The Hidden Light of Tisha B’Av

So… what’s Tisha B’av really all about? As night falls on the 9^th of Av, we sit on the floor and refrain from food and drink until the next night in commemoration of the destruction of the Holy Temple. At first glance, it would seem like the fast is simply in memory of a time when Hashem was angry with us. But our Sages teach us that even though the 9^th of Av is a day designated for sorrow, it is also a day demonstrating Hashem’s unfaltering mercy and love.

A parent is all a child has to lead it along the right path. If the child walks the wrong path, if its behavior is self-destructive, what can the parent do? What is the parent obliged to do? The correction is never easy, but the child’s life can depend on it. The Talmud teaches us that out of Righteousness, Hashem hastened Jerusalem’s destruction. But the Talmud then asks, “What is so righteous about hastening a punishment? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate if Hashem, in his Mercy, delayed the punishment?” We are taught that Hashem hastened the destruction to allow for a physical and spiritual consideration.

Hashem timed the destruction in a manner that would allow an eventual renewal and rebirth, like a father who disciplines his child before the child’s behavior causes irreversible harm. How often do we thank G-d in retrospect for the timely wake-up call? A loving parent intervenes before a child becomes set in his ways. The child may only appreciate it in retrospect, he may be bitter for it, but a father carries the burden with love. So, too, Hashem did the absolute necessary for the betterment of our nation. If we would have continued in our destructive path, there would have been no foundation left to save the national character.

But how do you know when a parent rebukes out of true love for the child? Maybe it’s just anger? When the punishment is exact and tempered with mercy, the child finds a window of consolation. Our Sages teach us that Hashem exiled our nation in the summer month of Av in consideration of the cold winter months. The timing also allowed the people to find food along the way, since the trees still carried ripe fruit. If He would have waited just a little longer, the Jewish nation would need to suffer a cold winter.

A loving parent also utilizes every avenue available to temper the rebuke without diminishing the message. Hashem took away our House, he took away our land, he took away our finery and even our freedom, but he left our nationhood intact. He displayed anger on sticks and stones, but he did not break our soul.

What is clear from the above is that the 9^th of Av is not a time for despair, but rather a time to focus on repentance, renewal and the promise of hope. If we train ourselves to find the silver linings amongst the grey clouds, we will understand that a sun still shines brightly behind the concealment. As much as we look to the past, we must also remember that we can take steps to ensure a brighter future. The 9^th of Av is therefore a crossroads. We lament our deprived state of Exile, but also take upon ourselves to improve and once again draw close to Hashem. May Hashem comfort us with the final Bet Hamikdash, Amen v’Amen.

 By Adam Suionov