Incomplete

We have now entered the period of the Nine Days, a period of heavy grief, mourning and impending tragedies for the Jewish people.

The Torah describes the famous story of the 12 spies ― one from each tribe ― who are sent into Israel to explore the land. Their mission is to determine how to battle the Cananites and then settle 3 million men, women and children in the new land. The spies are sent to check out fortification of the cities, geography of the land, opportunities for farming and commerce, the best access routes, etc.

In Israel, God shows them signs that the land is indeed plentiful and rich: They find a cluster of grapes so enormous that eight men are needed to carry it.God also makes sure the spies encounter heavily fortified Cananite cities ― which in fact is a sign of Cananite weakness, since anyone who is truly powerful does not have to hide behind big walls.
In addition, G-d planned the death of a Cananite nobleman to coincide with the spies’ visit, so that the locals would be too busy with funeral arrangements and mourning to notice the spies. Everything was perfectly orchestrated; nothing could possibly go wrong.

Yet somehow, things do go wrong. After 40 days, the spies came back and 10 of them recommended against entering the land. They reported: “We can’t succeed because everything is huge!” ― a reference to the gigantic fruits. “We can’t succeed because the land devours its inhabitants!” ― a reference to the funeral. “And we can’t succeed because it’s too strong!” ― a reference to the heavily fortified walls. (see Numbers 13:31-33).

The Nation of Israel accepts the very negative report, and gives up their dream of going into Israel. The consequence? If you don’t want to enter the land, says G-d, then you won’t enter the land. All Israelites will die out over the next 40 years in the desert, and only their children will enter the land.

Numbers 14:1 tells us the people’s reaction to this news: “The people wept that night.” That night was Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. God declared: “They cried for no reason; in the future I’ll give them good reason to cry.”


Throughout history, terrible things have happened to the Jewish people on Tisha B'Av. The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians under Nebuchadneazar. The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, under Titus. The Spanish Inquisition. World War I began. World War II began. Deportations to Treblinka began. The deadly bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. The Expulsion from Gush Katif was during the Nine Days.

And all of these tragedies stem from us, The Nation of Israel, and our tremendous lack of gratitude to Hashem, our Father in Heaven, when He was giving us the most beautiful gift that we downright rejected. The Land of Israel.

To all my brothers and sisters here in Israel, by living here we are doing our repair work but we need help from our brothers and sisters outside of here. Dear Diaspora Jews, we are incomplete without you. We need you. Without you, we are missing vital organs and limbs. Unlike the report of the spies that "the land devours its inhabitants", take a look around you. Vicious acts of anti-Semitism continue to grow around the world...Montreal, Calgary, Toronto, France...The other countries of the world are devouring their inhabitants...The only safe place for a Jew is in his natural habitat. ISRAEL.

With Love,
Cigal