Moving Forward?

We wept and cried on Tisha B’Av and now we enter into the period referred to as the 7 Shabbosos of Consolation. The Haftorah readings for these weeks mention and discuss our future as a people aspiring for that eventual time when Hashem’s Presence will be recognized by all and we will return to Eretz Yisroel with the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash.

Why Do We Cry?

We are well aware that this Sunday, the ninth day of Av, Tisha B’Av is the saddest day of the year. We sit on the floor until noon of that day and we recite Kinnos, special prayers evoking the tragedies of yesteryear which actually remind us of the calamities that have befallen us in every generation. We mourn the loss of the Beis HaMikdash which was destroyed a couple of thousand years ago.

Shooting for More

Two and a half tribes opted to stay  in Transjordan and not inherit land in Israel proper. And they did so with tremendous sacrifice. They were away from their families for 14 years until the conquest of Israel and the apportioning of the land was completed. In the exchange between Moshe and the leaders of those tribes there seems to be repetition.

Faces of TJE: Aaron Polster

For Aaron Polster, the events of October 7, 2023, marked a profound shift—not just globally, but personally.

Before then, Aaron had what many might call a “satisfactory” Jewish life in Denver. He was no stranger to Jewish tradition. He’d gather 30 friends for an annual Passover seder, attend synagogue for the High Holidays, and occasionally host or join a Shabbat dinner. Community was there—but it wasn’t until tragedy struck that Aaron realized something deeper was missing.

Upgrading the Reduction

The Torah refers to the ‘teruah’ sound of the shofar when we blow it on Rosh Hashanah and also it is denoted as the remembrance of the teruah. Why the two different references? The sound of the teruah motivates one to repent, however, the motivation is only good if we follow through. Additionally, we must ‘remember’ the call to repent during the entire year.