little bit for how good we have it now.
Helen, I disagree with you. I do believe we should fast for a whole day. The destruction of the temples were both great tragedies for the jewish people. Fasting for one will show how much this happening meant to us. You are not supposed to do anything that makes you happy, and I don't know about you but eating makes me happy.
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