Today is Tish`a B'av (תשעה באב) - the Ninth of Av, the day Jews
commemorate the destruction of both the first and second Temples, plus
many other calamities that have befallen the Jewish people, such as the
Spanish Inquisition. Kesher Talk is hosting a blogburst on the subject, in addition to some related subjects.
On Tish`a B'av Jews fast from sundown to dark the next day, sit on the
floor, and, in general, mourn. And, we have plenty to mourn (though I
would never claim exclusivity on that subject). But this year I find it
particularly poignant, considering what else is going on. And to think, we are still being characterized like this, not by political partisans, but casually, as if by "common knowledge":
Though a victim in the past, you've learned very little from this and have encouraged a cycle of violence in your life and the life of many you know. You're a little paranoid and somewhat schizophrenic, causing you to promote both hatred and hope in cycling intervals. Some of the paranoia is justified, as a lot of people don't like you, but more people are helping you than you'd ever really admit to. At this point, you live on some valuable property and would benefit greatly from just giving peace a chance.
Valuable property? Perhaps we are being confused with such enlightened neighbors as Saudi Arabia? Or perhaps Egypt (remember the Nile)? In fact this whole paragraph accurately characterizes pretty much every country in the region except Israel! Have you ever heard these sentiments applied to any of them? I haven't.
On Tisha` B'av we read qinot (קינות) - lamentations, and in particular, Eykha (איכה) - the Book of Lamentations. It begins like this:
אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד הָעִיר
רַבָּתִי עָם הָיְתָה
כְּאַלְמָנָה
רַבָּתִי בַגּוֹיִם שָׂרָתִי בַּמְּדִינוֹת הָיְתָה לָמַס
בָּכוֹ תִבְכֶּה בַּלַּיְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ עַל לֶחֱיָהּ
אֵין לָהּ
מְנַחֵם מִכָּל אֹהֲבֶיהָ
כָּל רֵעֶיהָ בָּגְדוּ בָהּ הָיוּ לָהּ
לְאֹיְבִים
Eykha yashva vadad ha`ir
Rabati `am hayta
K'almana
Rabati vagoyim sarati bamdinot hayta lamas
Bakho tivke balayla v'dim`atah `al leheyah
Eyn lah m'nahem mikol ohaveyha
Kol re`eyha bagdu bah hayu lah l'oyvim
How does the city sit alone
That was full of people
Like a widow
Great among the nations, a princess among cities, she is gone to tribute
Cries, she cries in the night and her tears are on her cheek
She has no comforter among all her lovers
All her friends betrayed her, they have become like enemies to her
I took that quiz and blogged about it. Even e-mailed the webmaster and complained about it. He never replied.
Posted by: Maria at August 17, 2005 10:00 PM Permalink