Mourning the Churban in a Rebuilt Jerusalem

TISHA B’AV READING Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel Mourning the Churban in a Rebuilt Jerusalem he traditional text of to “the city that is in sorrow, laid changes to the text of Nachem, Nachem, the additional waste, and in ruin.” The more subtle and the text, as is, is relevant even prayer recited on Tisha B’Av language, Rav Goren felt, better today. Rav Soloveitchik explained Tafternoon at Mincha, describes expressed the new reality of a that according to the Rambam, Jerusalem as, “the city that is in Jerusalem in Jewish hands. Jerusalem shares the sanctity of sorrow, laid waste, scorned and des- Serving as Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the Beit HaMikdash. If the Beit olate; that grieves for the loss of her HaMikdash is not standing, surely children, that is laid waste of her the State of Israel from 1973-1983, Rav Goren attempted to formally Jerusalem can be described as being dwellings, robbed of her glory, des- “laid waste, scorned and desolate” olate without inhabitants. She sits institute the changes he made to (See the Orthodox Union’s Mesorah with her head covered like a barren, Nachem, but was unsuccessful. 7, Elul, 5752, p. 19). childless woman...” While his changes were minor, and closer to the original text as it Some authorities, like Rav Zvi But today Jerusalem is not “… appears in the Talmud Yerushalmi, Yehudah Kook and Rav Shaul desolate without inhabitants.” With they were controversial, with many over half a million Jewish residents, leading authorities at the time Yisraeli, opposed making public Jerusalem is teeming with life; her opposing his move. changes to Nachem in the repetition skies lined with new buildings, of the Amidah, but allowed for Rav Chaim David Halevi suggested as the city continues to grow by individuals to make changes in their more subtle changes, changing the leaps and bounds. One cannot help own silent Amidah. text from present to past tense, but feel that we are witnessing replacing “the city that is in sorrow,” Rav Goren himself would eventually the fruition of Zechariah’s with “the city that was in sorrow,” change his mind after the euphoria prophecy, “Old men and women and “she sits with her head covered,” of those early post-Six Day-War- will once again sit in the streets of with “she sat with her head covered” Jerusalem… and boys and girls will days faded, and gave way to a (Aseh Lecha Rav 1:14). play in her streets” (Zechariah 8:4- stark reality. In November 1978, Rav Goren wrote that due to 5), before our very eyes. Rav Isser Yehuda Unterman the “ethical, moral, and national opposed changes to the text of Following the dramatic events of Nachem because the Old City of decline” following the Yom Kippur June 1967, Rav Shlomo Goren, Jerusalem was full of synagogues War, and in light of plans for land then Chief Rabbi of the IDF, made in various states of destruction concessions to the Palestinians, he changes to the nusach of Nachem and disrepair, while at the same is retracting his ruling in favor of to reflect the new reality of a time full of churches and mosques the traditional nusach (Terumat unified Jerusalem, under Jewish (HaTzofeh, 8 Av 5729, p. 2). HaGoren, pp. 327-329). sovereignty. Rav Ovadia Yosef opposed any The debate over Nachem reflects In the IDF Siddur he edited and changes to Nachem for two reasons: the very real challenge we face published in 1970, Rav Goren wrote 1) Our prayers were composed by today, mourning the Churban that the traditional liturgy is “not the Anshei Knesset HaGedola and in a rebuilt Jerusalem. May we appropriate when Jerusalem is free we do not have the authority to merit to mourn properly, and see and under Israel’s sovereignty.” make any changes to the text, and Instead of the traditional nusach the fulfilment of the promise of 2) the traditional text of Nachem is our Sages: “All who mourn for which is based on a text that relevant even today, considering the appears in the Rosh, Rav Goren Jerusalem will merit to witness her physical and spiritual degradation in her joy” (Ta’anit 30b). chose a text based on the Talmud of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount Yerushalmi (Berachot 4:3; Ta’anit (Yechave Da’at 1:43). Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel lives 2:2), and the Siddur of Amram and teaches in Jerusalem, where he Gaon and the Rambam, which Rav Joseph B. Solovietchik too felt serves as Mara D’atra of Har Nof’s Kehilat limits the description of Jerusalem that we have no authority to make Zichron Yosef 32 | .

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