When we think of Tisha B’Av many images enter our mind – this year sadly more than in the past. Tisha B’Av is the day we mourn our historic tragedies…
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Tisha B'Av: Before the Law
“Rav Yochanan said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because they followed the laws of the Torah” (Bava Metzia 30b). The Talmud is incredulous at such an…
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Tisha B'Av: Constructive Hatred
One does not have to look very hard to find sources within our tradition that allow, encourage, or even demand that we “hate” others. While the…
Tisha B'Av: Greetings and Salutations
Judaism places great emphasis on the proper greeting of people. The Talmudic term for a greeting, a sheilat shalom, invokes a reference to G-d, peace…
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Tisha B'Av: Back to School
If someone gives you ten answers to a question, the one thing you can be assured of is that none of the answers is a very a good one. If one has a…
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The Nine Days: Aharon's Yahrzeit
“Aharon the priest ascended Hor Hahar and died there in the fortieth year... in the fifth month on the first of the month” (Bamidbar 33:…
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Tisha B'Av: Doing Nothing
"Because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza Jerusalem was destroyed.” (Gitin 55b) So begins the most famous Talmudic story relating to the destruction of the…
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The Three Weeks: Through the Eyes of a Child
With the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian exile, the period of prophecy came to an end. "Only fools and children continue to…
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Tisha B'Av: The Joy of Jerusalem
"Whoever mourns for Jerusalem will merit seeing its joy" (Ta'anit 30b). Our Sages seem to be offering words of comfort to those…
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Tisha B'Av: Greetings
“Everything is dependent on mazal, even the sefer Torah in the ark”. Certain mitzvoth just luck out, being widely observed across the…
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Tisha B'Av: Courage of Convictions
“Do not be afraid of [any] man”. Parshat Devarim, which is always read on the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av, begins with Moshe’s exhortations regarding…
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Tisha B'Av: Evading Responsibility
“But the Second Temple, that they were involved in Torah and Mitzvoth and Gemilot Chasadim (loving kindness), why was it destroyed? Because it…