Napoleon and Tisha B'Av
Copyright Rabbi Eli Hecht
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The following story is told of the great French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. He once was traveling through a small Jewish town in Europe. He entered a synagogue. There he saw an incredible sight. Men and women weeping. They were sitting on the floor on small stools holding candles while reading from books. The synagogue had an elaborate chandelier but only a few candles were lit. If not for the small candle lights the magnificent synagogue would have been in complete darkness. It was a gloomy and sad sight to behold.
Napoleon asked why the people were weeping and wanted to know what misfortune had happened here. An enlightened Jewish French officer told him that nothing new and terrible had happened. The Jewish people had a custom to gather once a year on a day called the ninth day of Av, the day that marks the destruction of the Jewish people's Temple. Twice they built a magnificent Temple in Jerusalem and both were destroyed. After their second Temple was destroyed the people were scattered all over the world and sold as slaves. Some escaped and built their homes world over. Somehow the Jewish people exist without their country and their Temple.
In order to commemorate these sad events they gather once a year in synagogue. There they fast, pray, and read sad prophetic writings concerning the destruction of their Temple and land. What we see in this town is happening in all Jewish communities.
Napoleon inquired as to how many years have they been doing this and was over 2000 years. Upon hearing this Napoleon exclaimed, "A nation that cries and fasts for over 2,000 years for their land and Temple will surely be rewarded with their Temple."
On Sunday July 29th Jewish people worldwide will gather and pray for the return of a peaceful Israel. They will remember how wonderful and safe the land of Israel was. How they had a magnificent Temple where nations came to pray, paying homage to G‑d.
Prayers for the rebuilding of their homeland and their holy Temple will be the message of the day.
Prophets speak of the time when there will be world peace - as found in the recorded words of the prophets Isaiah 2:4 and Michah 4:3 "..they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift a sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more." Michah 4:4 continues: "Each man shall sit under his vine and under his fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid&"
The threat of war and nuclear bombs will be a thing of the past. Nuclear energy will only be used for peaceful purposes such as nuclear power. Nations will feel like family. The true knowledge of G‑d will be known - what a wonderful world we will have.
Isaiah 11:6-9: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie with the kid, and a calf with a lion's cub and a fatling together, and a small child shall lead them&"
In the view of modern psychology the small child leading may offer a unique interpretation. It may be about the emergence of the inner child that we all possess. That the prophet is really speaking about people returning to the innocence of childhood. A child that knows right from wrong and is at peace with itself.
We are now living in a world where little children are sacrificed by the Arab-Israeli struggle. What we need to do is stop the mayhem in that area. Allowing the unheard cry from the real child to emerge.
If I could make a wish it would be the following: As Sunday, July 29th marks the destruction of the Land of Israel and its glorious Temples. On that day let both Jews and Arabs gather in their houses of worship and end their conflicts. For over 2,000 years Jews have been remembering their land and Temple. It is time to end the weeping and start the reaping of a new era of peace.