Tonight at sundown begins the fast of Tish B'Av. This is the 9th day of Av on the Hillel calendar, and considered a fast day due to the major incidents that have taken place on this date.
This past Shabbat is called Shabbat Chazon, or the Shabbat of vision based on the first verse of the haftarah in Isaiah chapter 1. However, it is also taught by the Rabbi's that each person receives a vision of the third temple at this time, and that we should always be looking toward the restoration of the Temple in Yerushalayim.
It was on the 9th of Av that the spies brought back a bad report about the Land as we read in Parsha Shelach, as well as a recounting again this Shabbat as we read from Devarim (Deuteronomy). Here is a list of some of the incidents related to this day.
1. Spies bring a bad report about the Land
2. Shlomo's (Solomon's) Temple is destroyed
3. Romans destroy the second Temple in 70CE
4. Hadrian orders Jerusalem plowed in 130CE
5. Bar Kochba revolt is crushed in 135 CE
6. A heathen Temple is erected by Hadrian on the site of the Holy Temple, and Jerusalem is renamed "Aelia Capitolina" to which the Jews were forbidden to enter.
7. In 1096 the "Crusades" began, killing more than 1.2 million Jews, as the "Christians" marched across Europe to the Land of Israel to liberate it from the Muslims.
8. In 1290 , under orders from King Edward 1, England banished the Jews.
9. In 1306 Jews were expelled from France.
10. In 1492 Jews were expelled from Spain
11. In 1882 the Pogroms against Russian Jews was begun.
12. WWl was declared on this day in 1914, and as Russia mobilized, it launched persecution against the Jews of Eastern Russia.
13. On the 7th of Av, in 1941 SS Obergruppenfuhrer Reinhard Heydrich was appointed by Goering to carry out the "Final Solution," the murder of all Jews in Europe. Two days later, on the 9th of Av, SS Commander Heinrich Himmler formally presented his plan to the Nazi party on the Final Solution.
14. On this day in 1942 the Warsaw Ghetto began to be liquidated, and the first killings began at Treblinka.
15. In 2005, on the 10th of Av, Jewish settlers in Gaza were forcibly removed from their homes to enable the transfer of Gaza to the Arabs.
With all of these major events taking place, the focus is still on the destruction of the Temples, and the subsequent restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. We are all working on Tikun Olam (repair of the world), so that we might merit the buidling of the Temple in our day, and the coming of Messiah.
The Chazal (Sages) teach that the first Temple was destroyed as a result of sexual immorality, murder, and idolatry. It is taught that the second Temple was destroyed due to Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred). It is interesting to note that both Temples brought about exile, however, while the first Temple brought an exile of only 70 years, the exile brought about through the destruction of the second Temple has lasted some 2,000 years, and continues in our day.
One must ask themselves, "how is it that for three grave sins exile lasted for 70 years, but for hatred it has lasted since the destruction and even to our present day?" It would seem that the punishment does not fit the crime.
When we look at the sin of the spies, we see that they also were punished with an exile for this same sin. They wept for no reason when they heard the bad report, they spoke against the Land for no good reason, they spoke against Moshe, and they spoke against G-D. It was for their Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred) that caused their exile, and it is for the same reason that we remain in exile to this day.
Leviticus 19:11-18 speaks about how we are to treat one another and culminates with these words of the Torah, which were also reiterated in the Brit Chadasha by Y'shua:
"You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am the L-RD."
We are bombarded daily with ads on TV, radio, and magazines about diseases, and those things that bring death like drunk driving, however, hatred is a greater killer than all of them combined. Hatred kills not the physical body, but the soul.
Even within the body of Messiah, hatred runs rampant. Their are divisions between organizations like the MJAA, UMJC, MIA and others. We have hatred of Rabbinic Judaism for Messianic Judaism. We have Messianic Judaism coming against the Church, and the Church doing all it can to distance itself from their Messianic brothers and sisters. We allow petty difference, which have nothing to do with the major tenets of our faith separate us and cause division and disunity. There are 38,000 different denominations and cults, and people wonder why we are still in exile.
While G-D does not abide for any type of hatred, at least in the natural one could make an argument for a "personal grievance type hatred." This would be when someone wrongs you. It could be a neighbor, a co-worker, or someone you walk with in ministry. However, if restitution is made, the hatred dissipates. Hatred like this is based on a real cause, and the hatred disappears.
Then there is a "selfish hatred." This type of hatred come with what appears to be a "reason." However, the truth is that this type of hatred is preceded by a reason. The reason comes afterward as a justification of the hatred. This hatred also beckons others to agree and join in on the hatred.
THIS IS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF "SINAT CHINAM"
The world is full of this sick type of hatred, and the body of Messiah is filled with it as well. At the bottom of this hatred is a selfishness that seeks to elevate itself in order to cause others to be viewed with disdain and suspicion. This is a contagious disease. This type of person uses counterfeit reasons to justify the reasons for their hatred.
In Judaism we are taught that when you are wronged that you are supposed to go to the individual and inform he has done so, rebuke him for it, and give him a chance to apologize and right the wrong. This differs somewhat from what is considered to be the Western/Christian mindset of forgiveness, because when you are wronged the Rabbi's teach, you still feel hatred even though you seek to love your neighbor. This is very much like what most of us go through in the body of Messiah when we are wronged. We know that we must forgive, but the truth is that even when we make the decision to forgive in our hearts, there are still hurt feelings which seek to rise up and cause us to hate.
In the Gemara (Kiddushin 30b) it teaches that even a father and son, or a Rebbe and his student can become enemies in their arguments over Torah, but the conclusion is that they are supposed to end up friends. However, this does not change the fact that during the argument they are enemies. So, the question is asked, "how can enemies who were fighting, arguing, refusing to accept the other one's position, end up as friends.?" This sounds a little on the romantic side.
The truth we learn is that we are always going to have arguments and disagreements. The issue for us is how we are going to deal with these arguments and disagreements when they arise. If we maintain our "anchor" or constant, which is our relationship with G-D, then when we argue and disagree, it will not lead to "selfish hatred."
Our intentions should always be to seek truth, clarity, and intimacy with G-D, and if I enter into an argument with that intention, one of two things will happen. I will either end up accepting my opponents argument against me, or I will be strengthened in my own position. It is my opponent who helped me reach either conclusion, and thus bringing me closer to truth.
In this, I end up manifesting "Ahavat Chinam" or "baseless love." I end up loving and appreciating my opponent even when I don't agree with him. We should not need a reason to love, just as we should not come up with reason to hate. When we live in this way, the enemies end up being friends.
As we approach Tish B'Av, let us each have a vision. Let us remember that both Temples were destroyed for baseless hatred. Let us also remember, that we are now the Temple of G-D.
Will you allow your Temple to be destroyed for the same reasons?
The Torah teaches us that when our "vision" is driven by a connection with G-D, then our ability to achieve will transcend all our limitations, and then anything will be possible. The closer we get to G-D, and the deeper connection we have with Him, the greater will be our breaking out of our boundaries and limitations.
Let us seek to restore our own Temples that stand against the forces which seek to lure us away from vision and hope. We who are believers in Messiah Y'shua should have a vision past that of the restoration of the third Temple, and a hope toward the day when a Temple will no longer be required.
Revelation 21:22 "I saw NO TEMPLE in it, for the L-RD G-D ALMIGHTY and THE LAMB are its TEMPLE."
With the help of G-D we will see the New Jerusalem! Baruch HaShem!
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