Mourning, Consolation and Repentance

 

            The spiritual content of the Jewish calendar from the seventeenth of Tammuz through Yom Kippur, a period of eighty-two days, consists of mourning, consolation and repentance. This content is expressed in customs and in the haftarot which are read on the Shabbatot of this period.

            Rabbi Yehuda Leib Tzirelson (1859 – 1941, chief rabbi of Bessarabia) notes that the order is exact and meaningful. The significance of mourning lies in understanding and recognizing that which is missing, what was and is no longer. One who does not understand what is lacking cannot begin the process of repentance since he does not understand the need to repent.

            Upon completion of the three week period of mourning the destruction of the Temples, following the fast of Tisha b’Av, we commence the period of consolation. For the seven weeks until Rosh haShana, the haftarot are the “Seven of Consolation.” Consolation, explains Rabbi Tzirelson, is the ability to see the strong points which remain and to understand that these are to be used to recover from the mourning and to build anew. This perception indeed is encouraging and comforting and paves the way towards repentance.

            Repentance is the actual work of rebuilding, abandoning the path which lead to loss and destruction and choosing a new path which will facilitate rectification and rebuilding.

            Indeed, our calendar presents a graduated program for the process of repentance.