“The Nine Days”

Shavua Tov-

We are now beginning the “nine days” culminating with the Fast of Tisha B’Av next Saturday night. It is a week of morning and restrictions.

We refrain from drinking wine and eating meat. No music or buying and wearing new clothes. We are not to bathe a pleasure bathing. Due to the hot weather, we can take a quick lukewarm shower just to remove sweat. (It is not a Mitzva to smell of body odor!) We increase our mourning and our thoughts should be focused on the great loss of not having a Temple.

Today’s special Musaf of אתה יצרת, summed things up very well. We remind Hashem of His love for us when we served Him on Shabbatot and ראשי חדשים for atonement. But now because of our sins, our Temple was destroyed and we were exiled from our Land. Clearly, the representation of Jews living outside Eretz Yisrael, is a punishment and curse. We pray that Hashem will lead us back with joy to our Land, where we can once again feel that closeness to Him. This should be the focus of the Nine Days.