Commandment TWO —
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 4 thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
We have just completed a day of mourning called the 9th day of Av or Tish B’Av. In thinking about what I am being told to do, I have serious concerns that I may be acting against my soul, in mourning the lose of a building or two and what ever extra events some one wants to attach to this rabbinically commanded Day of Mourning. I the G-D of Abraham, G-D of Isaac, G-D of Jacob commanded this, even then I would need to determine whether this was actually from G-D as it seems to break Law #2.
Why is it so important to have G-D dwell among us?
When G-D declared that HE will not be among the people, but a angel will lead them to the Promised Land, for they are a stiff-necked people. A true mourning happens; [Exodus 33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man did put on him his ornaments.] But, why is this important? Moses states it like this; [Exodus 33:16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found grace in Thy sight, I and Thy people? is it not in that Thou goest with us, so that we are distinguished, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?’] –In this way We, you and I can know that we are keeping G-D’s law and are Blessed by the Lord G-D most High as his people.
Let me back this up with information.
The Laws of Mourning –according to Chabod.
(http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/149580/jewish/The-Laws-of-Mourning.htm)
As part of our mourning for the destruction of the Temple and the exile of Israel, we abstain from many pleasurable activities on the night and day of Av 9—starting with sundown on the eve of the day before, and concluding with the following nightfall
Tisha B’Av according to Hillel.
(http://www.hillel.org/jewish/holidays/tishabav/default)
Tisha B’Av (the Ninth day of the Hebrew month Av) is the second most severe fast day of the Jewish calendar (behind Yom Kippur). It marks the culmination of a three-week period mourning the destruction of both the first and second Temples in Jerusalem, known as “bein ha-metzarim” (literally, “between the straits”) or more colloquially known as the “Three Weeks”.
Tisha B’Av –According to Jewish Virtual Library
(http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidayd.html)
Tisha B’Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.).
Although this holiday is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temple, it is appropriate to consider on this day the many other tragedies of the Jewish people, many of which occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.
Tisha B’Av –according to Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tisha_B’Av)
Tisha B’Av (help·info) (Hebrew: תשעה באב or ט׳ באב, “the Ninth of Av,”) is an annual fast day in Judaism, named for the ninth day (Tisha) of the month of Av in the Hebrew calendar. The fast commemorates the destruction of both the First Temple and Second Temple in Jerusalem, which occurred about 490 years apart, but on the same Hebrew calendar date.[1] Although primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temples, it is also considered appropriate to commemorate other Jewish tragedies that occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.[2] Accordingly, the day has been called the “saddest day in Jewish history”.[3]
Enough of the documentation regarding this event. You may be asking “What is wrong with this?” There are many more questions that you may be asking or concerned about. I do know and can list many, but I will instead attempt to show you and explain what I consider more troubling than what is listed above.
First, it is the Loss of G-D’s presence among the children of Israel, which departed prior to the destruction of the first Temple and Jerusalem. Read the Prophesy at Exodus Chapters 8..11, available at
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1208.htm English and Hebrew text of the JPS 1917 version of the Tanach.
So why is having G-D’s Presences among us important? Exodus 33 is the story of direct relationship to this question. The sum up might be [Exodus 33:16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found grace in Thy sight, I and Thy people? is it not in that Thou goest with us, so that we are distinguished, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?’ ]
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0233.htm –read it for yourself.
In this last text, G-D tells Moses that an angel will lead the Children of Israel, not the Spirit of G-D. When the Israelite’s hear this pronouncement(That G-D will not be among them) they start mourning immediately. (Exodus33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man did put on him his ornaments.)
The G-D of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in my IDOL. The G-D of our fathers is the one I love with all might Heart, all my Soul and all of my Being. The buildings are nothing without G-D, and an Idol when so much importance is placed up that which G-D destroys because we have gone whoring after other gods.
Today the news is so bad that we do not even want to know it, but read for your soul and that of your children Deuteronomy 32. You may find there that Moses(at G-D’s demand) fore told today’s news. Our guilt has not changed. We must still seek the G-D of our Fathers even if the religious leaders are not leading you there, time is short and the Day is near.
Yaakov