Shabbat Nachamu

Learning From the Past

by Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon

Founder and Board Chairman, JobKatif

At Mincha on Tisha B’Av, during Shmona Esrai there is the custom of asking G-d to console Yerushalaim instead of the usual practice of asking Him to rebuild it. I always come away from this Mincha asking the same question: Why do we only ask for Yerushalaim’s consolation at Mincha and not during all our other prayers that day? The Ritva explains that before this time we are still not worthy to make such a request.
There is another custom specific to Sephardi women on Tisha B’Av. After Mincha time these women scrub their homes and wash their clothing. A strange custom, since for the past nine days they have kept the practice of refraining from any intense cleaning.

Their reason for doing so is that many sources suggest that the Mashiach will come on Tisha B’Av, thus beginning the process of redemption. Even Ashkenazim permit sitting on chairs in the afternoon of Tisha B’Av and preparing the meal on which to break the fast. It is also customary to recite Birkat HaLevana, the blessing on the new moon, a signal of renewal, as soon as the fast is over.
All these customs point to one thing: once lamenting over the destruction of the Holy Temple is done, we must begin preparing for the redemption immediately.
The day after Tisha B’Av five years ago was the day on which the removal of people of Gush Katif from their homes began (the date was originally set for Tisha B’Av, but when the significance of such a terrible mistake was grasped the date was changed to the following day). As we recall this tragic event, while we must acknowledge that its magnitude does not equal the devastation that occurred the day the Holy Temple was destroyed, we have to grasp quite how destructive the disengagement from Gush Katif was. The impact of that day five years ago is still resounding. Communities were torn apart, synagogues we destroyed, family ties severed and most people from Gush Katif are still without homes and without a means of supporting their families.
So how can we move from the point of destruction to a point when we can take comfort? We must remember that some of this depends on us: G-d helps those who try to help themselves.
Thank G-d JobKatif has found a way to help 1600 of the people of Gush Katif get back on their feet and find work again. But there are still hundreds who still need work, whose families and marriages are impaired, whom we have not yet been able to reach. With the help of G-d, together we will be able to help them stand on their feet and regain their independence! May we be enabled to do so and succeed.