ר ֹ ֽ ָל
אֲ שֶַׁכּ
שָּׂ ֖ אֶא
בֶּ ֥רִדּ
ב ֽ ֲא
בַ דְִּל
כֶ ֽ םָל
רְִ ה
רְׇט
ס ֵ ֧ ףֹ י
ת ְֶ א
כֶ ֥םֲח
ל ֵ י כ ֲֶע
כֶ ֣םְנּ ה ְִ ו
כֶ ֖םָכּ
יּ֔ וֹםַה
רִ ְֽו
כוֹכְ בְֵכּ
ע ָ מ ְִ פּ
שָּׁ מַַה
ם֔ ֶכ ת ְֶ א
֑
I would like to offer an obverse image of Rabbi Akiva studying in the Beit Midrash of Moshe Rabeinu, in which he is bemused at the use of the word Eichah in the portion of Devarim, normally read the shabbat before Tisha B’ Av. In verse 12 of the opening chapter we encounter the iconic use of the word which is interpreted musically to usher us into Tisha B’ Av, as we chant it using the Megillat Eichah melody.
Moshe is describing the ways that God fulfilled His promises by evoking the assurances and blessings given to our forefathers 1:10,11;
And then …
֥ י ֖ םִ י ב
ה ' ֱא- ֵֶהt י ֖ כ ם ָ ה֣ בּ ֶ ם֑ כ The LORD your God has multiplied you until you are today as numerous as the stars in the sky.
֛ ם ֶ ףֶל֣ א
ה ' ֱא- הt ֵ י֣ ֖ ר
וֹ ת ֵ כ ֶ ֗ ם
֑ י ם ִויבָ רֵ ì ֣
May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase your numbers a thousand-fold, and bless you as He promised you.
ֵא י כָ ֥ ה י וּ מַ ֽ ֶכֲאַ שּׂ י בְ כֶ ֽ ם How can I bear your trouble, your burden, and your strife all by myself?
In the context of the fulfillment of these blessings, how can this be interpreted negatively? It is surely the delight of parenting, the ecstasy at witnessing the fulfillment of one’ s deepest desires. Do not read as a complaint rather as commendation. Why the oy as opposed to the joy? I contemplate Rabbi Akiva’ s response to this, reflecting on a striking account at the end of Makkot( 24b). The Talmud describes how Rabbi Akiva was walking in Jerusalem with a group of Sages sometime after the destruction of the Temple.
ם֖
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