Living Waters for Tisha B’Av

Eliyahu Alpern, Mayim Hayim, http://golem.ws/mayimhayim.html

Tonight and tomorrow are the 9th of Av, the day of fasting and mourning over the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples and other tragedies in our collective history. Most people don’t know that according to sources in the Talmud and Tanach, this day of solemn sadness will turn to gladness and celebration and it will be forbidden to fast and be sad. This happened in the past when the Jews built the 2nd Temple after returning to Zion from the Babylonian exile and it will happen in our time when there is “Shalom” in our land. Some sources define shalom as Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, but the definition is open to interpretation. There can be no doubt, however, that we are on the road to Shalom and arriving there all the time.

Today’s image is called “Mayim Hayim” (living waters). It is based on a prophecy of Jeremiah in which he tells that in the future, waters of life will flow out of Jerusalem and bring life back to the dry rivers and lands. Water can be taken literally or as a metaphor for Torah, Life, and Positive Vibrations. Jeremiah is the same prophet who composed the book of “Eicha” (Lamentations), which we read tonight on TIsh’a b’Av.