This past Thursday July 9, we began the three weeks of mourning with the fast of the 17th of Tamuz, commemorating the five tragedies that occurred on that day. The Mishna in the fourth perek (chapter) of Meseches Ta’anis enumerates the five tragedies of the 17th of Tamuz:
- The tablets containing the ten commandments were shattered (in response to the sin of the golden calf).
- The tamid offering was nullified/stopped by Roman decree.
- Our enemies laid siege on Jerusalem, leading to the invasion of Jerusalem and destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, the Holy Temple.
- The Roman soldier, Apustamus, burned a Sefer Torah.
- The wicked king Menasheh erected an idol in the Bais Hamikdash.
When we analyze this list, one of the five doesn’t seem to be on the same level of tragedy as the other four, the stopping of the tamid offering. The other four tragedies are ways in which core elements of Judaism, the Bais Hamikdash, the two tablets, the Sefer Torah, were tainted or destroyed. The tamid offering is a mitzvah like any other mitzvah. In this week’s parsha, Pinchas, the Torah describes this mitzvah among the many other sacrificial offerings. The tamid was the daily offering; every day the kohen would offer two lambs, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Would we list any other mitzvah that became outlawed among this list of debilitating tragedies? Furthermore, even after the tamid was no longer being brought, the Bais Hamikdash still stood, Jewish life continued, and the tamid could have been restored. What made this a calamity of such paramount significance?
This question reveals that there must be something unique about the tamid offering, something of great importance. There is a halacha regarding the korbanos, that no korban may be offered before the morning tamid, nor may any offering be brought after the afternoon tamid. Even the great sacrificial ceremonies of Yom Kippur and Succos cannot be performed until the one little tamid lamb is offered in the morning. Why should one little lamb hold up much greater offerings?
The significance of the tamid offering is captured in its name, “tamid”, constant. The tamid offering was brought every day, day in day out, rain or shine, with no exceptions. Consistency in Judaism is vital, and it is expressed in the tamid offering. We find this concept in other areas of halacha as well. When one is faced with multiple mitzvos, which one should be done first, what is the Torah’s order of operations? One of the governing rules of such dilemmas is the principle of “tadir v’sh’eino tadir, tadir kodem”, if one mitzvah is constant and the other is not, the constant mitzvah takes precedence. This rule is somewhat contrary to how many people think and feel; we look forward to those, “once a year mitzvos” with great anticipation, shouldn’t they go first? Clearly, consistent acts of dedication to Hashem and Torah are of the greatest significance.
When we appreciate that Judaism is a relationship, not just a system by which to earn spiritual reward, it becomes easier to understand this concept. In a relationship the small things that one consistently does for another are a much greater expression of commitment than the occasional “big splash.”
This is why stopping the tamid was such a great tragedy, because it represented a breach in the consistency of the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people. The day in and day out service of commitment was disrupted.
This message is especially relevant to us now. The summer months are always a time when consistency becomes a challenge. School is no longer in session (at least this is unique to the summer most years), people are interested in vacations, and an atmosphere of abandoning routine in search of fun fills the air. This summer is even more challenging than other summers, because we find ourselves still amidst the coronavirus pandemic. As numbers of confirmed cases and trends across the country continue to fluctuate, we are constantly being tossed back and forth, wondering in which direction we are truly heading. When we have lost any semblance of consistency in our personal lives, how can we maintain consistency in our Jewish lives? Remaining consistent in praying three times a day, reciting Shema morning and night in its proper time, and maintaining our Torah study commitments is now harder than ever.
Perhaps, we should look at things in a different light. When all else fails, we remain Jews loyal to Torah and mitzvos. When everything else around us seems to be going haywire, we continue to pray, to study, and serve, day in and day out, rain or shine. Our Judaism can be the one thing in our lives that remains steady. It acts as an anchor keeping us safe and secure despite the continued pulls of the waves of uncertainty. If we are able to do this, to rise to the challenge and maintain consistency in our Torah and mitzvos despite a lack of consistency in all other elements of our lives, then that will truly be the greatest demonstration of our commitment to Hashem.
May the three weeks serve as a time of introspection and inspiration. May we learn the powerful lessons from the tragedies of our past. May Hashem accept our teshuvah and tefillah and transform these days into days of joy and celebration