Page 9 - HaMizrachi # 21 Tisha B'Av 2020 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI

the burning of the Talmud, the rejoicing. Wouldn’t it have been This may be why these fast days
Holocaust, etc. enough for them to have been nulli- were not mentioned directly in
fied? Why do they have to be turned Tanach as days of mourning, but
Secondly, the fast reminds us that into holidays? rather its opposite – as days that
even when things are going well, will become joyous holidays. The
even when the Temple stands, we In Megillat Eicha (1:15) it states: essence of these fast days is not the
still need to behave properly, so that “The L-rd has trampled all my
things will not take a turn for the mighty men in my midst, He sum- past but the future. The destruction
clarifies the reasons that brought it
worse – G-d forbid. moned a set time (ד ֵ ע ֹומ) against me about and what we need to change
to crush my young men...” From
Presently, to our great sorrow, our here the Shulchan Aruch (559:4) and fix. This correction then leads
Temple lies in ruins. And yet there learns that Tisha B’Av is called a us toward the future Temple, with
are many things we have merited ד ֵ ע ֹומ (holiday), and thus we do not G-d’s help. The main point of the
to see: we have returned to our recite Tachanun. fast is to turn these days into happi-
Land after 2,000 years of exile, we ness and rejoicing.
have a State, and we have seen how The Maharal explains that the word
the prestige of the Torah has been ד ֵ ע ֹומ comes from the word תּוד ֲ ע ַ ו ְ ת ִ ה We Believe!
uplifted. Nevertheless, there are – to come together. That is to say,
still many things lacking – in terms Am Yisrael joins with G-d: Am Yisrael and the entire world is
of our sovereign rule over all of going through a very rough time.
our Land and most importantly, in “The festivals teach us about the Hundreds of thousands of people
terms of G-d’s presence and feeling connection and bond that Am Yis- have died from Corona, millions are
His rule in our midst. rael has with G-d, and therefore still sick with it, many people have
they are called דעומ, as it is writ- been hurt financially, and the future
We are in a time of rebuilding, but ten: ‘I will arrange My meetings is uncertain. This reality brings us
now more than ever it is crucial for (יתדעונו) with you there, and I will to prayer, introspection, and long-
us to fast over the destruction of the speak with you from atop the ark ing for better times, when all of
Temple! We continue to fast on Tisha cover from between the two cher- these difficulties will turn the world
B’Av and to cry over all the things we ubim that are upon the Ark of the into a better place: more ethical,
lack – we cry that our Temple lies Testimony...’ This is the language
in ruins; we cry that G-d’s Shechina of coming together and connec- spiritual, trustworthy, friendly and
remains in exile. Through the tears, tion.” (Ohr Chadash, introduction pure.
we also remember all the things we beginning with “Rav Ashi”) Through all the hardships, we
have merited, Baruch Hashem, and remember we are living in the
this gives our tears additional sig- Thus, while Tisha B’Av may be a midst of the process of Redemp-
nificance. Are we really behaving day of sorrow and pain, it also has tion. We have had the merit to see
in the appropriate way to be worthy the element of connecting to G-d. the rebirth of the State of Israel,
of everything we have been given? We cry and we are sad, but at the and to witness G-d’s abundant kind-
Additionally, we remind ourselves same time we feel a closeness to nesses every day. May we merit,
that if we have merited so much, if G-d – who loves us and is with us with His help, to continue to fix and
we have merited to see the begin- throughout history, even in our
ning of the Redemption, we have the darkest hours. This comforts us, improve, to uplift and be uplifted,
power to reach even greater heights. and so we do not say Tachanun. to pray from our hearts, and to see
We must demand more of ourselves the final Redemption, speedily in
and strive for improvement, so we A day of crying and fasting is not our days!
may merit to see the full Redemp- simply about mourning. It is a
tion, with G-d’s help. special communication with G-d
through tears. One does not nullify
The Four Fasts Shall Be such communication. One enhances Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is Head of
for Joy And Happiness it. When the pain will one day be Mizrachi's Shalhevet Educational Advisory
nullified, we will be able to connect Board and Chairman of Sulamot
As we have seen, the prophet Zech- with Him through joy. Until then, Rabbanit Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches
ariah tells us that in the future, we must connect to Him through Tanach and is Content Editor for the
the fast days will become days of weeping. HaTanakh website

| 9