The Seventeenth Of Tammuz And The Hurva Synagogue
Today is the Seventeenth of Tammuz, a solemn sun-up to sun-down fast day, which markis the beginning of the mourning period on the Jewish calendar known as "The Three Weeks." Why three weeks you ask? Well, there are three weeks until the most solemn day on the calendar, T'Isha B'Av (the ninth day of the month of Av) the day on which the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and today marks the day, among other things, that the walls to the city were breached, sigh.
Something that you may find interesting about the Jewish calendar is that it is cyclical like any calendar, and yet the hebrew dates themselves have intrinsic spiritual meaning such that when we mourn an event from the past we are not crying over spilled milk, so to speak, but reliving that event in order to hopefully rectify it and move forward in a positive way. So, no complaining, but rather taking individual responsibility for our own actions that can in turn affect the well being of the entire world. Okay that was rather simplified, but hopefully you get the point.
It also comes to mind to mention on this day, in which we are mourning Jewish persecution, that to some, religious Jews (especially those whose dress really distinguished them from others) may seem insular and removed from the rest of the world, but I beg you to reconsider this and view them rather as people who are serious about their role in this world, and will do just about anything to preserve this role. Something to think about, and certainly this idea could be applied to many situations of persecution.
And how does the Hurva synagogue fit into this post? Keep on reading……..
On days in which we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple I have in the past posted photos of old Jerusalem, but today I thought I'd post some contemporary photos with a message. The message is one of hope, and that really truly one can rebuild, as seen with the Hurva synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem— built in the early 1700s, destroyed by the Muslims in 1721, rebuilt again in 1864, and deliberately destroyed by the Arab legion after the withdrawal of Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. And then a commemorative arch was erected in 1977, and the synagogue was rebuilt once again in 2010! Now if that isn't an amazing example of perseverance, I don't know what is!
Wishing those of you who are fasting today an easy fast, and may we all merit to see the rebuilding of The Holy Temple in Jerusalem, soon very soon, hope to see you there!
