Page 39 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'Av AUS 2021

TISHA B’AV READING

Rabbi Zev Leff

A Double

Comfort

“The Jewish people sinned doubly, as
it says, ‘the people of Yerushalayim
sinned a sin‘ (Eicha 1:8). And they were
punished doubly, as it says, ‘She has been
smitten doubly by the hand of G-d for
all her sins‘ (Yeshayahu 40:2). And they
will be comforted doubly, as it says, ‘Be
comforted, be comforted, My nation‘
(ibid.)”

Eicha Rabbah 1:65

t is difficult to explain this doubling
of the punishment literally or quan-
titatively. If the Jews sinned doubly,
Ithen the punishment commensurate causes. G-d sought to lead them into rec- the intense comfort and joy of Shabbat
to double sin is not double but equal to the ognizing that the political movements, the Nachamu, which Rabbi Yehoshua ibn Shuib
sin, and a comfort for a double punishment secular ethical philosophies or economic writes is to be celebrated with the joy of
is not double but equal to it. systems and isms they had devised and a yom tov. Mourning usually requires a
believed in could not bring them the ben- long transitional period while the sense
The Navi says, “My nation has done two efits they had anticipated. And it would be of bereavement gradually lessens. The
evils: they have forsaken Me, the Source from a world that appeared bereft of all intense mourning of Tisha B’Av leads
of living water, to dig wells that produced rhyme and reason that they would now directly and swiftly into the joy and com-
no water” (Yirmiyahu 2:13). In addition to have to seek out G-d’s face in rediscovery.
the sin itself, a result of desire and emo- fort of Shabbat Nachamu. There is no grad-
tion, of impulse, Am Yisrael also formulated In the future, G-d will direct world events ual abatement of the grieving process. This
philosophies to justify their sins intellec- to show us clearly that all the things we is because, as our Sages tell us, “Whoever
tually and lull them into thinking that the put our trust into (in place of Him) are mourns Yerushalayim merits to see its joy.”
evils they were perpetuating were actually useless and cannot be relied on. We will Mourning over Yerushalayim’s desolation
virtuous. They devised systems of values come to the realization that we have no properly – and understanding the dynam-
foreign to the Torah and put their trust in one to rely on other than our Father in ics of what caused the destruction and why
a multitude of isms that served as the false Heaven. Ultimately, when we choose G-d, G-d dealt with us with hester panim – ulti-
gods to which they dedicated their lives. He will comfort us once again and thus mately offers us double comfort.
compensate for the dual nature of our
In response to this dual sin, G-d punished punishments. This is the double comfort Through our mourning, we see and under-
the Jews in kind. To punish the actual acts described in the Midrash: to compensate stand the entire process. This is hinted
of transgression, He brought calamities for the calamities and physical suffering, at in the fact that the Torah reading of
and tragedies upon them to show them the joy and serenity of the Messianic era Tisha B’Av, םי ִנ ָּב די ִלֹות י ִּכ, is from Parashat
how they were destroying their spiritual will bring an end to our suffering in pain. VaEtchanan, which is also always read on
essence. To address the second aspect of To compensate for the punishment of Shabbat Nachamu. We have to once again
the sin, the fact they had distanced them- hester panim, He will additionally comfort learn the parasha of Tisha B’Av, but in a
selves from G-d by creating philosophies us by clarifying that all the punishments different light – a light that brings us com-
to justify their sins, G-d brought these we received were His doing and for our fort and joy.
calamities in a manner of hester panim, in ultimate benefit. “Anochi, Anochi; It is I, yes,
a way that made it appear He had aban- I, who comforts you” (Yeshayahu 51:12),
doned them. says the verse. The Anochi who reveals
Himself now is now the same Anochi who Rabbi Zev Leff is the Rav of Moshav
In this manner, G-d sought to teach the directed all the prior events. Matityahu.
Jews how disastrous the world can be if
one removes Divine Providence from one’s This is why we shift immediately from A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
world perspective and substitutes other the intense mourning of Tisha B’Av to mizrachi.org/speakers

| 39