Torah Portion - July 25, 2009
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D’var Torah: Shabbat Chazon 7/25/09
Traditionally, this is a relatively sad time in the Jewish calendar. Next Shabbat is Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision. The Shabbat which immediately precedes the Ninth of Av (which falls on Wednesday night & Thursday 7/29 & 7/30). Why? Because the haftarah read on this Shabbat is taken from the first chapter of Isaiah which begins with the words “Chazon Yeshayahu - Isaiah's Vision.” This haftarah is the last of the three readings from the Prophets which speak of the calamities that befell
The weekly Torah portion read on this Shabbat is customarily chanted in the sorrowful melody of the cantillation of Megillat Eichah, Lamentations.
It is interesting to note that there are two distinct changes – omissions specifically – to our weekly custom of eating three meals on Shabbat and regarding Havdalah. First, while one may eat meat and drink wine at all three meals on Shabbat Chazon even if it falls on the Ninth of Av itself [in which case the fast is delayed until the next day]. However, seudah shelishit - the third Shabbat meal - should not be extended into the night as is customary on other Sabbaths. Rather, the meal must be finished before sunset.
And second, when Shabbat Chazon falls on the day before the Ninth of Av, the entire Havdalah is not recited at the conclusion of Shabbat! We do not recite the berachah on wine or on spices. Rather, only the berachah on the creation of fire [Boreh Me'orei ha-Esh] is made. At the conclusion of the Ninth of Av, the berachot on wine and the berachah that differentiates between the holy and the secular [ha-Mavdil bein kodesh l'chol] are recited.
Why? Because we diminish our rejoicing because we stand in preparation for our period of mourning. It’s about doing with less. About withdrawing or retreating a bit. It’s recognizing that something happened to us and our people centuries ago. It’s about memory. It’s about commemoration. So that we don’t find ourselves in that situation again – it’s about self determination and self-governance. For us it’s about living in a free land where we can observe and practice (or not) those customs and traditions of our people today.
Shabbat Shalom!