Adir Glick
Rabbi
Rabbi Adir Glick began his tenure at Temple Har Zion in August, 2015.
August 1, 2025 | Liturgy | Spiritual
Tisha B’Av — A day of destruction and rebirth
August 1, 2025
Dear Friends,
Tomorrow night is Tisha B’av, one of only two of our calendar’s 25-hour fasts (the other is Yom Kippur).
Despite it being historically little observed in American Jewish life (except in summer camps), it is a day with powerful, profound, and important themes, especially this summer with everything going on in Israel, Gaza, and our world.
Tisha B’av is about shattering. Not long ago, we believed we had grown beyond its lessons and pains. It was about ancient historical events – the destructions of the Temples, the expulsions from Spain and England – that were no longer as relevant amidst the flourishing of a modern Jewish State, a rebuilt Jerusalem, and our vibrant Diaspora in America. But since October 7th, the war that has ensued and the rise in antisemitism, the old laments strike home once again.
Tisha B’Av is about shattering and our world looks more broken than we thought we would experience again in our lifetimes.
However, Tisha B’av is also about breaking down anger and hatred, and bringing in the power of Divine love. Facing the devastation and brokenness of our world, we ask God to intervene with all of the people who have closed hearts. We also pray to God to help us open our hearts and awaken our compassion because we have been so battered it is easy to close down. We pray for others to have compassion for us too.
Tisha B’av is about shattering but it is also – our tradition teaches – when mashiach will be born, when hope can be renewed.
We have to find the faith that God can somehow bring light back into the world, and that even with all of the darkness, healing can happen to erase sorrow, pain and suffering. Tisha B’av comes from a very profound place where we clear everything away and find that spark of light. Every year we hope and believe that this may be the last Tisha B’av.
Join us tomorrow night to hold the shattering, bring in the power of love, and find the spark of rebirth. We will be showing the adult animated film Legend of Destruction at 7pm. The service, singing, and reading of Eicha will follow around 8:30pm.
We will have another service on Sunday morning at 9:30am at the synagogue.
Tzom kal/ An easy fast,
Rabbi Adir Glick
