Tu B'Av

Remembering Jerusalem

It was fourteen years since Akiva had seen his wife. He had been away studying, just as she had wanted, and he was now the famous Rabbi Akiva, with thousands of students. Only he knew that he would still be a simple shepherd if his wife hadn’t encouraged him to study. He felt in his pocket for the present he had bought her. Good, it was still there. Now the question was when to surprise her with it. It would probably be best when they were alone. After dinner they would go for a walk and then he would give it to her. He also knew exactly where they would go for a walk.

Rachel was surprised that Akiva chose to walk with her on the ruins of Jerusalem. She hadn’t been here in so many years, since she was a child, and Jerusalem was a great city. She knew the city well, then, and almost everyone in it. Her father, Kalba Savua, was once the richest man in the city. He was a kind man, who gave food and money to anyone in need. Some people said that even a dog would come away from his house with a full belly.

But Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, and all that was left were a few charred stones. She cried as she passed by the ruins of what was once her home. Rabbi Akiva didn’t notice though. He was just happy finally to be back with his wife. As they walked past where the Temple once stood, a fox darted out in front of them. Rachel remembered the Temple well - better even than her husband, who probably never saw it from close up. Still, it annoyed her that he was actually laughing at the fox. “How can you laugh,” she complained, “After fourteen years, don’t you know that this is where the Temple once stood?”

Rabbi Akiva smiled and put his arm around her. “I do,” he answered, “and just as the prophets said that foxes will play in the Temple’s courtyards, they also said that Jerusalem will be rebuilt one day. I see that one prophecy has already come true. Why should I doubt that the other one will come true too?” Rachel looked at her husband and understood why everyone said he was the wisest rabbi in the land. He looked at her and continued: “Until then, I have something to remind you of Jerusalem.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold tiara, shaped like the walls of the city. “Every time you wear this, remember the fox we saw tonight, and remember that Jerusalem will be rebuilt, too.”

“That promise is the greatest gift you can give me,” she said, as they walked down the hill to their home.