Posted on 08/11/24
The following is a letter that I sent to my talmidim to help them have a proper perspective on this Tisha B’av. My hope is that others could be inspired as well.
Dear Talmidim,
We have all experienced Tisha B’av in the past. It was a day when we heard that we were supposed to feel sad. We sat on the floor and saw how serious our parents were. But honestly, it may not have meant much to us. Life seemed fine, and there wasn’t much to mourn since we sometimes have a hard time connecting with things from the past.
Ask anyone who lived through hard times to explain to you what it means to mourn and be sad. Ask anyone who survived the Holocaust, and they could give you a glimpse into what Tisha B’av means.
Over the last 10 months, we have all heard the news: October Seventh. Hostages. Soldiers. Anti-Semitism. Attacks. Rockets. Protests.
Words that we may not have heard in the past now headline the news and our lives. We may even know people directly affected by the ongoing “news.” Even if we don’t, we—as part of Klal Yisrael—know that we are all affected deeply.
We have all said Tehillim and davened. Many of us have taken on something special as a zechus for our dear brothers and sisters, but we could still do more.
We are approaching the saddest day of the year, Tisha B’av, the root of everything tragic and sad that Klal Yisroel has gone through. This year, we may be able to feel real pain. We can perhaps now understand what it means to suffer and mourn. Let us use this as an opportunity for growth and connection. It could be our most meaningful Tisha B’av yet.
As you sit on the floor and hear about the history of the Jewish people, close your eyes for five seconds. Imagine what it was like when the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed. Close your eyes and imagine what it was like to be beaten by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Close your eyes and imagine what our brothers and sisters are going through today!
The hope is that through this, you will be able to connect to Tisha B’av in a real way. When you open your eyes, hopefully, you will see Klal Yisroel heralding in good times, as we all make our way to Eretz Yisroel with the coming of Moshiach, b'mheira u'v'yameinu.
Be’ahava,
Rebbe
Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber is a Middle School Rebbi in Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury, the Director of the Mishmar Evening Program in Waterbury, and Division Head in Camp Romimu. He is a frequent contributor to various publications on areas related to education and speaks publicly on various topics. Rabbi Heber can be reached via email at mdheber@ykwaterbury.org.