Words From Rabbi White

THOUGHTS FROM EICHA

This past Tuesday night, in shuls around the world, people gathered to hear the Book of Eicha, “Lamentations.” According to tradition, it was composed by the Prophet Jeremiah, describing the destruction in the Land of Israel, at the time of the churban of the first Temple in the 6th century BCE. 

I have always been fascinated by that Book, from the time I first heard it chanted, in the summer after grade 8, when I was a camper in Camp Yavneh in New Hampshire, listening to the counselor read it, and watching the model of the Temple being burned and floating down our “agam,” (lake.)

In the past, it always seemed to me like ancient history. Yet this year, the first Tisha b’av after Oct 7, while listening to the recitation, I couldn’t help but see some contemporary connections. Here are several examples that came to mind. 

1:1 “ ‘eichah yashevah badad,” = “how the city (i.e. Jerusalem) has become isolated!” So many nations and populations have turned against us! We are almost alone in the UN. Even in the USA and Canada, many politicians and people seem to be rooting for Hamas.

1:3 “kol she`areha shomemin” “all her gates are desolate.” Have you seen pictures from Ben Gurion airport? The place is almost empty. Most airlines have canceled flights to and from Israel. Very few tourists are shopping, thereby not fueling the economy.

1:4 “betuloteha nugot” = “her young ladies are saddened.” We have all seen the videos of young mothers who are now widows, and their children orphans, because their husbands have been killed in the war. 

1:5 “`oleleha halekhu shevi” = “her young children went into captivity.” We all know of the many captives, the youngest being the baby Bibas, who was captured at only 4 months, and not heard from since.

1:17 “sevivav tsarav”= “enemies are all around.” Even Egypt, the country of the famous peace treaty with Menahem Begin, has been revealed as a major source of Hamas’ weapons, smuggled through a tunnel, at very great profit for President El-Sisi of Egypt.

Rashi on this verse referred to a midrash: when Sennacherib of Assyria exiled many Israelites, he also exiled the enemies Ammonites and Moabites and placed them in proximity to the Israelites, thus causing extra anguish to the Israelites. I am reminded that certain politicians have been suggesting that America and Canada must expedite immigration for Gazans into our countries.

This Shabbat is Shabbat Nachamu, when we read as the haftarah the beautiful words of consolation from the Prophet Isaiah (chapter 40.) [As opposed to his words of rebuke in last week’s haftarah.] As the Yiddish expression goes “gits arayn a nechomole in a yiddisher neshomale.” meaning, "let’s pour in a little comfort into a Jewish soul.”

Have a good rest of summer! May it be a summer of nechama, of comfort.

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I understand that last week, Maggie and Michael Rubin sponsored a kiddush in memory of Maggie’s father, and in memory of Rabbi Joshua Shmidman, the distinguished rav of TBDJ.  May their memories be for a blessing.

On Wednesday, 17 Av, Shulamit Foxman observes yahrzeit for her mother, Rebitsin Zemlah Singer. May the memory be for a blessing.

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Shabbat shalom, shalom `al Yisrael

Rabbi Menahem White