Back in Potomac, I was asked to be the Orthodox rabbi represented at an initial meeting of the “Ambassadors of Tolerance” program. They asked a rabbi or representative of each denomination to participate and speak of their unique understanding of the faith. We were told to bring an object which, to us, represents Judaism. We went around the table with the students and rabbis. Students were there from all kinds of backgrounds. I listened intently to all the presentations, especially those of my colleagues.

The Reform representative brought a tallis and spoke of the spirituality she felt when enveloped in her tallis. The Conservative rabbi brought a kippah and spoke of its historical significance. I brought a photo I keep in my living room. It’s a photo of East European Jewish immigrants on the SS America bound for New York. In the top right corner of the photo is a picture of my paternal grandfather, probably a teenager at the time.

I realized that the three of us truly brought objects that represent our religious beliefs. The concept of personal autonomy is so important in the Reform movement; for this person, standing under her tallis moved her and that was her object. The concept of history is so crucial in the Conservative movement; understanding practices in their historical contexts. The Conservative educators I have encountered have taught me how important it is to provide biographies of rabbis being quoted – providing the context of the times and place where one wrote.

My object related to the word I think is most important in our movement – mesorah or tradition. One looking at that photo would not find any religious significance to it – compared to a yarmulke or a tallis. But to me it’s everything. My minhagim (customs), my connection to Moshe Rabbeinu goes through my grandfather for whom I am named.

Most commentaries are bothered by those elements of sefer D’varim which differ from the first four s’farim of the Torah. The fifth book of the Torah is known as Mishneh Torah, the book of repetition of the Torah. Furthermore, much of the sefer switches from third person to first person. Many m’forshim (commentaries) weigh in on the differences. 

I would like to share with you the opinion of Rav Dovid Tzvi Hoffman. Rav Hoffman served as rector of the Hildesheimer Rabbinical Institute in Berlin and died in 1921. Rav Dovid Tzvi Hoffman comments that the concept of Mishneh Torah in D'varim represents the lessons learned from history, as opposed to the actual history recorded earlier. Rav Dovid Tzvi, known as the Melamed L’Hoil the title of his collected responsa, does not just provide an insight into sefer D’vorim, but rather, on the whole idea of history.

Let me use a more modern day example. In order to ascertain information about the presidency of George W. Bush, I could go to the National Archives and read all of his papers. We can read the Washington Post or New York Times for eight years or in today’s modern age, see what was posted on the White House website during those years.

There is another very effective way to try to understand the Bush 43 years. Read his memoirs. I would not recommend his 2010 “Decision Points” to be your ONLY method of ascertaining the history of the time, but reading the impressions of the president of the United States or other officials helps us understand the times.

I remember when I was at George Washington University in graduate school the tumult on campus when George Schultz’ memoirs were published. Since we were all studying foreign policy, the insights he would afford us from the Reagan years would be invaluable.

In certain ways, Rav Dovid Tzvi is saying that sefer D’vorim serves as Moshe Rabbeinu’s memoirs. With all due respect to President Bush and Secretary Schultz, I think Moshe’s memoirs are a bit more trustworthy, accurate, insightful and important.

I believe there is a very powerful message in the Melamed L’hoil’s pshat.

We cannot merely study the history of our people. We can’t just look at Pesach as an event of the past. We can’t just sit on the ground Monday night, recite Eichah and think of events 2,000 years ago. We have to realize that the events that we celebrate or mourn are real events. We have to make those events part of us and part of our experiences. It’s important to see how they are applied.

There are many connections between Pesach and Tisha b’av. Both of these events are re-experienced every year. They are not times when we recall historical events long ago. At the Seder we are obligated to see ourselves as those who left Egypt. Our sages have expressed that every generation in which the Temple is not re-built is as guilty as the generation which saw it taken from them.

We Jews must learn our history, but we must learn it differently – we must ask how it connects to us. Rav Hutner, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Chaim Berlin Yeshiva, spoke of the importance of studying Jewish history. He considered studying Jewish history as part of limud haTorah (Torah study).  Rav Hutner writes that history is part of recognizing that  kudsha Brich Hu, Oraysa v’Yisrael chad Hi- that God, Torah and Israel are one. It’s a mitzvah to understand the greatness of HASHEM – and His Middos – His traits are expressed through history. (Heard from Rabbi Yisrael Reisman on his tapes on the kinnos of Tisha b’av).

R. Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, the director of the Torah Vodaath yeshiva and founder of Torah Umesorah actually wrote an essay on Jewish history. He wrote that just as we believe that there is no space free of God, it is equally true there is no time slot empty of God. Awareness of God’s presence included the totality of time as well as space. Indeed, this concept always served as his clarion call – not to neglect the study of Jewish history. (Heard on tape of R. Shraga by Rabbi Bernard Goldenberg on the tapes published by the OU).

I would like to conclude by citing a question asked by another great German rabbi – Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch. He wonders why the three Haftarot of calamity which are read during the weeks before Tisha b’av, do not contain the texts in Jeremiah pertaining to the destruction of the Temple. Why do they only describe the causes?

Rav Hirsch answers that we do not mourn over the destruction; we mourn over the fact that it had to be destroyed. Tisha b’av today reflects our situation in 2014, not that of the generation of the year 70 CE. This point can alter and elevate our observance of Tisha B’av.  

In 1807 Napoleon entered Alexandria. He would free the Jews. But the Jews lived well in Alexandria. He came to the shul on Tisha b'Av and saw the Jews weeping and asked them why? They responded that they were mourning over the destruction of their temple. Napoleon Bonaparte vowed to punish those responsible. He was then informed that the event occurred thousands of years before. Napoleon declared that if they can mourn an event that occurred millennia before their births, they will merit seeing it rebuilt.

From Napoleon’s mouth to God’s ears!

Ken Yehi Ratzon (May it be His will).