Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz
Every year, during the “Three Weeks,” we mourn the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, our Holy Temple. While I try to keep the customs and halachot (laws) of this time-period, I don’t really feel grief, being that the Beit Hamikdash is something we’ve never had in our days. Is there any practical advice you can give for us to actually feel the mourning during this period?
Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds:
Mourning the Temple’s Destruction Through the Year
How to feel the destruction of the Temple and yearn for its rebuilding is not just a challenge for the Three Weeks; it is something we must think about throughout the year. Our daily prayers are full of requests for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the coming of Mashiach (Messiah). But living in relative tranquility, do we feel that our lives are lacking without Mashiach and the Beit Hamikdash?
Appreciating What We are Lacking
This topic was addressed previously (Ask the Rabbi Book 1, pg. 290 – “How Can We Cry for Something We Never Had?”). We discussed the importance of realizing what it means to have the Divine Presence and the Beit Hamikdash in our midst. The deeper we make our connection with Hashem (God), the more we will appreciate what we are lacking.
The Cause of all our Troubles
In addition, all pain the Jewish people suffer is a byproduct of having been sent away “from Hashem’s table.” While the Beit Hamikdash, or the Holy Temple, may have been destroyed many years ago, we are still feeling its effects today. The Crusades, the Inquisition, the pogroms, the Holocaust, and all suffering – including the present war in Eretz Yisrael (Israel) in which so many lives have been lost – are all consequences of this exile.
Practical Suggestions
There a few practical suggestions I usually offer when asked about this:
1. Study the Laws and Engage in Acts of Mourning
The first is to study the laws pertaining to the Three Weeks, as studying the topic keeps us focused on the theme of these days, making it come alive and helping us feel more connected. Engaging in actions of mourning during the Three Weeks will also help us feel their importance, as the Sefer Hachinuch teaches, “Adam nifal kefi pe’ulosav – a person is influenced by his actions.”
2. Study the Kinnot with their Translation
Another way to connect is to study the Kinnot – the liturgical poems recited on Tisha B’Av, lamenting the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. These Kinnot discuss the destruction of the Temple and other terrible tragedies that occurred during this period, as well as other tragic times in our history. However, written in difficult language and hard to understand, these meaningful Kinnot were once a closed book for most people.
Today, however, there are excellent translations and commentaries of the Kinnot that make them understandable. Spending just ten to fifteen minutes a day during this time-period studying them can help us appreciate what we are mourning. In particular, I suggest focusing on certain Kinnot – such as: 11, 21, 22, 25, 26, 36, 38, 41, and 45 – which describe in detail the terrible tragedies that happened, and will have a profound impact.
3. Pray for the Beit Hamikdash with Extra Fervor
Finally, you should take special care to recite the brachot (blessings) of Shemoneh Esrei (The Amidah Prayer) about the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the coming of Mashiach with more kavanah (concentration) and fervor. This will help awaken a yearning for the long awaited day when the Beit Hamikdash will be rebuilt and our close connection with Hashem will be renewed.
In short: Studying and observing the laws of mourning, preparing the Kinnot with translations and commentaries, as well as reciting the blessings about Mashiach with more concentration are some ways of developing a feeling for the destruction of the Holy Temple.
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