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 A Ceremonial Selection
VJ offers a selection of readings.
The Body of Man From the Midrash The body of man is a microcosm, the whole world in miniature, and the world in turn is a reflex of man. The hair upon his head corresponds to the woods of the earth, his tears to a river, his mouth to the ocean. The world resembles the ball of his eye, the ocean that encircles the earth is like the white of the eye, the dry land is the iris, Jerusalem the pupil, and the Temple the image mirrored in the pupil of the eye.
It Was Here Remember that according to Scriptures we are supposed to be a nation of priests. What does that mean? Remember: once upon a time the High Priest prepared and purified himself all year long just to pronounce one single word - God's name - just once, in once place: in the inner sanctum of the Temple, on the Day of Atonement. He who wishes to follow in his footsteps must learn to say the right word at the right time and in the right place.
The Two Brothers Two brothers who dearly loved each other lived on neighboring farms, tilled their fields together and shared its harvest. The one brother was married and had three children; the other was unwed. When the crop was reaped, the produce was divided equally between the two brothers. But the one bethought himself: "It is not fair that I share equally with my brother. He has a wife and three children and needs more than I." So he loaded a donkey in the middle of the night and secretly carried some of his grain to his brother's field. In the meantime the other said to himself: "My brother is alone. He will have no-one to support him in his old age. He needs a bigger portion of the harvest than I." So, he loaded a donkey and brought some of his grain to his brother. In the morning each brother looked at his share and found that it still looked too large. Each decided that he had not returned enough to his brother. Hence, the following night they again secretly carried grain to each other. But the morning after found the situation still the same, so each determined to be more generous. That night, the two brothers with their loaded donkeys met midway. Realizing what had happened, they embraced one another and wept. The spot where they met was chosen as the site for the building of the Temple.
This is the City to be Punished (The Lord said to Solomon:) I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you made before Me; I have hallowed this house, which you have built, to put My name there forever. My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually. And as for you, if you will walk before Me, as David your father walked, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever; but if you shall turn away from following Me, then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them: and this house which I have hallowed for My name, will I cast out of my sight.
God Was Moved God Himself was deeply moved by the destruction of the Temple, which he had abandoned that the enemy might enter and destroy it. Accompanied by the angels, he visited the ruins, and gave vent to His sorrow; "Woe is Me on account of My house. Where are my children, where are My priests, where are My beloved? But what could I do for you? Did I not warn you? Yet you would not mend your ways." "Today, " God said to Jeremiah, "I am like a man who has an only son. You seem to feel but little sympathy with Me and My children. Go summon Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses from their graves. They know how to mourn." Lord of the world," replied Jeremiah, "I know not where Moses is buried." "Stand on the banks of the Jordan," said God, "and cry: 'You, son of Amram, arise, see how wolves have devoured your sheep.'"
Carnage Carnage on the ninth day of Av: "One would have thought that the hill itself, on which the Temple stood, was seething hot from its base, it was so full of fire on every side; and yet he blood was larger in quantity than the fire, and those that were slain were more in number than those that slew them. And the ground was nowhere visible for the dead bodies that lay on it."
The Children Lie
Zvi Kolitz Three stanzas
I am happy to belong to the unhappiest of all peoples of the world, whose precepts represent the loftiest and most beautiful of all morality and laws. These immortal precepts which we possess have now been even more sanctified and immortalized by the fact that they have been so debased and insulted by the enemies of the Lord.
Mourning Merits Joy The rabbis have said:
Everyone who mourns for Jerusalem merits to share in her joy,
"Kaddish"
"Upon Israel and upon the Rabbis,
And say, Amen."
And upon all the children of their children, In this place and in every place, To them and to you Life!"
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