WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

In Lamentations the first chapter is a study in contrasts: " How she sits desolate, a city that was great, has become like a widow, great among nations and a prince among provinces is now just a tributary." This is the formula for the entire first chapter which at first glance has the objective of increasing our pain focusing on the great things that we lost. 

There is another perspective developed by Diane Koletch of YUHS for Girls in which she posits that Jeremiah is hinting at somewhat the opposite. Keep in mind that right before we became this great nation inhabiting a great land, we were slaves in a foreign land and that is where we were headed in the aftermath of the destruction. As such it would be easy to deemphasize the golden era between these two dark periods but Jeremiah doesn't let us. 

We are suffering now but we are strengthened and enriched by the glory of what preceded this, which can never be taken away and further, will be with us at the final redemption, במהרה בימנו!

This Shabbat we begin Dvarim and also is called Shabbat Hazon after the haftarah taken from the beginning of Isaiah. 

Tisha B'Av begins Saturday night with the fast starting at 8:24pm and ends Sunday night at 9:10pm.

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