by Rabbi Eric Coopersmith, September 17, 2026

The Jewish calendar follows an arc that consists of a seven-stage journey, starting with a broken relationship and ending with the joy of reconciliation.

The Jewish holidays aren’t isolated celebrations scattered across the calendar. Together, they form a carefully structured system of spiritual growth. Each holiday marks another stage in the development of our relationship with God.

We begin with distance and brokenness, gradually rediscover our longing for closeness, recommit ourselves to serving God, remove the barriers separating us from Him, and ultimately arrive at reconciliation, joy, and intimacy.

This journey has seven stops, beginning with Tisha B’Av and culminating in Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

1. Tisha B’Av: The Relationship Is Broken

The journey begins on Tisha B’Av, when we confront the painful reality that our relationship with God is in crisis.

The destruction of the Holy Temple wasn’t merely the loss of a sacred building. The Temple was the place where God’s presence among us was most clearly felt. Its destruction meant concealment, distance, and the breakdown of our ability to live together with God.

On Tisha B’Av, we don’t yet talk about repairing the relationship. We first let ourselves recognize what’s been lost. Before something can be restored, we have to understand its value. Our mourning reveals that beneath all the distance, we still care. We cry because the relationship matters to us.

Tisha B’Av is therefore the beginning of growth. The pain of separation awakens the desire for reunion.

Full article here.