Dr. Erica Brown is one of the foremost Jewish educators of our time. In her latest book, In the Narrow Places, she brings her extraordinary teaching skills to the subject of the Three Weeks, the period of mourning commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples. For each day of the Three Weeks, she presents a short, inspirational essay based on biblical texts followed by a kavana, a spiritual focus that involves reflection, imagination or action to transform these somber days of remembrance into a period of introspection and spiritual growth. Alongside the traditional prophecies of doom and consolation traditionally read during the Three Weeks, In the Narrow Places offers a new process for rebuilding and a re-affirmation of hope.
In the Narrow Places: Daily Inspiration for the Three Weeks
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One of the leading Jewish thinkers in America today. --Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic
Brown's impact stems from her ability to undermine the egos of the successful at the same time that she lovingly helps them build better lives. --David Brooks, The New York Times
Brown's impact stems from her ability to undermine the egos of the successful at the same time that she lovingly helps them build better lives. --David Brooks, The New York Times
About the Author
Dr. Erica Brown is a writer and educator who lectures widely on subjects of Jewish interest. She is scholar-in-residence for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, DC and a consultant to other Jewish organizations. Dr. Brown is the author of Confronting Scandal, Spiritual Boredom and Inspired Jewish Leadership and co-author of The Case for Jewish Peoplehood. Her Weekly Jewish Wisdom column has appeared regularly in The Washington Post. She lives with her husband and four children in Silver Spring, MD.
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Dr. Erica Brown is a writer and educator who lectures widely on subjects of Jewish interest. She is scholar-in-residence for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, DC and a consultant to other Jewish organizations. Dr. Brown is the author of In the Narrow Places, Confronting Scandal, Spiritual Boredom and Inspired Jewish Leadership, and co-author of The Case for Jewish Peoplehood. Her "Weekly Jewish Wisdom" column has appeared regularly in The Washington Post. More at www.leadingwithmeaning.com.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The three weeks is a period of mourning for Jews beginning on the seventeenth of the Hebrew month Tammuz, which is a fast day, and ends with the fast of the ninth of Ab. Tradition states that the fasts of both 17 Tammuz and 9 Ab commemorate ten events, five each, associated with the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem in 586 BCE and 70 CE.
Traditions differ what Jews do during the three weeks. Some Jews do not fast on either of the two fast days and behave as usual during the three weeks. Some fast only on 9 Ab and ignore the other days. Some fast on both days but vary how they treat the middle period. Some mourn for the loss of the two Temples by refraining from pleasures either for the entire three weeks, the nine days of Ab, or for the last three days before 9 Ab. Many do so by not eating meat dishes during the nine days, because they consider meat better foods, improper consumptions during periods of mourning, and by not getting hair cuts or men shaving.
Erica Brown devotes her book about the three weeks to the inspirations that one can achieve today by recalling the ancient destructions. She has a twenty-five page introduction that discusses the three week period. This is followed by short essays for each of the twenty-one days of the three weeks and one for the following day. She writes that her goal is to help her readers understand what was "lost so that we can mourn with greater feeling" and meaning. She refers to biblical texts, history, and rabbinic legends and parables for her messages. Her primary goal is to "focus on our relationship to God."
"Each essay," she writes, "is followed by a Kavana, a specific spiritual focus for the day that involves reflection, imagination or action to integrate the learning." For example, she speaks about the value of setting aside a time and place when and where the person can be receptive to the spiritual. She speaks as well about learning how to cry, how to speak about suffering, how to respond to reversals of fortune, what the Western Wall means to people, and how to deal with our most important question, to cite some more of the close to two dozen reflections.
Rather than ending her book on a sad note, she concludes with a message of hope. She notes that Judaism does not dwell on persecutions or the past without focusing on the possibilities of the future. "We are the people who rebuild ruins. And when, as the Talmud teaches, we get to heaven and God asks each of us, `Did you work for redemption?' we can each say, `Yes, I did' with a full heart."
Traditions differ what Jews do during the three weeks. Some Jews do not fast on either of the two fast days and behave as usual during the three weeks. Some fast only on 9 Ab and ignore the other days. Some fast on both days but vary how they treat the middle period. Some mourn for the loss of the two Temples by refraining from pleasures either for the entire three weeks, the nine days of Ab, or for the last three days before 9 Ab. Many do so by not eating meat dishes during the nine days, because they consider meat better foods, improper consumptions during periods of mourning, and by not getting hair cuts or men shaving.
Erica Brown devotes her book about the three weeks to the inspirations that one can achieve today by recalling the ancient destructions. She has a twenty-five page introduction that discusses the three week period. This is followed by short essays for each of the twenty-one days of the three weeks and one for the following day. She writes that her goal is to help her readers understand what was "lost so that we can mourn with greater feeling" and meaning. She refers to biblical texts, history, and rabbinic legends and parables for her messages. Her primary goal is to "focus on our relationship to God."
"Each essay," she writes, "is followed by a Kavana, a specific spiritual focus for the day that involves reflection, imagination or action to integrate the learning." For example, she speaks about the value of setting aside a time and place when and where the person can be receptive to the spiritual. She speaks as well about learning how to cry, how to speak about suffering, how to respond to reversals of fortune, what the Western Wall means to people, and how to deal with our most important question, to cite some more of the close to two dozen reflections.
Rather than ending her book on a sad note, she concludes with a message of hope. She notes that Judaism does not dwell on persecutions or the past without focusing on the possibilities of the future. "We are the people who rebuild ruins. And when, as the Talmud teaches, we get to heaven and God asks each of us, `Did you work for redemption?' we can each say, `Yes, I did' with a full heart."
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The "Three Weeks" is a period of mourning for Jews, leading up to the 9th of Av, the day we commemorate the destruction of the Temple. During this period, we reflect on that loss and other communal and historical tragedies.
Until recently, there has been a lack of accessible material to put you in the "right frame of mind" to observe this period. Recently, Koren published Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's commentary on the prayers recited for the 9th of Av. (The Koren Mesorat HaRav Kinot, The Complete Tisha B'Av Service with Commentary by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (Hebrew/English Edition) (Hebrew Edition)) He taught that over the Three Weeks we should increase our mourning. That's hard to do today.
With this new publication by a learned and engaging author, which is issued by a new, modern and growing publisher, that changes. Ms. Brown's book contains an essay a day for the Three Weeks to frame the import of each day during this period. She helps to create the right frame of mind through her insightful and engaging work. It is a book you will want to read annually during this period.
Until recently, there has been a lack of accessible material to put you in the "right frame of mind" to observe this period. Recently, Koren published Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's commentary on the prayers recited for the 9th of Av. (The Koren Mesorat HaRav Kinot, The Complete Tisha B'Av Service with Commentary by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (Hebrew/English Edition) (Hebrew Edition)) He taught that over the Three Weeks we should increase our mourning. That's hard to do today.
With this new publication by a learned and engaging author, which is issued by a new, modern and growing publisher, that changes. Ms. Brown's book contains an essay a day for the Three Weeks to frame the import of each day during this period. She helps to create the right frame of mind through her insightful and engaging work. It is a book you will want to read annually during this period.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The best part of this book is the introductory essay, in which Brown tells us why we should mourn the loss of the Temple and pay attention to the Tisha'b'Av fast and the preceding three weeks (in which observant Jews follow a variety of mourning rituals). She points out that unlike other Jewish holy days, this period is retrospective, focusing on the past and thus supplying a missing element in a Jewish calendar generally oriented towards the present and future. While other holy days focus on joy, this period reminds us of the reality of suffering and failure. Brown also reminds us what we lost when we lost the Temple- a geographical center, a place of beauty when Jews were rooted. To be sure, we gained something over time from having an infinitely portable Torah and tradition-but just as a grownup can wish to have his/her own life and still mourn the destruction of a parental home and the memories it contained, we can still mourn the loss of this missing element in our lives.
After the introduction, Brown writes a short essay for each day of the three-week period. At the end of each essay, she suggests a project for the day. Some of these projects are the sort of thing that can be done in a few minutes by someone going through the book day-by-day (which I suspect is what Brown intended readers to do). But others require considerable thought and planning, and are thus not useful unless you read the book a month or so earlier and planned out a schedule in advance.
After the introduction, Brown writes a short essay for each day of the three-week period. At the end of each essay, she suggests a project for the day. Some of these projects are the sort of thing that can be done in a few minutes by someone going through the book day-by-day (which I suspect is what Brown intended readers to do). But others require considerable thought and planning, and are thus not useful unless you read the book a month or so earlier and planned out a schedule in advance.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring
Unfortunately, I didn't find this book till the last of the three weeks - it's sometimes hard to tell what to make of this period in the Jewish calendar, but this book, which has... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Steven
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Thought Provoking Analysis
Dr. Erica Brown presents, in this small volume, a concise, well written, thoughtful analysis of the three weeks leading to the Fast of the Ninth of Av. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Melvin R. Katskee
