Our focus will be on the five calamities that took place and Spiritual Healing in Judaism 17 Tammuz, a day of fasting that ushers in The Three Weeks. This period is also known as Bein Hametzarim, which translates to "Between the Narrow Straits." A time designated for reflection and introspection. We will bring awareness to the parts that find themselves in restricted, narrow places. This post is inspired by a class given by Rabbi YY Jacobson, which you can access here. Three Weeks Class: The Five Calamities of 17 Tamuz -- Five Symptoms of Trauma
The Mishna States;
ֲחֲמִשָּׁה
דְּבָרִים אֵרְעוּ אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְּתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב. בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת וּבָטַל הַתָּמִיד וְהֻבְקְעָה הָעִיר וְשָׂרַף אַפּוֹסְטוֹמוֹס אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְהֶעֱמִיד צֶלֶם בַּהֵיכָל
"Five things happened to our forefathers on the seventeenth of Tammuz, the tablets were broken, the continual offering was abolished, the city was breached, Apostomos burned the Torah, and he placed an idol in the Temple."-Talmud, Tractate Ta'anit 28b
The Breaking of the Tablets of the Covenant
The Korban Tamid - Continual Offering was abolished
The Walls of Jerusalem were breached.
Apostomos burned the Torah
He placed an Idol in the Holy Temple (Heichal - Inner Chamber)
As stated in Rabbi YY's class, the five calamities also refer to five outcomes resulting from complex trauma. I would like to explore these effects with you and healing from them.
Broken Tablets
The breaking of the tablets symbolizes the shattering of assumptions or the fragmenting of the self that occurs when someone's perception of reality is disrupted by traumatic experiences. Initially, a person may believe that people are generally kind, that there is purpose and reason to live, and that they have intrinsic value. However, as a result of trauma, especially prolonged and repeated trauma, these beliefs can shift dramatically. The world may come to be seen as evil and people as monsters. Life may feel purposeless unless it serves others' desires, leading to a profound questioning or nullification of self-worth. The innocence that fosters curiosity, compassion, confidence, and courage is shattered.
Continual Offering Abolished
The cessation of the continual offering reflects the struggle with consistency that trauma survivors often face. Various factors stemming from trauma can interfere with regularity, including:
Hypervigilance
Emotional dysregulation
Hypersensitivity and triggering
Avoidant behavior
Trust issues
Difficulty planning and focusing
Consistency demands patience and self-compassion, particularly when facing unexpected life challenges. For those dealing with these issues, maintaining consistency can be especially difficult, making productivity seem unattainable and further contributing to low self-worth.
Breached Walls
The breaching of Jerusalem's walls highlights the significance of boundaries. Once the walls were breached, the city fell under enemy control. Similarly, personal physical and emotional boundaries are crucial. When boundaries are unclear or absent, others can more easily take control of one's inner self. Trauma compromises boundaries, leaving individuals insecure in their self-knowledge and more vulnerable to further trauma.
Torah Burned
Burning the Torah was an attempt to undermine Jewish ideology and national faith by desecrating what was held most dear. This act conveyed a message of desecration and helplessness to the nation. Abuse sends a similar message to the trauma victim: "Whatever is important to you can and will be desecrated, and you will be powerless to stop it." This message is profoundly painful and debilitating, cultivating limiting self-talk and leading to repeated behaviors that perpetuate trauma.
Idol Placed in the Heichal - Inner Chamber
The Mishna lists these five events in a specific order, culminating with this one. If the first four types of trauma outcomes—shattered innocence, compromised consistency, underdeveloped sense of self, and helplessness—are convincing arguments of worthlessness, this fifth one seals it. While the first four outcomes can interfere with life and relationships, this fifth one dictates behavior, influencing the internal state of being, hence the term "inner chamber."
The cumulative influence of the first four outcomes results in a profound sense of loss and worthlessness, triggering a fear of emotional death. This unconscious fear develops survival mechanisms to cope with perceived threats and avoid pain. These mechanisms are reactive, behavioral, primitive, and instinctive, designed to defend against threats and avoid discomfort.
These coping mechanisms can manifest as:
Angry outbursts
Shutting down and internalizing
Distancing
Avoiding reminders of the original traumas
Addictive behaviors and vices of all kinds
These mechanisms offer momentary relief from the pain of worthlessness or the fear of being treated as worthless, creating hypersensitivity to any hints of this happening and triggering extreme responses. These are the idols, the foreign images, brought into our inner chambers under the false pretense that they will protect us.
If you found this post helpful, please share it with others. I enjoy meeting new people and would love to hear from you, so leave a comment. Thank you for being part of this journey😌.
If you're seeking support or have any questions, I'm here to help. Click on this link to connect with me. Let's see if we're a good fit to work together and take the next step toward your healing and growth. Together, we can navigate this path to a more fulfilling and balanced life 🌱💖.
This article Gives you a lot to think of.
Very inspiring.