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Bringing full redemption soon in our days

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Rabbi Sa’ar Shaked

Beit Emanuel Progressive Synagogue

It is the last one in a sequence of three Haftorah readings of harsh rebuke, and as such it contains harsh words on the spiritual and social conditions at the time: “The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, my people do not consider. Sinful nation.
 
A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers. Children who are corrupters… Your ministers are rebellious and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them.” -Those were the iniquities which led to the exile.

Even though we don’t usually pgrieve on Shabbat, there are a few bereavement traditions that may be observed, such as reading parts of the Torah and/or the Haftorah in the special “Eicha” scroll tunes or singing Lecha Dodi in one of the lamentations – Piyutim.

There is an Ashkenazic halacha, based on Rabbi Moses Isserles of Kraków” (1530 – 1572), stating that one should wear on this Shabbat an ordinary outfit, rather than those saved usually for Shabbat.

There are still some communities who keep that tradition, but it is not observed by Litvaks, as requested by the Vilna Gaon (1720 – 1797), nor by Hassidic Jews. Essentially, Hassidic rabbis had taken the notion of withdrawing from bereavement customs much further.

There are several Hassidic quotes expressing the idea that Shabbat Hazon demands extra happiness, more than ordinary Shabbats.

For example, the Apter Rebbe (the original Abraham Joshua Heschel, known also by the name “Ohev Yishruel”, 1825 – 1748) states that Shabbat Hazon has more merit in it than every other Shabbat.

The first Savarne Rebbe (Moishe Tzvi, 1775 – 1837) says that on this Shabbat one can have a clear vision of the world. During the Tsanz Hassidic dynasty it was considered to be the best Shabbat for a travel to their Rebbe.

Due to many splits and divisions in that important Hassidic dynasty, there were tens of Tzanz Rebbes up until the Holocaust, so that tradition became rather widespread. 

But no doubt the most touching Hassidic tradition belongs to the beloved Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev (1740 – 1809), who said that on this Shabbat each Jew gets to see a glimpse of the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple to be built. So each Jew is encouraged to get better in his/her attempts toward bringing Geula Shlema, full redemption, soon in our days to come.  

 

 

 

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