The Book of
Lamentations
A special reading
for Tisha B'Av that sets the tone for this tragic and mournful day
By Rabbi Irving Greenberg
Over the course of the
Jewish year, there are five books that are associated with specific holidays.
These megillot (scrolls) relate the event that took place
on the particular holiday or reflect the message of the occasion. The most of
familiar is the scroll of Esther, which is read on Purim. The book of Eicha (Lamentations) is reading on the Ninth of Av. The book begins with the
word "eicha," meaning "how"--the first
word of the opening verse, "How lonely sits the city once full of
people." This refers to Jerusalem after the destruction of the Temple.
Lamentations is traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah who witnessed
the destruction of the first Temple. Reprinted with permission of the author
from The
Jewish Way: Living the Holidays.
The Book of Lamentations is an intricate set of dirges and
descriptions of Jerusalem under siege and of the destruction of the First
Temple. The elegy bewails Jerusalem, once teeming with life and now sitting
abandoned and alone like a solitary widow. It captures the horror of the siege:
children pleading for water and bread in vain; cannibalism on the part of
hunger-maddened mothers ("those who died by the sword were better off than
those who perished by hunger"); nobles hanged; women raped; priests
defiled.
The prophet basically blames Jewish immorality and idolatry
for the tragedy. Yet there is a fascinating outburst in Chapter 3 in which the
believer, as it were, accuses God of being the enemy--like a lion lying in
ambush to destroy his victim. The prophet comes close to losing his faith
("I thought my strength and hope in the Lord had perished") before
the memory of God's past kindnesses restores it--barely.
The Book of Lamentations is read softly at first. The volume
of the reader's voice builds to the climax, which is sung aloud by the entire
congregation: "Turn us to you, O Lord, and we will return. Renew our days
as of old."
Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg is the president of Jewish
Life Network and founding president of CLAL--the National Jewish Center for
Learning and Leadership. He is also the author of numerous books and articles
dealing with Jewish theology and religion.
