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Jim Bramlett
Aug 2, 2004
From Arutz Sheva News Service
IsraelNationalNews.com
Monday, August 2, 2004 / Tu B'Av 5764
______________________TU B'AV TODAY
Today, the 15th of Av in the Jewish calendar, or Tu B'Av, is "destined for engagements and marriages," according to Jewish tradition. Although the day has been secularized to a degree - some even call it Jewish Valentine's Day - it has been rooted in Jewish tradition for 3,300 years.The Mishna explains that on this day, which it calls one of Judaism's most festive, Jewish maidens used to go out to the fields wearing borrowed white clothing - so as not to embarrass those who did not have fine garments of their own - and would say, "Young man, lift up your eyes and appreciate whom you are choosing [to marry]. Don't look at our beauty. Instead, look at the family..."
In addition, tradition teaches that on this day the Israelites who had entered the Land of Israel were permitted to marry outside their own tribes. Many years later on this same day, the ban on marrying into the tribe of Benjamin was rescinded. Both of these marriage-related rulings were cause for great joy among the People of Israel, as were other joyous events that occurred on this date, and so it has remained throughout the ages for both the nation and its individuals.
Rabbi Shmuel Shapira, the rabbi of the town of Kokhav Ya'ir, explained to Arutz-7 today that the secularization of the day and its having become "Love Day" and the like "is positive from one standpoint: It shows that people want to love. True, they sometimes take advantage of it for various negative things that are very unacceptable - but the inner point of this striving for love, for goodness, for the ability to give to others and to feel united - this is something that we should try to develop, of course in a pure and holy manner... For instance, it should be used as a day for events of joy and holiness, such as what they're doing in Gush Katif today [see below], and together with this, to have singles meet each other - once again, in a framework of holiness and purity."
TU B'AV NUMBERS AND EVENTS
The Central Bureau of Statistics announced yesterday that almost 40,000 couples had been married in Israel in the year 2002. Almost 30,000 of them were Jewish, and 90% of them were first-time marriages for both spouses. First-time grooms were aged 28.6 among the Christians, 26.9 among the Jews, and 25.6 among the Moslems. For brides, the numbers were 23.4 and 20.4 among Christians and Moslems, respectively, and 24.6 among the Jews.Thousands of visitors are expected to visit Gush Katif in Jewish Gaza today. They will take part in the 18th annual local Tu B'Av celebration, a free-of-charge event including a wide array of features. The day begins with a crafts fair at which participants can purchase Judaica, clothing and other works of local artists, jewelry craftsmen and folk artists. Children will be treated to workshops on olive oil, goat cheese and ancient pottery production, as well as a special playground. After bathing on one of several Gush Katif beaches, the music festival will begin at 18:00, including popular singers such as Ariel Zilber, Aharon Raz'el, and Chaim Israel.
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