Most readers of this blog, I would guess, know what Tisha B'Av represents: a commemoration of the destruction of Israel's two Holy Temples. These two Temples, while separated in time by more than 400 years, were nevertheless both destroyed on the same day--the ninth day of the Hebrew month, Av; or, to use the Hebrew term, on Tisha [the ninth] B'Av [of Av].
Other calamities have appeared in Jewish histories on this same day. But the main calamity was the destruction of our two Temples.
Many, however, do not know about Israel's very first 'ninth of Av'. That day was indeed a true 'Day of Infamy' for Israel because it changed Israel's Destiny, forever. Do you know what that day was, and what happened on that day?
Israel's first Tisha B'Av, our Talmud tells us (in Tractate Taanit, p. 29a), is linked to the incident of 'the spies', in our Torah (in Bamidbar [Numbers], chapters 13-14). In this incident, the Jewish people (referred to here as 'Israel') were on the verge of entering the land of Israel for the first time. Moshe, their leader, had sent spies to reconnoiter the land. The spies returned to Moshe on the ninth of Av, and gave a report to him and to his brother Aaron before the entire assembly of Israel.
Twelve men had been chosen for this mission, one from each of the twelve tribes. These men weren't just any men. They were leaders. Each man was important to his tribe.
Their mission had taken 40 days. Now, the ninth of AV, they gave their report.
They began with a positive message. They reported that the land "flows with milk and honey". To prove their point, they presented a heavy cluster of grapes they had picked.
Yes, their message was clear. This land was indeed good. It was fertile. It had much to offer.
But it was what they said next that changed Israel's Destiny--forever. The tragedy on that first ninth of Av (literally, Tisha B'Av) began with a single, simple word. After giving a brief report on how good the land was, they said, "But".
They said, 'but' the people in this land are powerful. Their cities are fortified. The cities are great. The spies even reported that they had seen offspring of "the giant".
Remember now, these men, along with all of Israel, had been promised this land by G-d. G-d had taken this people out of slavery. He had brought them to the very edge of this land. This is to say that G-d had made a Promise; and He had kept that Promise.
But the people's faith in that Promise failed them. The spies were frightened. The people heard their fear and they became frightened. They cried out in anguish, essentially crying, 'what have you done to us?'
These people had seen G-d do the impossible--take them out of slavery and defeat what was arguable the best army in the world, at the Red Sea. They had even seen G-d split the Red Sea for them.
G-d had protected them in their travels. He had done everything one could have imagined for them. But these people now lost their faith in Him--and that is what changed Israel's Destiny.
Many say that faith is powerful. It is. It can move mountains. The loss of faith is just as powerful. Perhaps even more powerful. A loss of faith can destroy. It can destroy everything: it can change the course of history.
Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik says that, if Israel had not lost its faith at this moment, everything in Jewish history would have been different: Moshe would have immediately led Israel into the land. Moshe would "in effect" have become the Jewish Moshiach (Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Sefer Devarim, the Neuwirth Edition,the OU Press, p. 11). Plus, "Israel's possession of the land and the Temple would have been permanent, with no destruction and no subsequent exiles" (ibid).
Permanent Redemption: what a concept for the Jewish people! It meant permanent peace permanent good fortune and permanent security.
It had all been theirs. This incredible gift from G-d was at their fingertips, proverbially close enough to touch. Israel was set to achieve its Destiny. All the people needed to do was to believe in HaShem--and enter the land. Period.
But they had lost their faith. Fear had done them in. With that fear, they turned against G-d. Fear made them forget their faith.
In essence, their fear caused them to reject G-d--and His Promise.
Think about that loss. Think about all the destructions Jews have experienced--all the massacres, the pogroms, the anti-Semitism and all the raw Jew-hate we see even--or, especially--today.
There would have been no Holocaust. If the Jews had gone into the land back then, there would today be no Arabs throwing stones at Jews on the Temple Mount (here); no Arab accusations that Jews ascending to the Temple Mount on Tisha B'Av was a "dangerous escalation" and a "serious threat to security" (here). There would be no Arab declarations that the entire Temple Mount area--all 35+ acres/144 dunams of it--belong to Muslims, and to no one else (here).
None of these things would have happened. Jewish history would have been completely different.
The tragedy of this 'spy' incident is that it wasn't foisted upon the Jewish people by outsiders or by war. It was brought upon the Jewish people themselves. Worse, it had been created and led by Jewish leaders--because of their fear and their own loss of faith.
Jewish leaders (the spies were 'Jewish leaders') created that first Tisha B'AV tragedy. Do we now see another historic Jewish tragedy, one perhaps again led and fostered by Jewish leaders--in 2021 America?
Perhaps. In the week leading up to Tisha B'Av, 2021, we saw a new US survey revealing that 25% of American Jewish respondents believe that modern Israel is an Apartheid State (a hoax if ever there was one) (here). Among American Jews under 40, 20% agreed with the statement. "Israel doesn't have the right to exist" (ibid)--and one third of these under-40 Jews agree that Israel commits genocide (another hoax) (ibid).
Have America's Jews lost their faith? Are their Jewish leaders at fault?
Maybe. Right now in America, some 38% of Jews do not feel any emotional attachment at all to Israel (ibid). How did that happen?
Since a belief in Israel is fundamental to Judaism, these poll numbers suggest that a high percent of American Jews may in fact be removing themselves from Judaism. It's not an idle thought. Other American polls have already suggested that Jews in America increasingly raise their children with no faith at all. How did that happen?
More important, where will that loss of faith lead?
American Jews leave behind their religion because they choose to assimilate. Assimilation is a religious cancer. It will lead to the death of Judaism in America.
Kill off Judaism in America, and Jews disappear. It's that simple. That's the developing tragedy we see in America. Has the Jewish people's sojourn in America ended?
On top of assimilation--but related to assimilation--almost 90% of American Jews are concerned about a growing antisemitism in America. Why is it that, as assimilation increases, antisemitism increases?
I do not know the answer to this question. But I do know this: as assimilation and antisemitism in America increase, Jewish fear increases; and as Jewish fear increases, the prospects in America for a thriving Jewish community decreases.
Do American Jews even care about what assimilation and antisemitism mean to them? I don't know if they care. But if they don't care, then they are done as 'Jews'. They will be lost.
Where are America's Jewish leaders? Do they care about the fear and the loss of faith among US Jews?
Tisha B'Av is all about Jewish tragedies. This Tisha B'Av, there is a clear American Jewish tragedy developing in America. Will America's Jews see this tragedy unfolding?
Chances are, no--they will not see it. Maybe it's time for US Jews to leave what looks increasingly like a sinking ship. Maybe it's time they make aliyah.
Will they? You tell me.
Have an easy fast.
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