10 Tevet

A historical perspective on the events that led up to the destruction of the Holy Temple

When faced with a tragedy we mourn. But we also ask ourselves: what positive element lies buried within this negative experience? We cannot always see it. But we always look for it

Walls insulate and isolate. Breached boundaries leave us vulnerable to attack and loss of identity. What, then, is it that we need?

The killers are driven by hate, the pundits and politicians by vanity and naiveté; together, they would rip the heart of Israel from its body

We philosophized our way to science, and then science led us through the doorway into mysticism. But we still don't know how to live our lives.

The precious jewels had been scattered to the farthest reaches of the globe. How would the king recover that which was most dear to him?

The day of the wedding arrived. Hundreds of beggars took their places around tables laden with the best food money could buy. But then tragedy struck . . .

If a cold and dark world mutes the light of G‑d and dulls our minds and hearts, it only accentuates the most basic and essential element of our relationship: the bond between the physical self of man and the quintessential being of G‑d.

The tenth of Tevet is a fast day commemorating the date on which the Babylonians laid siege around the walls of Jerusalem, leading to the eventual destruction of the Holy Temple.

Is G-d responsible? How can His actions (or inaction) be defended? Should they be defended?

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