“The Rabbis teach that while the First Temple was destroyed because of immorality, the Second Temple was destroyed simply because of needless hatred between us. We celebrated division and discord, rather than coming together.” Project Genesis

The name of the month “Av” means “father,” because Israel forsook their father and husbandman, their we taken captive and the temples destroyed because Israel had prostituted themselves to false g-ds, religions and idols. Tish B means the Fifteenth of Av. Av is the Babylonian name for the fifth month. Its obvious in the writings that after captivity the Hebrew people took on the Babylonian names of the month. Adonai as father sought the return of his wayward children. Proverbs 13:24 clearly says that a father should correct his wayward child. This is why the Babylonian and Romans were allowed to destroy the Betai Mikdash. It interesting that the meaning of the name the month in Babylon pointed to the Father who wanted to bring His children back home much like the desired return of the prodigal son. Much like the return of Israel as a state. The Father longs to welcome His people home and restore the temple. Maybe the Temple’s wouldn’t have been destroyed if they Jewish people we’re focused on the Fathers Love and showing it to others instead of being involved with immorality, hatred, division, and discord. Much like Lag B’Omer these are days of mourning due to tragedies that happened as a result of sin of not loving Adonai, His Torah, and His People.

Honestly, I’m not sure how living like an “unclean” person in a sense is going to merit the temple being rebuilt for a G-d whose all about purity. We should honor and revere our elders and look to the Talmud to understand things within their historical context.

I do have a contention with making oneself look like “unclean” person perse while mourning for the reason Yeshua said take a bath, freshen up and don’t look “unclean” when your mourning. Of course that’s my modern paraphrase and only really applies to Judeo-Christian‘s and Messianic Jews who follow Yeshua as Chief Rabbi.

Speaking as one who personally has followed the mourning Halakha and went without shaving. I’m not speaking as a gentile who has never done so however upon reflection I’m not sure its the way our Adon and Rabbi Yeshua would have us mourn. Since we should fast in private and not let others know we are fasting. Fasting is abstaining from food and drink. No one has to know but your heavenly Father.For Rabbinic, Orthodox and others who uphold the Talmud, Mishna and G’marah to the level we lift up the Gospel’s and Epistle’s it is necessary to follow their Halacha because they are under their authority. While we respect them and listen to them we uphold the Gospel’s, the Oral Teachings of Yeshua to His disciples and the Epistle’s, the study of their Halakhic impact which mean we may mourn differently.

However we should pray for the return of Messiah which will be precede the rebuilding of the temple while we mourn the destruction of the last temple. Let us fast and pray for the rebuilding of the temple while we mourn the destruction of the previous two.

We may not agree on the Messiah’s first advent. Chasidic’s hold a separate Messiah than Messianic Jews/Netzerim/Judeo-Christian’s much as the Essene‘s and Qum’ran we’re looking for Messiah at the time that Yeshua came. We have been in the age of Messiah for 2,000 years according to the sages and though Bar Kokhba failed to meet Jewish and Second Temple Pharasaic-Rabbinate expectations of Messiah. For us Yeshua fulfilled the suffering servant and priestly role after that of Melchizedek. Similar to what the Essenes’ believed Messiah would come twice, the book of Hebrews (Messianic Jews) clearly shows this connection with the Essen view.

I may be considered an outsider to the discussion since I’m a gentile. I do seek to be a Torah observant G-dfearer or Proselyte who see’s the Hebraic context of the who bible and that the Tanakh applies to those who believe in Yeshua with some modification to the priesthood and the idea of sacrificial atonement. We look to Messiah Yeshua as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, just as Avraham brought offerings to Melchizedek.

This may cause some Halakhic and theological impacts that may seem impassable however we share common holy days, the Shabbats, the Sabbath, the feasts, etcetera… We serve the Elohim of Avraham, Isaav and Yakov, as well as HaShem‘s prophet Moshe. So there are difference’s between Torah observant Messianics Jew/Judeo Christian from that of Rabbinic Judaism however we do share things in common. On that note I want to bring up the discussion for Messianics-Netzerim-Sectarians what should we do and what can be done to mourn? Should we simply fast and pray.

The Talmud tells us to mourn the temples destruction to merit seeing it rebuilt, its good to remember and mourn the lost temple, it’s even more important to pray for its restoration as we do daily when we pray the Amidah. The question for Judeo-Christian’s and Messianic Jew‘s is should we appear to mourn as the Talmud says or should we fast and pray in silently as Yeshua said?

Some of the prohibitions of the nine days are that your not supposed to shave, not supposed to wear clothes that have been washed, not to buy new items for pleasure such as fancy dishes, jewelry, home decor, a car that is used for pleasure travel (like a vacation rental or rv rental) or even apparel. This prohibition on clothing includes even shoes, tallits, kippa’s, belts, pair of socks, linen towels or Katans. It is not permitted to the pray the Shehecheyanu until after Tish B’av.

The prohibition against shopping during the Nine Days of mourning starts on Erev of Rosh Chodesh Av and ends midday on the tenth of Av. This is meant to reduce the amount of joy (Simcha) during this time of mourning.

However one is permitted to make purchases, even major purchases, for things of necessity such as a health related product, or everyday household needs, things such as air conditioner, fans, a set of dishes, a car that is mainly used for business everyday and even a cell phone since it may be used in emergencies or for necessary business. It is always permitted to purchase items to fulfill a Mitzvah such as Tefillin or Seforim that are needed, a bachelor who is getting married after Tish B’av may shop during the nine days of mourning. It is permitted to wash clothing for infants, toddlers and small children who constantly get dirty. One is also allowed to purchase new babies and children’s clothes rather than do laundry. If one doesn’t have a clean shirt for Shabbat or appropriate shoes for Tish B’av one may purchase and wear them if one doesn’t have time to wash some. You can window and comparison shop, you just can’t purchase. You may make returns and however exchanges are prohibited. It is permitted to purchase an item if it won’t be available after Tish B’av or if waiting to purchase the item will cause monetary loss. It is better to put down a deposit or put an item on lay away than to purchase it outright and wait to pick up the item after Tish B’av. These are the prohibitions for and allowances according to the sages.

Should Messianics mourn in this way or should we fast and pray in silent? What do you say?

Related articles

• What Purpose Does The ‘Talmud’ & ‘Mishna’ and ‘Gospels’ & ‘Epistles’ Serve In The Christian & Messianic Jewish Communities (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• My Latest Free eBook’s Download And Share Now: From Shabbat Siddur’s, To Torah Service, To New Moon Service, To Praying The Amidah & More (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• What Role Does Levitical Law Play In The Life Of Believers? Should Believers Get Tatoo’s? (Question And Answer Response) (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• Does ADONAI Have A Son? Is Messiah Divine? Who Do You Say Mashiach Is?: Showing Mashiach As D’var Adonai In The Tanakh (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• Messianic Jew in Israel criticises MJ presence at anti-Israel conference (roshpinaproject.com)
• Of Pentecostals, Messianics, Montanists, Methodists, Holiness, Puritans, Qaukers And The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit – Let Us All Celebrate Shavuot-Pentecost In One Accord (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• Shavout (Pentecost), Counting The Omer, Lag Ba’Omer, Wine, Cheese, Poetry Readings, Parades, Bonfires & Archery: What They Have In Common! (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• What Were The Early Believers Called: HaDerech (The Way), The Natzari Sect, Netzerim-Natzraya, Jessaeans, Essene’s, Saducee’s, Christians or Nasaraeans? What Is There Place In Middle Judiasm? (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)

Print PDF