Every year, the mourning of the days of "Between Egypt" seems a little detached in the eyes of parts of the people. Suddenly, in the middle of summer vacation, when the general atmosphere is choosing vacation spots and entertainment venues - days of mourning are declared. People don't get married, they don't celebrate, they avoid things that bring joy.
Many do not understand how events that happened thousands of years ago are supposed to influence the course of our lives here and now.
This year, no one is asking these questions. The events of the destruction are not an ancient story, but a tremendous drama that is unfolding before our eyes. Camp A accuses Camp B of burning the barns, and Camp B sees the complete opposite picture, that Camp A is the one who set the house on fire. Either way, the house is burning, and everyone is asking themselves with deep concern – where is all this leading?
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Day of Reconciliation
This Sabbath is called 'Shabbat Nechamu', after the Haftarah in which we read words of comfort to the people of Israel: "Comfort, comfort my people." God comforts the people of Israel for all their suffering and hardships and promises that in the end we will merit a miraculous redemption. The prophet calls out: "Upon a high mountain I will go to you, bringing good news to Zion; lift up your voice with strength, bringing good news to Jerusalem; lift up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah - Behold, your God is here.".
But how do we find comfort in the face of such a deep rift? In the face of rifts that seemingly cannot be healed? In the face of flames of hatred that rise to heights we have never known?
To our aid comes Tu B'Av, which we will celebrate next week. It is a day that symbolizes reconciliation and consolation. This day comforted the generation of the desert and marked the end of the decree that was passed upon them. In subsequent generations, this day symbolized a connection in the people of Israel – the tribes were allowed to marry each other and the sons of Benjamin were allowed to come in the congregation. The Jewish people overcame deep divisions and paved the way for unity and connections.
This day also symbolizes the transition from summer to winter. The days begin to shorten and the nights to lengthen, and our sages determined that from now on we are required to set aside more time for Torah study. During the long daylight hours, people work more outdoors, and as the nights grow longer, they return home earlier and have more time for Torah study.
The power to unite lies in the Torah. It is what united the Jewish people throughout the thousands of years of exile. The Jews lived in different countries, spoke different languages, loved different foods, and sang different songs – but one thing united them all – the Torah. Everyone read the same Torah passage, studied it, discussed it, and drew spiritual strength from it.
The food and the glue
It is precisely the difficult upheaval that we are all going through that should lead us to recognize the importance of the Torah to the lives of each and every one of us. It contains the eternal values that have accompanied our people throughout the generations. It is the source of our strength and the basis for our unity.
This is the time to join Torah study frameworks. Set times for Torah. Make connecting to Torah a basic and everyday thing, just like food for the body, because it is food for the soul and the glue that binds us all together as a nation.
