This article began as 4th of July musings about Columbus which illuminated my understanding of Yehoyakim, then morphed into a reflection on our values as American Jews in preparation for Tishah b'Av.
I find the point you and Lopez makes about how the initial founders strong desire for wealth at all costs and how it affects our culture today really poignant. I don't have any real data to back this up, but just by observation and being a part of it, I think our orthodox american community today is very materialistic and has an unhealthy relationship with wealth. Obviously desire for wealth is an age old desire, but it's interesting to think about just how privileged our frum community is today compared to generations past and if we're using our wealth in the right ways. Do we justify improper business practices, take advantage of 'price mistakes', and support corrupt economies and businesses - because hey I'm using my money to support torah and mitzvos? Thanks for bringing out this important message to think about before tisha bav and to inspire teshuva.
The Rav has a very interesting approach to the pesukim from Yirmiyahu you quoted about what one may glorify himself with in the context of the Haftarah on Tisha bAv (sorry for any typos, the scanning might have been a little off):
“The Haftarah on Tish'ah be-Av is not read like any other Haftarah on a holiday or even on a fast-day. The Haftarah on Tish'ah be-Av is actually the first kinah we say in the morning. The Haftarah speaks of urban and expresses utter despair and distress. We are to cry, to weep, and to mourn for the hurban Beit ha-Mikdash. And in order to do that, we first had to read Knot al pi nevrah. The reading of the Haftarah on Tish'ah be-Av is necessary as a formal license granted the mekonen and, by extension, us to weep and cry and ask questions of Ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu. 'The kinah of the Haftarah grants us the authority, the permission, to go on and say more knot and ask many questions like the questions Jeremiah asked the Ribbon shel Olam. This Kinah provided us with an example of the kinah we would be able to say in the generations to come. In a word, at night, Sefer Eikhah is the matir for Kinot; in the daytime, it is the Haftarah. As a matter of fact, as we have already noted, there normaly is a principle that we end a ritual recitation on a positive note. The Early Prophets concluded their works with words of praise and consolation" (Berakhot 31a). This means that a Haftarah must end with words of comfort, joy, and solace.
But we do not find this in the kinah that is the Haftarah of Tish'ah be-Av. "For death has come up into our windows, and has entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets" (Jer. 9:20). Death visited our mansions and our homes to destroy children and young men. 'Speak thus; says the Lord, The carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the reaper, and none shall gather them' (Jer. 9:21). These are not divrei nehamah, words of comfort and consolation. And then, at the end, we have two verses: "Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might. But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me" (Jer. 9:22-23). This too is not nehamah, or comfort. This is tokhahah, rebuke, an azharah, a warning! Tish'ah be-Av is an exception to the rule of ending with words of comfort because the navi that we read on that day is kinot. Even this privilege is taken away from us because we cannot be comforted "as long as our dead lies before us." The Haftarah is kinot, and after the Haftarah we continue directly with more kinot. There can be no divrei nehamah. The Haftarah is read during Shaharit, and the time for nehamah on Tish'ah be-Av begins later, after the conclusion of the reading of Knot. Kinot means utter despair, and that theme is introduced in the Haftarah.”
- "The Lord is Righteous in All His Ways" (pages 92-93)
Wow, I've never heard this idea before, but it definitely fits into my understanding of kinnos (and tefilah in general) and accords with some of my prior articles I've written on that topic. Thanks for sharing!
I find the point you and Lopez makes about how the initial founders strong desire for wealth at all costs and how it affects our culture today really poignant. I don't have any real data to back this up, but just by observation and being a part of it, I think our orthodox american community today is very materialistic and has an unhealthy relationship with wealth. Obviously desire for wealth is an age old desire, but it's interesting to think about just how privileged our frum community is today compared to generations past and if we're using our wealth in the right ways. Do we justify improper business practices, take advantage of 'price mistakes', and support corrupt economies and businesses - because hey I'm using my money to support torah and mitzvos? Thanks for bringing out this important message to think about before tisha bav and to inspire teshuva.
Thank you for reading and sharing your feedback! I'm glad you found this to be thought-provoking in a teshuvah-y way! :D
The Rav has a very interesting approach to the pesukim from Yirmiyahu you quoted about what one may glorify himself with in the context of the Haftarah on Tisha bAv (sorry for any typos, the scanning might have been a little off):
“The Haftarah on Tish'ah be-Av is not read like any other Haftarah on a holiday or even on a fast-day. The Haftarah on Tish'ah be-Av is actually the first kinah we say in the morning. The Haftarah speaks of urban and expresses utter despair and distress. We are to cry, to weep, and to mourn for the hurban Beit ha-Mikdash. And in order to do that, we first had to read Knot al pi nevrah. The reading of the Haftarah on Tish'ah be-Av is necessary as a formal license granted the mekonen and, by extension, us to weep and cry and ask questions of Ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu. 'The kinah of the Haftarah grants us the authority, the permission, to go on and say more knot and ask many questions like the questions Jeremiah asked the Ribbon shel Olam. This Kinah provided us with an example of the kinah we would be able to say in the generations to come. In a word, at night, Sefer Eikhah is the matir for Kinot; in the daytime, it is the Haftarah. As a matter of fact, as we have already noted, there normaly is a principle that we end a ritual recitation on a positive note. The Early Prophets concluded their works with words of praise and consolation" (Berakhot 31a). This means that a Haftarah must end with words of comfort, joy, and solace.
But we do not find this in the kinah that is the Haftarah of Tish'ah be-Av. "For death has come up into our windows, and has entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets" (Jer. 9:20). Death visited our mansions and our homes to destroy children and young men. 'Speak thus; says the Lord, The carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the reaper, and none shall gather them' (Jer. 9:21). These are not divrei nehamah, words of comfort and consolation. And then, at the end, we have two verses: "Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might. But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me" (Jer. 9:22-23). This too is not nehamah, or comfort. This is tokhahah, rebuke, an azharah, a warning! Tish'ah be-Av is an exception to the rule of ending with words of comfort because the navi that we read on that day is kinot. Even this privilege is taken away from us because we cannot be comforted "as long as our dead lies before us." The Haftarah is kinot, and after the Haftarah we continue directly with more kinot. There can be no divrei nehamah. The Haftarah is read during Shaharit, and the time for nehamah on Tish'ah be-Av begins later, after the conclusion of the reading of Knot. Kinot means utter despair, and that theme is introduced in the Haftarah.”
- "The Lord is Righteous in All His Ways" (pages 92-93)
Wow, I've never heard this idea before, but it definitely fits into my understanding of kinnos (and tefilah in general) and accords with some of my prior articles I've written on that topic. Thanks for sharing!