“When Av enters, we must lessen our rejoicing,” declare the Talmudic sages in Ta’anit 26b.
In truth, however, his period of "sadness" begins on the 17th of Tammuz (yesterday) and lasts exactly three weeks - until Tisha B’Av (the Ninth of Av), the day on which we mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Temples.
While all Jewish communities mark the 17th of Tammuz by mourning and fasting, in Ashkenazic communities, this mourning continues during the rest of the month of Tammuz by refraining from haircuts and shaving, listening to music, reciting a sheh’heh’cheh’yanu blessing on new garments, and celebrating weddings.
From the first day of the month of Av onward (July 22, 2009), however, almost all Jewish communities have accepted upon themselves the period of mourning referred to as “The Nine Days.” During these nine days, the following activities are prohibited (along with all of the above):
1) Eating meat or drinking wine (except on Shabbat).
2) Bathing or swimming for pleasure. Some, however, do take quick showers using cool water instead of hot so as not to derive pleasure from the shower. (One may bathe on Friday in preparation for Shabbat.)
3) Doing laundry or wearing freshly laundered clothing (except for Shabbat). It is therefore customary to choose outfits for the nine days and wear them in advance of the nine days for a few minutes so that they are not “fresh.” Children’s clothing may be laundered as needed.
Friday, July 10, 2009
If I Forget Thee...
During the Three Weeks, place a picture of Jerusalem somewhere visible to remind yourself of why Jews mourn during the Three Weeks.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Seventeenth of Tammuz
In the year that the Israelites left Egypt, on the 17th day of Tammuz, Moses descended from Mount Sinai to find the Jewish people dancing around the Golden Calf. In exasperation, Moses threw down the two tablets of law given to him by God, smashing them.
During the centuries that followed, the 17th of Tammuz continued to be an inauspicious day for the Jewish people, a day on which great tragedies occurred. It therefore became a day of fasting and repentance from sunrise to sunset.
One such tragedy that occurred on the 17th of Tammuz was the cancellation of the daily offerings in the First Temple. This offering, known as the tamid (constant), is first mentioned in Numbers (28:3-4,6): “This is the fire offering that you will bring for God: unblemished he-lambs in their first year, two each day, for a continual burnt-offering. One lamb you will offer in the morning, and the other lamb you will offer at dusk ... It is a constant burnt-offering, which was offered on Mount Sinai, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire for God.”
When the Babylonians began their siege of Jerusalem, the Jews still had enough livestock within the walls to maintain the tamid offering. As the siege continued, however, the priests of the Temple struggled to maintain the Temple service. They even sent baskets of silver and gold over the wall to buy sheep for the offerings from the Babylonians. On the 17th of Tammuz, however, the basket was returned to them empty – there were no more sheep to be purchased, and so the daily offerings came to an end. Needless to say, the cessation of the daily offering was a significant blow to the morale of the people of Jerusalem and the entire nation.
During the centuries that followed, the 17th of Tammuz continued to be an inauspicious day for the Jewish people, a day on which great tragedies occurred. It therefore became a day of fasting and repentance from sunrise to sunset.
One such tragedy that occurred on the 17th of Tammuz was the cancellation of the daily offerings in the First Temple. This offering, known as the tamid (constant), is first mentioned in Numbers (28:3-4,6): “This is the fire offering that you will bring for God: unblemished he-lambs in their first year, two each day, for a continual burnt-offering. One lamb you will offer in the morning, and the other lamb you will offer at dusk ... It is a constant burnt-offering, which was offered on Mount Sinai, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire for God.”
When the Babylonians began their siege of Jerusalem, the Jews still had enough livestock within the walls to maintain the tamid offering. As the siege continued, however, the priests of the Temple struggled to maintain the Temple service. They even sent baskets of silver and gold over the wall to buy sheep for the offerings from the Babylonians. On the 17th of Tammuz, however, the basket was returned to them empty – there were no more sheep to be purchased, and so the daily offerings came to an end. Needless to say, the cessation of the daily offering was a significant blow to the morale of the people of Jerusalem and the entire nation.
Fasting
If you were unable to fast or unaware that today was a fast day, take a few minutes and make a taanit dibur, a fast of words, during which one refrains from speaking any lashon harah (gossip/slanderous speech).
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The Laws of Inheritance
The Torah’s listing of the laws of the inheritance are quite brief, a mere four lines (Numbers 27:8-11): “If a man dies with no sons, then his inheritance goes to his daughter(s). If he has no daughter(s), then the inheritance goes to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then the inheritance goes to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, then the inheritance goes to the closest kin of the family, and he will possess it.”
Judaism as a religion is passed down through the matrilineal line (traditionally, one is Jewish if one’s mother is Jewish), however one’s tribal identity is patrilineal. When a couple marries, the woman’s tribal alliance transfers to her husband’s tribe. For this reason, it was not in the best interest of the tribes for women to inherit land.
Before any inheritance could be distributed to the heirs, the wife of the deceased was apportioned an allowance for her own upkeep or given a lump sum distribution as pledged in her marriage contract. A portion was also set aside for living expenses and dowry for any unwed daughters.
As the agricultural/land based society disappeared, it was common to create a more equitable* distribution between sons and daughters through “debts” -- a father would leave a statement indicating that he owed his surviving daughter(s) a specific amount of money to be paid from the estate before the sons divided it.
In our times, the issue of inheritance is complex because one must fulfill both the halachic laws of inheritance and the legal laws of one’s country of residence. It is therefore of great importance to not only prepare a will, but to do so with the assistance of a person knowledgeable in both civil and Torah law.
*The distribution of a double portion to the eldest son is a separate issue.
Tomorrow is the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz. For more information on this fast, please see the National Jewish Outreach Program's 17th of Tammuz webpage.
Judaism as a religion is passed down through the matrilineal line (traditionally, one is Jewish if one’s mother is Jewish), however one’s tribal identity is patrilineal. When a couple marries, the woman’s tribal alliance transfers to her husband’s tribe. For this reason, it was not in the best interest of the tribes for women to inherit land.
Before any inheritance could be distributed to the heirs, the wife of the deceased was apportioned an allowance for her own upkeep or given a lump sum distribution as pledged in her marriage contract. A portion was also set aside for living expenses and dowry for any unwed daughters.
As the agricultural/land based society disappeared, it was common to create a more equitable* distribution between sons and daughters through “debts” -- a father would leave a statement indicating that he owed his surviving daughter(s) a specific amount of money to be paid from the estate before the sons divided it.
In our times, the issue of inheritance is complex because one must fulfill both the halachic laws of inheritance and the legal laws of one’s country of residence. It is therefore of great importance to not only prepare a will, but to do so with the assistance of a person knowledgeable in both civil and Torah law.
*The distribution of a double portion to the eldest son is a separate issue.
Tomorrow is the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz. For more information on this fast, please see the National Jewish Outreach Program's 17th of Tammuz webpage.
Preparations
Purchase a plot in a Jewish cemetery. While it may feel morbid and depressing, those who prepare for the eventual future (after 120 years), are doing a kindness for their surviving relatives.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Man and Woman
G-d created the Adam in His own image, in the image of G-d He created him, male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27).
A critical word in most discussions of gender in the Torah is the word Adam, generally translated as man. However, the Hebrew word for man is eesh. Adam is a more general term that applies to a member of the human race. If one looks carefully at Genesis, one will find that Adam is almost always accompanied by the definitive article ha, the. In the Hebrew language, words are either masculine or feminine, there are no gender-neutral words. The Hebrew word “ha’adam” therefore, took on masculine endings and pronouns, but, as stated in the above verse, “male and female He created them.” Many biblical commentators conclude, therefore, that Adam was actually an androgynous creature, both male and female.
In those primordial times there were roosters and hens, bucks and does, and pigs and sows, but there was only one Adam. Only one creature possessed a neshama, a soul, and the power of intelligent speech. While Adam was a complete creature, it saw that all the other creatures had mates. God recognized Adam’s desire for a partner, noting: “It is not good for Adam to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Therefore, “God took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place, and of the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man, God built a woman" (Genesis 2:21-22).
Thus there was man and woman. The age old “idea” of man’s superiority over woman because she was created from his rib is as invalid as is the retort that woman was an improved version of man. At least according to this interpretation, Judaism sees man and woman as two halves of the same whole. Separated, neither is superior. Together, they represent the great potential of God's creations.
A critical word in most discussions of gender in the Torah is the word Adam, generally translated as man. However, the Hebrew word for man is eesh. Adam is a more general term that applies to a member of the human race. If one looks carefully at Genesis, one will find that Adam is almost always accompanied by the definitive article ha, the. In the Hebrew language, words are either masculine or feminine, there are no gender-neutral words. The Hebrew word “ha’adam” therefore, took on masculine endings and pronouns, but, as stated in the above verse, “male and female He created them.” Many biblical commentators conclude, therefore, that Adam was actually an androgynous creature, both male and female.
In those primordial times there were roosters and hens, bucks and does, and pigs and sows, but there was only one Adam. Only one creature possessed a neshama, a soul, and the power of intelligent speech. While Adam was a complete creature, it saw that all the other creatures had mates. God recognized Adam’s desire for a partner, noting: “It is not good for Adam to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Therefore, “God took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place, and of the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man, God built a woman" (Genesis 2:21-22).
Thus there was man and woman. The age old “idea” of man’s superiority over woman because she was created from his rib is as invalid as is the retort that woman was an improved version of man. At least according to this interpretation, Judaism sees man and woman as two halves of the same whole. Separated, neither is superior. Together, they represent the great potential of God's creations.
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