Sad but not depressed

 Tisha B’Av (the ninth day of the month of Av) – the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.  Both Holy Temples were destroyed on this day, and many other calamities befell the Jewish people on this day.  You can see details here.  We fast for 25 hours, similar to Yom Kippur, and we may not wear leather shoes or bathe, and refrain from any activities that express joy.  We are even restricted on what parts of Torah we may study, since Torah study brings us great joy. 

 

The ninth of Av will be this Sunday.  While the fast of Tisha B’Av happens often on a Sunday, it is interesting to note that this year is different.  Typically, a Sunday “Tisha B’Av” is actually a misnomer.  The literal translation of “Tisha B’Av” means “the ninth day of Av,” as I wrote at the beginning, but usually the Sunday fast is really on the tenth of Av.  This is because when the ninth day of Av falls on Shabbat, we postpone the fast to the next day, since we do not fast on Shabbat, except for on Yom Kippur.  Nevertheless, although the date on the calendar is “asara B’Av - the tenth of Av, we still refer to the day as Tisha B’Av, since that is the name of the fast.  This year, the actual ninth of Av is on Sunday, so it is both nominally and practically Tisha B’Av.  This is a rare occurrence.

 

Because the fast is on Sunday, there are several differences in customs between this year and a typical day before Tisha B’Av.  When the fast begins on a different day, there is a special meal that is eaten before sunset, called the “Seuda Hamafseket.”  We sit low to the ground and eat a bagel or a piece of bread with a hardboiled egg dipped in ashes.  This year, since Erev Tisha B’Av is Shabbat, we eat regular food, even meat, sitting on regular chairs.  This meal must end before sunset.

 

In general, we take off our leather shoes before the meal I described above, but since we may not show any visible signs of mourning on Shabbat, this year we change our shoes at the beginning of the evening Maariv service, after Barchu.  The restrictions on learning Torah, however, since this is not something that is outwardly visible, begin as usual at midday on Shabbat, which in daylight savings time is about 1:14 pm. 

 

After the evening service on Saturday night, we sit on or near the floor and read the book of Lamentations – Megillat Eicha.  On Sunday, we pray without the Tallit and Tefillin in the morning, and only put them on in the late afternoon at Mincha.  We continue to sit on or near the floor (a low stool or box, or a couch with the cushions removed, for example) until 1:14 on Sunday afternoon.  On Sunday during the morning Shacharit services, we say Kinot, a series of lamentations and prayers mourning the destruction of the Temple and other atrocities committed against our people.  Another difference this year is that we say Havdalah, usually said after Shabbat on Saturday night, on Sunday night after the fast.  This is because we are forbidden to drink anything on the fast, and Havdalah is said over a glass of wine.

 

It is very important to remember that while this is indeed the saddest day of the year, we should not confuse sadness with depression.  The purpose of this observance is not to put us into a state of despair or lethargy.  On the contrary, it is meant to motivate us to do whatever we can to hasten the end of the bitter exile and to bring about the rebuilding of the Holy Temple by Mashiach.  In fact in Chassidic communities in Europe children would throw sticky thorns at the adults’ beards in order to help lighten the mood.  While we mourn the destruction and the ongoing exile, we must maintain our inner joy and the knowledge that we can make a difference.  We have been given the power to bring the light of Hashem into the world by every mitzvah action that we do.  Every “battle” or struggle must be approached with joy and confidence in order for us to succeed, and our battle against the darkness of exile is no different.  The Torah says “serve Hashem with joy,” and this applies every day and at every time.

 

So on Tisha B’av, as we cry for the destruction and calamities that have befallen our people, we contemplate ways that we can change the situation.  The way we do this is actually quite simple.  You and I and every person in the world can make the difference with one Mitzvah and another Mitzvah.  As Rambam writes, we should always see the world as perfectly balanced between good and evil.  One act of goodness will therefore tip the scales and bring redemption.  Imagine if you do the Mitzvah that makes the difference.  How will you feel when Mashiach comes and tells you that it was you who did it?