Cantor Moses' Musings--Tisha B'Av

Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av is a day of communal mourning in the Jewish calendar. On this day we commemorate and mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E and 70 C.E. respectively, as well as many other disasters said to have befallen the Jews on this day. We observe this holiday by gathering together without greeting each other, sitting on the floor in mourning in the dark, chanting psalms, reading poetry and chanting from the book of Lamentations, known as Eicha in a haunting melody that evokes suffering, longing, and an eerily kind of comforting hope. 

Hauntingly, this day will not be difficult for us to observe this year. The continuous and overwhelming mourning and loss, the betrayal of our own humanity, the rise in antisemitism has plagued us over these years of war, and at times it is paralyzing. Tisha B’Av gives us the opportunity to feel all the brokenness in its fullness, and wake us up to the pain that must be transformed into purpose.

Join us this weekend as we begin Shabbat, holding onto and sharing the precious moments in our lives that we can celebrate turning these dark times, (which is imperative!) with our monthly Celebration Shabbat. Come back on Saturday evening as we end Shabbat together and release into communal mourning giving each other the space to cry, to mourn, to hurt and eventually to heal as we observe Tisha B’Av. 

In her book UNFOLDING, Rabbi Karyn Kedar writes, 

“Tisha B’Av is a solemn period grounded in historical circumstances that encourages deep personal reflection. The Temple was destroyed because of human frailty; we chose hate over love, and all was lost for the nation. So too, with us, when we give into negativity we lose so much. Destruction, we learn and know so well, is caused by senseless hatred. Redemption will come with love.” 

Join us in love, help us be redeemed. 

Shabbat Shalom, 
Cantor Bat-Ami Moses 

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