Why Just Siyum?: 

Two R. Davids and the Primary Soul Work for the Three Weeks

“It’s not supposed to be fun.” 

That’s what I used to say to my kids every year around this time, around mid-summer, when the typical fun of summer took a nosedive. No more music, dancing, or swimming. The tone in the house was different. When they complained that things were not fun anymore, my response was always the same, “It’s not supposed to be fun. That’s not what this part of the Jewish experience is about.” 

And while that is true, there is still a part of us that can’t take no for an answer. Summer is supposed to be fun! So, at camps and summer programs around the world, we often see the temporary evasion of the prohibitions of the Three Weeks or the Nine Days through holding a siyum. The finishing of an entire sefer kodesh, whether it be a masechet of mishna, gemara or other holy book, allows us to celebrate and momentarily leave these restrictions behind. This is the spirit behind the latest J-Sketch by Eli Lebowicz, which spoofs what sometimes seems like our community’s sudden commitment to frequent siyumim during this period of the year. 

Rav Dovid Hofstedter in his Dorash Dovid, asks an obvious question regarding this practice. Why is it that we cannot celebrate wonderful simchas such as weddings during the Three Weeks, but we can celebrate with a party for learning Torah? If joy is to be decreased, why not postpone the joy of a siyum the same way we would postpone the joy of other occasions until after Tisha B’Av? 

Rav Hofstedter answers by making a distinction between the kavod, the honor, of the Jewish people and the kavod of Torah. The 17 of Tammuz, as pointed out by the Mishnah (Taanit 4:6) was the day that Moshe witnessed the downfall of the honor of our people through their sin of the Golden Calf. After that event, we are told that Moshe, even in his intense anger at the people, still left the opportunity for connection open. He pitched a tent and opened it for the  מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ יְ-ה the religious seekers who wanted to connect with God, and according to Rashi, learn Torah. Even in the worst moments of our people’s sins, the honor of Torah lived on. The glory and honor of the people was diminished, so weddings and festive occasions must not be celebrated, but the glory of the Torah continued. Therefore, Torah, its honor and joy continues.*

In thinking more about this distinction, it occurred to me that it is critical for us to keep our focus and remember what the Three Weeks are primarily about. While many emphasize the importance of focusing on eradicating sinat chinam, baseless hatred of our fellow human beings during this time, the Three Weeks, in their essence, are really not primarily about our treatment of others. They are centered on the rupture of our relationship with God.

The Mishnah makes this perfectly clear.  The original moment of tragedy of Tisha B’Av was the sin of the spies, בְּתִשְׁעָה בְאָב נִגְזַר עַל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ . The original moment of tragedy of the 17 of Tammuz was when the tablets were smashed, בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת.

Both of these sins were not about sins between people; they were about a lack of faith in the Divine. 

According to another R. David, Rabbi David Silber, who often shares words of Torah at my minyan, these sins, sins of idolatry and of lack of faith in God regarding the promise of the Land of Israel, repeat themselves again in the Torah and throughout our history. The Jews worship Moabite gods (Bamidbar 25) long after the sin of the Golden Calf. Tribes of Am Yisrael decide against going into the land to fight (Bamidbar 32), even after the sin of the spies. Misguided worship of things instead of God and a taking for granted of the holiness of our land are manifestations of a lack of faith in God that reappear each and every generation and right up to today. This is the rupture we commemorate this time of year. 

It makes sense then that we are allowed to celebrate with a siyum even during this time of year, as the key antidote for mending this rupture between us and God is learning Torah. Torah is God’s love letter to Am Yisrael; learning Torah is what increases our understanding of God and faith in the Divine. It must be present during this time of year as it is central to our reconciliation.

So while working on our struggles of Jewish unity is always important, let us remember, whether we find ourselves on vacation, at camp or at home, that the real work of this time of year is not to heal the rupture between us and our fellow humans; rather, it is in the message that we recite together that ends Eicha: our sacred task to return to God.

שִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙  וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,

And let us come back;

Renew our days as of old. 

(Eicha 5:21) 

*R. Hofstedter addresses the issue that learning Torah is not allowed on Tisha B’Av by noting that the reason for that is the overwhelming tragedy of that day, which includes full mourning prohibitions. Tisha B’Av does not allow emotional space for joy in Torah. It is more that joy is prohibited on Tisha B’Av, than learning itself. (Taanit 30a) Allowing some Torah to be learned proves again, that we cannot live without Torah even Tisha B’Av as Torah is the main vehicle for our religious engagement 365 days a year.