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Shimshon HaKohen Nadel

Tisha B’Av in the shadow of war

Iran and Hezbollah may target this day of mourning as an ominous time for Jews, but they miss the point: It's also a time of profound hope
Fires and smoke rise at houses in the northern Israeli border town of Metula, hit by Hezbollah shelling, as seen from the Lebanese town of Marjayoun, Lebanon, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
Fires and smoke rise at houses in the northern Israeli border town of Metula, hit by Hezbollah shelling, as seen from the Lebanese town of Marjayoun, Lebanon, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

For the past 12 days, we here in Israel have been biting our nails, anxiously waiting for a reprisal from Iran and Hezbollah for the assassinations of Ismail Haniyeh and Fouad Shukur. The threats, delays and conflicting reports of the possible scope and severity of these potential attacks are part of the psychological warfare that is being waged. Our enemies are toying with us. Current reports assure that an attack is imminent; planned for Tisha B’Av, our national day of mourning.

An attack on Tisha B’Av, Heaven forbid, would be deeply symbolic. Historically, many tragedies and calamities took place on Tisha B’Av: The destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, the fall of Betar, the razing of the Temple Mount, the beginning of the First Crusades, the expulsions from England, France, and Spain, the outbreak of World War I, seminal events and decisions related to World War II and the Holocaust, and more.

But our enemies are deeply mistaken.

The Talmud (Megillah 13b) records that when the wicked Haman cast a lot to decide when to annihilate the Jewish people, the lot fell on the month of Adar. Seeing as it fell on Adar, Haman “rejoiced greatly,” since Adar is the month in which Moses, our great teacher and leader, Moshe Rabbenu, died. Haman took this as an omen: a sign that he would succeed, as Adar is a time of tragedy and calamity for the Jewish people. But he miscalculated. According to the Talmud, Haman did not account for the fact that Moshe was also born in Adar, making Adar an auspicious time for the Jews.

The plot of the wicked Haman was foiled, and the Jewish people gained the upper-hand and were saved. It was a dramatic turn of events. A miracle. The very month on which they were destined for destruction was, “transformed for them from one of grief and mourning into a festival” (Esther 9:22).

True, Tisha B’Av is a tragic day. A bitter day. A day of “weeping for generations” (Ta’anit 29a). A day “designated for punishment” (Rambam, Hil. Ta’aniyot 5:3. See also Abravanel to Jeremiah 2:24). But it’s also the the symbolic birthday of the Messiah (See Yerushalmi Berachot 2:4; Eichah Rabbah 1:51). The seeds of redemption are sown on this day. And according to the prophecy of Zechariah, Tisha B’Av will one day be transformed into a festival: “Thus said Hashem, Master of Legions: The Fast of the Fourth, the Fast of the Fifth, the Fast of the Seventh, and the Fast of the Tenth shall become occasions of joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah” (Zechariah 8:19. See also Rosh Hashanah 18b).

Should our enemies in Iran and Lebanon be plotting an attack on a day which they believe is ominous, just like Haman, this too would be a miscalculation. Tisha B’Av is our national day of mourning, but it is also a day of hope. Yes, historically we have suffered greatly on this day, but despite it all the Jewish people have survived. The Jewish nation lives and thrives and will continue to live and thrive.

May we too merit to see Hashem’s salvation, and just like the Jews in the Purim story, be blessed with “light and gladness, joy and honor” (Esther 8:16).

About the Author
Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel lives and teaches in Jerusalem, where he serves as Rabbi of Har Nof's Kehilat Zichron Yosef and Rosh Kollel of the Sinai Kollel and Hovevei Zion's Kollel Boker.
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