Rabbi’s Corner –Security Breach Edition

Dear Friends,

This Tuesday we observe the fast of Shiva Assar B’Tammuz.  According to Rabbinic tradition, five notable tragic events occurred on this day: 1. The first tablets were shattered following the sin of the golden calf 2. The daily offering in the Temple was discontinued 3. The walls of Jerusalem were breached 4. Apostomos (an ambassador or an apostate) burned the Torah and 5. placed an idol in the Temple (M. Ta’anit 4:6).

If we understand the motivation for the Sages declaring a fast day simply as a response to tragic events, then we would have to ask serious questions as to why these events are worthy of commemoration as opposed to others.  In the “grand scheme” of Jewish persecution, some of these events may seem relatively trivial.  Furthermore, why mourn the destruction of the first tablets when God replaced them? Why declare a fast over the mere breaching of Jerusalem when in three weeks we observe Tisha B’av and Jerusalem’s destruction?

I suggest that the five events listed are not worthy of a commemorative fast due to severity, but there is a thematic connection of losing one’s sense of physical or spiritual security.  Consider the first tablets were a divinely created physical symbol of the covenant, the daily offering provided consistency of worship, the walls of Jerusalem obviously provided physical protection, and the destruction of the Torah and idol in the temple removed the spiritual security of a permanently sanctified temple.  Thus we are not mourning specific events as much as the loss of security, for without this sense of security, we live in doubt and fear of our surroundings.

Unfortunately, we have never truly regained this sense of security.  For one important example, today marks the fourth year since the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, taken in a cross-border raid.  While the international community has verbally advocated for his release, they to date have done little substantive.  Even today the house passed a non-binding resolution calling for his release, and the Red Cross – vocal in its criticisms of Israel – merely expresses frustration at being denied access to check on Gilad Shalit’s conditions.  This intolerable situation also reminds us of our own precarious security in our own country and in the international community.

This Shiva Assar B’Tammuz, let us be aware and mournful of our own loss of security so that next year we may be worthy to truly live once again as a free and secure nation in our land.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Josh Yuter