Deadlines came and went before the deal with Iran was finalized last week.
The initial interim agreement set a July deadline in 2014. That was extended to November, then to April 2015, followed by a “final deadline” of June 30, ignored once again and pushed off to July 7. But even that didn’t happen. It wasn’t until Tuesday, July 14 that Iran and the world powers announced they had sealed a final nuclear deal with Tehran that will lift most economic sanctions on the country and permit it to continue many of the most controversial aspects of its nuclear program, as well as its missile development.
And for those of us sensitive to divine messages implicit in seemingly meaningless “coincidences” of the calendar this almost bizarre aspect of the date on which the deal with Iran was at long last finalized represents perhaps one of the most powerful verdicts of this agreement’s place in history.
Jewish tradition acknowledges that God makes his voice heard in many different ways. One of them is by way of the connection between events and the calendar, between the linkage of a day’s meaning to its historic significance.
In just a few days Jews around the world will be observing Tisha b’Av, the fast of the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. It is a day of tragic remembrance. On that day the first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. That alone would have been enough for it to become marked as a day of fasting and mourning. But history reconfirmed Tisha b’Av’s tragic reality five centuries later. When the Romans approached the second temple and put it to the torch, the Jews were shocked to realize that their second temple was destroyed on exactly the same day as the first.
Jews are meant to understand that history has divine meaning and incorporates heavenly messages. Coincidence is a concept utterly foreign to those who believe that God governs the universe.
When the Jews rebelled against Roman rule, they believed that their leader, Simon bar Kochba, would fulfill their messianic longings. But their hopes were cruelly dashed in 135 CE as the Jewish rebels were brutally butchered in the final battle at Beitar. The date of the massacre? The ninth of Av!
The Jews were expelled from England in 1290 CE on, once again, the ninth day of Av. In 1492, the Golden Age of Spain came to a close when Queen Isabella and her husband Ferdinand ordered that the Jews be banished from the land “for the greater glory of the church and the Christian religion.” The edict of expulsion was signed on March 31, 1492, and the Jews were given exactly four months to put their affairs in order and leave the country. The Hebrew date on which no Jews were allowed any longer to remain in the land where they had enjoyed welcome and prosperity for centuries? By now you know it – the ninth of Av.
Ready for just one more? World War II and the Holocaust, historians conclude, were actually the long drawn out conclusion of World War I which began in 1914. Barbara Tuchman wrote a book about that first great world war, which she called The Guns of August. Had a Jewish scholar written the book, perhaps it would have been titled with a date more specific than just a month. Yes, amazingly enough, the First World War also began according to the Hebrew calendar on Tisha b’Av.
What are we to make of all this? For Jews it is a profound confirmation of the deeply held conviction that history isn’t haphazard. Events have spiritual meaning. Their calendrical correspondence defines them.
And what is important to note is that the mourning period associated with Tisha b’Av is not limited to one day but is in fact but the close of a three week period of sadness and sorrow. The time of our grief begins with the fast of the 17th of Tammuz. That was the day on which the walls of Jerusalem were breached. That was the beginning of the end – and the sages were smart enough to recognize that the wise mourn the imminence of a catastrophic event even before its actual occurrence. Tragedy is not only the day when the temple physically burns to the ground; we need to weep when the potential for its destruction becomes obvious as well.
The three weeks in Jewish history which serve as prelude to Tisha b’Av represent the time to mourn for the breakdown of those walls which protected the Temple and the source of the world’s spiritual sanctity. And that, I believe in all certainty, is why the deal with Iran – a deal which Charles Krauthammer called “the worst agreement in United States diplomatic history” and a deal which Prime Minister of Israel Netanyahu believes has the grave potential to bring about a nuclear Holocaust of global proportion – wasn’t concluded until its connection to the mourning period of the three weeks was clearly established.
It is the Jewish calendar which delivers a clear warning of the deals disastrous potential. We can only pray that the world’s leaders heed its message.
(25) Sam, July 28, 2016 11:14 PM
Maybe the Iran Deal is not a curse
As we continue to allow politics to take the better part of us, we must remember the first Tisha B'Av happened because Jews spoke Lashon Hara after they heard the report of the spies.
Maybe the Iran Deal is not designed to be a curse, but a stepping stone. And that means, talking about it as the end of the Jewish people could be the real curse. It pays to be skeptical. But no bad thing can destroy the Jewish people unless the Jewish people throw away the protection of Hashem and take on doubt and evil speech.
100 years ago, the rifle was the most destructive thing in the world. 70 years ago, the atomic bomb was the most feared weapon. But today, the nuclear bombs and advanced WMD dwarfs the rifle and the atomic bomb. So there is a solution to the nuclear weapon threat and something worse than the nuclear weapon will come up in future. So let us not all look to evil reports.
Let us pray and fast fervently on Tisha B'Av. Hashem is more than capable of giving us a solution that will make us look back at Iran in 70 years and laugh.
(24) Andrew Elishahff, July 15, 2016 10:00 AM
Hindsight
Just saw this and in hindsight there is another interesting connection:
The Senate Democrats sealed the deal at the end of the last shmita year: http://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2015/sep/11/congress-votes-deal
The previous shmita year ended with the financial collapse.
The end of the shmita year prior to that coincided with 9/11.....
(23) Gene, March 12, 2016 4:33 PM
why accept?
That is what I wonder also. Do we have to accept that Av curse on us?
We seem able to "turn the Tide" on so many other fronts why do we let that one exist? isn't it better to at least know and prepare for enemy activity and build protection? Don't we have a positive injection for our true spiritual selves so we expel apathy and heavyheartedness at that time? Is it the time of year we are sated into a lax attitude?
(22) Anonymous, July 27, 2015 8:36 PM
Get your facts straight
Barbara Tuchman is Jewish...
And I have a feeling Bibi's policies will always be more dangerous to Jewish safety and prosperity than Iran.
(21) Eliie, July 26, 2015 7:01 AM
Thoughts Become Things
If we keep pouring attention and energy into the fact that "bad things happen on Tisha B'Av", then bad things will continue to happen on Tisha B'Av. Of all the people in the world, klal Yisrael has the ability to visualize good. Only when we collectively change our thinking to positive, will the Moshiach bring us to geulah. It is up to is.
(20) Anonymous, July 23, 2015 9:13 PM
No, Obama does not hate the Jews
I'm not happy with these concessions either, but that does not equal anti Semitism on Obama's part.
Anonymous, August 7, 2015 3:43 PM
the concessions may not mean Obama is an anti-Semite but they do mean he's a fool. Possibly a suicidal one as Iran stats openly they want to wipe the US off the map along with Israel.
tel, September 18, 2015 2:38 AM
you are a fool
That says is all . hope you are right for your sake but God Know the Truth and you are a fool!!!
"Iran stats openly they want to wipe the US off the map along with Israel" and now our obma and russia may start wwiii
(19) Kathleen, July 23, 2015 3:12 AM
Articles...
Thank you for taking the time for explaining the ninth of Av--I am gaining understanding.
May the Lord continue to bless you and yours....Most valuable: May the Lord bless Israel and may there be peace in Jerusalem.
Shalom
(18) Anonymous, July 22, 2015 12:43 PM
Start of WWI
The official beginning of WWI was when Germany declared war on Russia. This happened on August 1, 1914: Tisha be'Av.
(17) Jeremy Goldberg, July 21, 2015 7:45 PM
World War 1 a problem for Jews???
You wouldn't even have your precious idol of a nation-state if it wasn't for World War 1. That's half the reason Britain started that filthy war!
Beverly Margolis, July 22, 2015 8:36 PM
Have you ever...
thought critically? You apparently have no idea about what Israel is, nor why Jews need to have a homeland.
Although you have a Jewish name, you sure aren't one of us.
You have a mental disorder called Jew hate.
harold, July 24, 2015 8:12 AM
Ah WWI was because of the Jews
Classic antisemitism
You couldn't make this stuff up - proof if anyone needs it that antisemitism of the past is no different today as it was in Tzarist Russia
(16) James Wolf, July 21, 2015 5:57 PM
Wholly inappropriate Juxtapasition of Torah and Politics
Virtually every point in the Jewish calendar could be expected to produce some sort of message about this deal; conflating it with Tisha b'av is an exercise in weak rationale and cheap shooting
LarryB, July 22, 2015 1:08 AM
Thanks for the weak argument
You forgot to give ANY specifcs.
(15) richard, July 21, 2015 3:12 PM
If Hashem can control our destiny why not our behavior?
If future historical events are intertwined with human behavior and the behavior of nature, free will is not a complete given, if Hashem can direct them in a way that so much happens during the 3 week mourning period. If this is the case, why can't he tweak our behavior to be more constructive and less destructive?
(14) ChristianFriendofIsrael, July 21, 2015 1:20 PM
World War I calculation?
Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated on 28 June, 1914. How does that coincide with Tisha B'Av? What date specifically coincided with that in 1914?
Mary, July 25, 2015 1:34 PM
Calculation
The official start of any war is marked by a Declaration of War or the first day of invasion. The Assassination was the spark but not the start of WWI. -
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28 and then on Aug 1st, Germany declared war on Russia making it a World War.
That date coincides with the first day of the last Nine Days of the Three Weeks mourning period. the last day of the Nine Days is Tisha B'Av Complicated isn't it..
..........If my research is correct then-
Three Weeks was on July 17- Aug 9, 1914 (War on Serbia declared)
Nine Days started on Aug 1- Aug 9, 1914 (Day that other countries jumped in )
Tisha B'Av was on Aug 9. 1914.
(13) Anna, July 21, 2015 10:22 AM
Excellent; needs to be read by all who profess the Judeo-Christian faith.
excellent and indicative that GOD speaks to us by using symbols and actual test- and rememberance events to re-route our attention away from the world and on to himself.
(12) Esther, July 21, 2015 7:43 AM
Expelling from gush katif
Expelling from gush katif was planed to be on 9 av.
But when they realized that it's on a "wrong date" they changed for a day later. (They wanted to trick hashem)
(11) Fred, July 21, 2015 4:02 AM
To me there is no such animal as coincidence. .....
I'm a docent at the Jewish Arts Museum in Oklahoma, we knew something was going to happen, that would be bad for Israel because of the timing of the Blood Moons. The agreement just happening by chance on Tisha b' Av is clearly _od's warning that there's coming a consiquence for our disobedience.
(10) Marita S, July 20, 2015 4:45 PM
I was on The Hill Tues. July, 14 2015 with 6,000 friends
I love this article. With G-d, you have to say that with the bad comes a glimmer of hope...
When I woke up on Tuesday, July 14, I was in DC with 6,000 friends, including 515 college students. Our purpose was to visit our representatives and ask them to vote "No" on this deal with Iran. We had no idea that the morning would bring news that an agreement had been reached and the US had made many concessions. It was truly a divine moment for us and we were glad to do our part. Both of my Senators are leaning toward voting "Yes" but, we still keep going!
"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent!"
As you know Senator Schumer is THE man and he is receiving many calls, not doubt.
202-224-6542
(9) Yosi Spater, July 20, 2015 5:25 AM
Unconditional Love
The Lubavitcher Rebbe would always say that since the cause for the Temple's destruction was unreasonable hatred, the cure could only be achieved through unconditional love. When we see bad things happen on inauspicious dates, it is mainly to remind us that we are still lacking in our performance of unconditional love.
(8) Beverly Margolis, July 20, 2015 12:55 AM
Obama, Kerry, and Tyranny
It has become clear that Obama and Kerry do not want Israel to survive. They blamed ISIS on the lie that Israel hadn't made peace with Hamas; they had to reverse that idea quickly. George W. Bush and his administration are responsible for ISIS. If they bothered to review the Khartoum Resolution they would know that Israel is not the reason that there is no peace, it is clearly the Arabs.
One of the problems with our "leadership" is that they do not realize or care to realize that Arabs do not have the same kind of ethics that we have in the West. They feel that any agreement with non-Arabs are invalid if and when they want to break those agreements.
Putting it in other words, ARABS LIE whenever it is to their advantage to do so. So trusting Iran to keep this horrible deal is unlikely to prevent them from continuing to build up their nuclear devices.
One of the most egregious parts of the deal is that they have to give the Iranians 24 days notice before being inspected. Absolute absurd. It is as bad as OSHA giving advance notice that their people are coming in for an inspection.
Diogenes, July 26, 2015 12:15 PM
Obama and friends
We don't know what is in Obama's heart, if he truly has one. Did his Muslim upbringing lead him to hate Jews and Israel? Quite possibly.
I think the current exercise with Iran speaks more to Obama's childish narcissism, and his desire to emasculate America in some perverse homage to his anti colonial, absent Kenyan farmer. He may really think that his desire for peace is the most important factor. He may really think that all rogue nations are just angry at the US for our overreaches, and that the Great and Magnificent Barack will set everything right in the world. This is at least how he behaves.
As usual, those pesky Jews, particularly nasty Netanyahu, are getting in the way of Obama's Greatest Achievement, and they must be shoved aside. If Iran bombs Israel after all, well, how were we to know they would lie to the Great Barack? We're shocked, just shocked....
Today, on Tisha B'Av...any Jew who voted for this abomination should rend his garment and wear sackcloth and ashes, and apologize to the rest of us and to the world for their foolishness.
(7) Anonymous, July 20, 2015 12:11 AM
And there is more....
If we take note that congress is expected to vote on this matter in about 80 days... That brings us to Yom Kippur. Repentance, fasting...Hummm. There is hope yet.
(6) Mordechai, July 19, 2015 7:50 PM
Alerting
Thank you rabbi for alerting us. I read a dictum in the Zohar, in the portion of Shemot that says," when the leaders are judged to be worthy, then the entire nation is judged to be worthy, and when the leaders are judged to be unworthy,, then the entire nation is judge3d to be unworthy' I would submit, that our current PM, BiBi is very dangerous to Israel and the whole world and highly unworthy.
LarryB, July 20, 2015 2:23 PM
In case you haven't heard
You didn't list even one reason why Bibi is unworthy. Maybe these are reasons, he wouldn't have signed this terrible deal, he took great risk to come to the U.S. Congress, yes he was invited, to explain how dangerous this deal could be, he was right, previously the U.S. Sent about 100 liberal activist to fight against his reelection campaign to Israel and spent unknown millions to get their boy elected, the citizens of Israel firmly rejected, he may not be perfect in your eyes but from everything I have read about him he is one of the best ever. One other point most of the U.S. Public Is against this deal by a whopping 84 percent.
Anonymous, July 20, 2015 9:22 PM
another self hating Jew
Mordechai: why don't you blame our "dear leader" barack obama? or the other security council members? or the un resolutions that make it irrelevant what Congress does - we are under un law, not our Constitution. and who do you single out for blame? a man who gave a courageous speech to Congress. are you oblivious to the anti-Semitism in this country/England/France?
(5) Ayobola, July 19, 2015 6:39 PM
Food for thought
Lots to think about.
Thank you for the insight.
(4) Harold Golden MD, July 19, 2015 6:06 PM
That's All Folk's
"The End" Get ready this time it's not only the Romans but the "Whole World"!!
(3) HouTexan, July 19, 2015 5:59 PM
Could Have Been Worse...
Thank God this monstrosity didn't arrive on Tisha b'Av! Having said that, it's a clear and immediate warning.
S.Levy, July 21, 2015 6:12 PM
Not overnight
Tisha B'eav did not happer overnight, nor did WW I - WW II - etc. They all built up slowly from zero; took a few years to happen. ISRAEL MUST GIVE FIRST STRIKE, PRE-EMPT!
(2) Rob, July 19, 2015 3:25 PM
Great article, But....
Rabbi Bleich Delivers a powerful message until his last sentence. I don't believe the worlds leaders matter as they only execute the will of heaven. We matrer as heaven waits for the Jewish people to recognize and act on what these dates and calamities mean. With unity we survive without it we don't. Simple, but what does it mean? It means Haredi Jews loving and davening and outwardly learning for the success an safety of thier BROTHERS in the IDF, no more rocks... it means secular Jews no longer having disdain for their Haredi BROTHERS, it means an honest government in Israel and honest Businessmen, it mean a diaspora that davens, learns, fights for and contributes to the cause of their BROTHERS in Israel... Family achdus (unity) we survive, family disunity we don't. The Iranian death warrant just means we don't have a lot of time to get this right. Perhaps we should start.
yaakov, July 19, 2015 6:57 PM
Powerful comment 'til YOUR last sentence! :)
Not just ''perhaps", but we must definitely do more than start...
Chani, July 19, 2015 11:29 PM
I agree
I too want to add to the last sentence. We Jews had better take heed, never mind the "world's leaders". It's time to do teshuva.
Zsolt, July 20, 2015 2:30 AM
remedy
Thank you!
You took the words from my mouth.
If we take those dates so seriously, and we also consider our right to our homeland "G_d given" why do not we take the pledges our predecessors took at Sinai just as or even more seriously?
We have the template, the remedy for all our troubles: we have to be united "as one man with one heart", and live in absolute mutual responsibility where "all of Israel are responsible for one another".
There are no "mistakes" or "light hearted recommendations" in the Torah or all our writings, only laws.
Just as you said, when we unite we triumph, when we separate we are in mortal danger.
(1) Anonymous, July 19, 2015 11:19 AM
Possible Conclusion?
Just as the heart-warming folks at Westboro Baptist Church say: God Hates Jews.
Silky, July 19, 2015 5:20 PM
Wrong!
Conclusion: G-d is saying "It's time to wake up and repent"
Anonymous, July 19, 2015 9:11 PM
G-d does not hate Jews. Obama hates Jews. Obama will lose.
-d does not hate Jews. Obama hates Jews. Obama will lose.