The Jewish Home | JULY 14, 2022
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The Seeds of David HaMelech in Shivah Asar B’Tammuz By RaBBi Daniel Glatstein
M
aseches Megillah tells us that Rebbi, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, was known to engage in several practices that, on the surface, appear questionable. He planted a tree on Purim, despite the prohibition of performing melachah, work, on Purim. He bathed publicly in a wagon situated in the city of Tzippori on the fast of Shivah Asar B’Tammuz. While rechitzah, bathing, may not be specifically prohibited on a fast day other than Yom Kippur and Tishah B’Av, it does not seem appropriate to bathe publicly on a fast day. Furthermore, he sought to abolish Tishah B’Av. However, the Chachamim disagreed with him and would not allow Tishah B’Av to be eliminated from the calendar. Rav Abba bar Zavda explains that Rebbi did not strive to completely eradicate Tishah B’Av from the calendar. Rather, there was a year in which Tishah B’Av, the ninth of Av, fell on Shabbos. We do not observe fast days on Shabbos (other than Yom Kippur). In keeping with the principle akdumei puranusa lo makdeminan, we do not advance the arrival of a day commemorating a punishment, the fast was postponed to Sunday. It was in this specific circumstance that Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi felt that Tishah B’Av should not be observed. He theorized that because the fast was already being moved to another day and would not be observed on
the actual ninth of Av, it may as well not be observed at all that year. As noted, the Chachamim did not agree with him, and when the ninth of Av falls on Shabbos, the fast is observed on Sunday. Why did Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi suggest that Tishah B’Av should not be observed on a year when it is postponed? Rabbi Akiva, Hillel, Shammai, and all the other Chachamim had no issue with the fast day being postponed due to Shabbos. Why did Rebbi want to abolish the fast day? Moreover, why did Rebbi seem to disregard the solemnity of Shivah Asar B’Tammuz and bath publicly on the fast day?
The Luchos Were shaTTered Among the tragedies that the Mishnah lists as having transpired on Shivah Asar B’Tammuz is that Moshe Rabbeinu shattered the Luchos, the Tablets, when he descended from Har Sinai and found the Jews dancing as they worshiped the Eigel HaZahav, the Golden Calf. This is alluded to in the pasuk, “They exchanged their Glory for the likeness of a grass-eating ox” (Tehillim 106:20). Why did David HaMelech include in his criticism the food that the ox consumes? The aveirah of avodah zarah, worshiping the Eigel, is independent of its diet. Why mention that it feeds on grass?
The Arizal teaches us that David HaMelech is not informing us of the diet of the ox. He is alluding to when the Cheit HaEigel took place. It took place on the date whose acronym is eisav, grass – namely, Shiva Assur B’Tammuz. When Moshe Rabbeinu did not return at the expected time, the Jewish people became worried. Aharon attempted to stall for time, and he told the impatient people to return the following day, saying, “A festival for Hashem tomorrow!” (Shemos 32:5). He referred to the next day as a holiday because he knew prophetically that eventually Shivah Asar B’Tammuz would be a joyous day, a day of celebration, as the Navi tells us, “Thus said Hashem, Master of Legions: The fast of the fourth [month], the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will be to the House of Yehudah for joy and gladness and for happy festivals. [Only] love truth and peace!” (Zechariah 8:19). It is our tradition that l’asid lavo the fast days will transform into Yamim Tovim, festivals. The term machar, tomorrow, which Aharon employed can also be interpreted as a day sometime in the future; it does not necessarily literally mean the very next day. Aharon was telling them that sometime in the future, this will be a date on which we will celebrate. When Mashiach comes, the seventeenth of Tammuz
