The month of Av is, in a sense, a paradox. At Tisha B’Av, (9th Av) it is a time of mourning and repentance, yet only six days later at Tu B’Av, we celebrate the fathomless love and mercy of God.
Jewish people are known for their spontaneity expressed in worship music and dance. It has been a declaration of faith and confidence in God even in the worst of times, as reflected in this month of the Jewish calendar. The 18th Century rabbi, Israel Baal Tov, founder of Chasidic Judaism, was questioned whether this was really an appropriate thing for any sane person to engage in. He replied:
“Once there lived a talented musician whose gift went unnoticed until one day he decided to play his instrument in the town square. Soon he gathered a great crowd around him, as everyone stood enthralled by his amazing talent. Before long, people began to move to the rhythm and steady flow of the music so that the town square became transformed into a place of celebration. Everyone was dancing and singing, quite oblivious to their surroundings, young and old, rich and poor.
A deaf man happened to be passing by and could not understand what was going on. He just thought to himself that everyone was crazy and had had too much to drink!”
The prophet Habakkuk reflected a similar thought when he wrote:
“For even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom, and no fruit is on the vines, even if the olive tree fails to produce, and the fields yield no food at all, even if the sheep vanish from the sheep pen, and there are no cows in the stalls; still, I will rejoice in Adonai, I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Elohim Adonai is my strength! He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer and enables me to stride over my high places.” (ch.3:17-19)
Here we see in the month of Av, the silver lining underlying God’s judgments against His covenant people, for attached to them exists a genuine hope as portrayed in the story shared by the Baal Shem Tov, for all those who are not deaf to its sound.
The outcomes of sin are beyond terrible whether one is directly or indirectly responsible or even an innocent casualty. Yet, even in such dire occurrences, where sin has abounded God has never been absent in providing a means of escape for those who resolutely reach out to Him, however desperate or hopeless things may appear. And so we read that, “…wherever sin grew and spread, God’s grace was there in fuller, greater measure. No matter how much sin crept in, there was always more grace.” (Romans 5:20)
This is what is celebrated by Messianic believers at Tu B’Av: not the sin, but God’s victory over sin through Messiah Jesus. No matter whether we suffer the consequences of our own failures or of others – perpetrators or victims – however far we may have fallen, or hardened our hearts, God has provided a means by which restoration and healing are within our reach when we have the courage and determination to stretch out and receive it. Now isn’t that something worth singing and dancing about!
