The Day Of The Gid Hanashe
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The Day Of The Gid Hanashe
The most stringent fasts are
Tisha B’av and Yom Kippur. We know Yom Kippur is mentioned in the Torah but
where is Tisha B’av mentioned?[1] Maybe we should observe
Tisha B’av with Ahavas Chinam. Who said we should fast?
We are taught the 365 sinews
on one’s body correspond to the 365 negative commandments and to the 365 days
of the year.[2] The Zohar[3] tells us the Gid Hanashe
corresponds to Tisha B’av. The Zohar also informs us that the fight of Yaakov
and the Malach of Esav occurred on Tisha B’av.[4] The Kisvei Arizal therefore
says eating on Tisha B’av is like eating from the Gid Hanashe as this is the
area Yaakov was hit in.[5]
The Pasuk there states על כן לא יאכלו בני ישראל את גיד הנשה...; the Jewish people are not to eat the Gid
Hanashe to this day.[6]
This alludes to that we should fast on Tisha B’av. Moreover, את are the initials תשעה אב. The four fasts we
observe because of the Churban- the 10th of Teves, Tzom Gedalya, the
17th of Tamuz and Tisha B’av are alluded to in the word גיד. ג has a numerical value 3 alluding to Tzom Gedalya,
the third day in the month of Tishrei.[7]
Also, ג is the first letter of גדלי-ה. The י alludes to the 10th of Teves as it has a Gematria of
10. Adding up the letters of גיד we get to a sum of 17
referring to the 17th of Tamuz. The Gid Hanashe itself refers to
Tisha B’av.[8]
[1] See Tur, Orach Chaim, 554
[2] See Makkos 23b
[3] Zohar, 1:170b
[4] The Malach of Esav made his
mark on Yaakov- in the Gid Hanashe. This is symbolic that the trait of Yaakov-
Torah- would be diminished on one day of the year, Tisha B’av, as this is the
day we are limited on what we are allowed to learn (Shulchan Aruch, Orach
Chaim, 554).
[5] It says ותקע כף ירך יעקב; Yaakov’s hip socket was
dislocated (Breishis 32:26). This alludes to the idea that evil will dominate
on Tisha B’av (Here are a few: Both בתי מקדש were destroyed on this day. In 1492, during the Spanish
Inquisition, the deadline for the Jews to leave the country or face death was
on Tisha B’av.), as the ירך refers
to the future generations of Yaakov, his descendants.
[6] Breishis 32:33
[7] The Beis Yosef writes in the
name of R’ Yeruchem (Orach Chaim, end of 549) that Gedalya Ben Achikam was
killed on Rosh Hashana and the fast is pushed off until the third of Tishrei, a
weekday. The Kaf Hachaim (549:5, see there) and the Rambam say, however, that
he was killed on the third of Tishrei.
[8] The Pasuk tells us Yaakov
wrestled with the Malach of Esav- ויאבק (Breishis 32:25). Why doesn’t it say the more common term of וילחם? Chazal (Kalla Rabasi 8)
say the first destruction of Yerushalayim was because of Avoda Zara and the
second was because of שנאת חנם. The
Shela points out it says the term אבק in regards to Avoda Zara as in כיון דאביקו
ביה. Another place it says אבק is concerning Lashon Hara as in אבק לשון
הרע (Baba Basra 165a, See Hakdama to Shemiras Halshon that the
destruction of the Beis Hamikdash was because of Lashon Hara). The Batei
Mikdash were destroyed on the day of ויאבק.
[9] Yoma 9b
[10] Breishis 32:29
[11] See Sefer Hachinuch, Mitzva
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