BackEmerging from the Darkness
By: Rabbi Dr. Abraham Unger
Tonight begins the fast of mourning for the destruction of the Jerusalem Temples and other historic tragedies that have befallen the Jewish People. Tisha B’Av, the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av, is upon us.
In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking, we hold services tonight with the lights dimmed. The prophet Jeremiah’s Scroll of Lamentations is chanted in near-darkness.
Darkness represents torment and a lack of clarity. The patriarch Jacob famously wrestled with a mysterious figure at night. The Rabbis hypothesize that it was an angel. Was Jacob struggling with his own demons? Darkness brings with it mystery and fear, because we cannot see where we are or where we are going. Imagine being in Jerusalem as it burned. Imagine staring blankly among the ashes after the invading armies destroyed the symbols of our sovereignty.
But, as of tomorrow, as Tisha B’Av begins to wane, the light can indeed increase again. There is still hope that G-d will remember us. He will see us, and promises of redemption will be kept. Jeremiah ends his dirge with our covenantal plea: “Bring us back to you L-rd, and we shall return. Renew our days as they were before.”
The darkness teaches us the value of light. Without getting through the night, we would not be as focused on bringing about a happier day. To find our way to gratitude – to hope – that is the task at hand over the course of this next day.