Jewish Folklore 6

One of the most tragic periods in Jewish History was the era of the Crusades (1095-1291). Populations were smaller then, but proportionately, it was the equivalent of the Holocaust, with fully one-third of world Jewry wiped out. A "slight" difference was that the Holocaust lasted twelve years, while the Crusades lasted almost two centuries. The end of this period saw some countries (like England) completely Judenrein through murder. while others had impoverished, decimated communities, many of which chose to emigrate eastward into Poland and other Slavic countries for refuge. The Crusaders, on their way to "free" the Holy Land from the Muslims, decided to vent their insane rage on the "enemies of Christ" in their own countries, and all the countries through which they passed. Now largely forgotten, the Crusades left an indelible mark on Jewish feelings of insecurity, and became the basis for many customs and traditions, whose true origins have mostly been forgotten. Since armies in those days usually fought in the Spring and Summer, thus avoiding harsh weather, numerous days of mourning were instituted locally in memory of great massacres. As time went by, the Spring tragedies became connected with the Talmudic report of the death of Rabbi Akiva's students during the Omer period, although a thousand years had since passed with no mourning period enacted. The Summer massacres became connected with the mournful period of the days preceding Tish'ah B'Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple. To be sure, the Talmud lists requirements for that season, but at this time they were magnified exponentially, in both length and depth of mourning. To this day, the German Jewish "Kinot" (dirges for Tish'ah B'av) contain sections entitled "the destruction of Mainz", "the destruction of Worms", etc. The Jews of the affected communities struggled between maintaining faith and hope, while keeping the memory of the martyrs alive. A prayer in their memory is still recited in Ashkenazi synagogues, either at special anniversaries, or every Shabbat (Av Harachamim). These additions are completely understandable in human terms. More problematic is the virtual abolishing of a Biblical precept in this context. The Torah commands that the Sons of Aaron bless the people. This was done at least daily in the Temple, at a particular point in the Sacrificial service. After the destruction, the Sanhedrin, which had been set up in Yavneh, ruled that this would now be done in every synagogue at the morning service, as well at Musaf services  (Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, and Holidays), and at Minchah on fast days. This was not merely in memory of the Temple, but is the fulfillment of one of the 613 commandments. The blessing was henceforth performed in all Jewish communities...until the Crusades. The Talmud stipulates that the Kohanim who are blessing the people must do so out of love, and in a joyous mood. If a Kohen dislikes someone in the congregation, he is forbidden to bless. If he is in mourning, he doesn't bless. In a few communities, a Kohen whose wife is menstruating doesn't bless, as he lacks joy at that time.In order to "escape" the obligation to bless, he will walk out of the synagogue when the Kohanim are called. The Ashkenazi communities instituted that there would be no calling to the Kohanim to bless, thereby eliminating the actual obligation. Through the hell of the persecutions of the Crusades, when everyone knew that he, his wife and children, and all his friends had a 30% chance of being murdered any time, usually being burnt alive, many felt that a feeling of joy was no longer possible. To stop the blessing completely, seemed unthinkable. It was decided that it should only be recited on full holidays, when the eating, drinking and celebrating would allow at least some joy. Even Shabbat seemed too short to really forget the world they were living in. Although many Sepharadic communities were terribly affected as well, Sepharadim, more bound to sources than custom, saw the cessation of the blessing as unthinkable. Eventually, the origin of not reciting the blessing was largely forgotten. but was still observed based on the Ashkenazi concept of "a minhag trumps a law". A further blow came four hundred years later. The false Messiah, Shabbaetai Tzvi, was, as we have seen, Manic Depressive. When he was in his manic phase, he would deliberately sin. When he was in his depressive phase, he became a completely pious Jew, with great feelings of remorse. He would, at those times, try also to correct the sins of others. He wrote letters to communities that were lax in any commandment to change their ways. Primary among these were communities that were not careful about drinking non-Jewish wine, not leaving the "pe'ot" (sidelocks), and ...not reciting the blessing of the Kohanim daily. Shabbateans in Ashkenazi countries reintroduced the blessing in their synagogues. Henceforth, the recitation, and the fulfillment of this Biblical command became associated with heresy! I have even seen a book that alleged that NOBODY said the blessing daily anymore until some communities were seduced by the Shabbateans to say it! This is perhaps one of the greatest ironies in Jewish history. Once the Crusades became a distant memory, and even Shabbetai Tzvi no longer seemed relevant, there were attempts to reintroduce the blessing. More on that next time.