This Shabbos is called Shabbos Chazon because the haftarah begins with the words ישעיהו חזון, "Yeshayahu's vision." Nevertheless, the name is surprising because why should we name the Shabbos after the haftarah that discusses the churban? As the Kedushas Levi (Eichah אבד ואומר ה"ד) asks, "Why is this Shabbos called Chazon? It isn't praise for Yisrael!"
The Kedushas Levi answers (Drushei Tzemech Tzaddik, Eichah) that חזון means a vision, and on this Shabbos, Hashem shows every Yid the vision of how the world will appear when the third Beis HaMikdash is built.
The Kedushas Levi tells the following mashal: A king granted his son a present, a gift that befits a prince. It was an expensive set of clothing, but the prince played outdoors and ripped and soiled the clothing. The king ordered another set of clothes, but the prince also ruined those. The king saw that his son was too young to wear these expensive clothes. So, he ordered a third set of royal clothes, and he told his son, "When you mature and I see you can take care of your clothing, I will give it to you." Once a year, the king would take out the beautiful clothes and show them to his son. He did this so his son would desire the clothes, improve his behavior, and then be granted the clothing. The king would tell his son, "When I see that you are responsible and ready, I will give you the clothes."
This is what occurs each year on Shabbos Chazon. Hashem shows us the third Beis HaMikdash and what life will be like at that time, and Hashem tells us, "I am showing you the future era, so you will desire it and yearn for it. When I see you are ready, I will give it to you."
The Tzaddikim of Bobov zt'l would advise to bring in Shabbos early on Shabbos Chazon, to turn some more of the mourning into a time of joy.
The Ohev Yisrael writes, הוא חזון שבת אשר ל"י השנה שבתות מכל במעלה גדול יותר, "There is reason to say that Shabbos Chazon is the greatest Shabbos of the year." He adds that when Shabbos Chazon falls on Tisha b'Av, it is even greater.
We would think that Shabbos Chazon is the lowest Shabbos of the year. How can this Shabbos be the greatest Shabbos of the year? The Gemara (Yevamos 62: לדרך היוצא) says that the love between people increases before separation. The Ohev Yisrael explains that at the time of the Destruction, the love between Hashem and the Jewish nation was at its peak, as it was a moment before a separation. This is the specialness of this Shabbos, greater than all Shabbosim of the year. It is a time of closeness with Hashem.
The Midrash says, כיום לישראל מועד יום היה לא המקדש בית שנחרב, "There wasn't a holiday for Yisrael like the day the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed."
Ohev Yisrael explains that this is because of the closeness with Hashem that we experienced during this bitter time of separation.
The Gemara (Bava Basra 99.) teaches that when Yidden served Hashem, the keruvim in the Beis HaMikdash faced one another. When Yidden didn't serve Hashem, the keruvim turned away from each other. It was a miracle because they were gold figures, and they moved on their own, in accordance with the connection between Hashem and the Jewish nation.
Chazal (Yoma 54:) say, "When the goyim entered the Kodesh Kadoshim, they found the keruvim embracing one another"! The Rishonim ask, at this time of the destruction, when the nation was guilty of the three cardinal aveiros: idolatry, murder, and adultery, the keruvim should have been turned away from each other! Why were they facing and embracing one another?
One answer can be that it was a sign of the love that precedes separation.
Reb Yonason Eibshitz zt'l answers that the goyim came into the Beis HaMikdash on Shabbos, and on Shabbos, Hashem's love to us is always perfect.
We know it was Shabbos because the Yerushalmi (Taanis 4:5) says the Babylonians entered the Beis HaMikdash on rosh chodesh Av, and Tisha b'Av was on Sunday. So, if Tisha b'Av was Sunday, rosh chodesh was on Shabbos. This is the reason the keruvim were seen embracing.
Rebbe Bunim of Peshischa zt'l said: Some people think being happy on Shabbos is a madreigah for tzaddikim and not applicable to the average person. Because what connection does a regular person have with Shabbos? But they are mistaken. If someone is mechalel Shabbos, he is מיתה חייב. So, just as he is associated with the severity of desecrating the Shabbos, he is also connected with the joy of Shabbos.
A chassid was traveling to be with Rebbe Bunim of Peshischa for Shabbos, but he got delayed and only arrived after Shabbos. Rebbe Bunim was glad he arrived after Shabbos because this person had a tendency to be sad, and Rebbe Bunim wanted to be happy on Shabbos.
When the man arrived, Rebbe Bunim told the following vort: Shabbos honors her guests. When the guest is rosh chodesh (Shabbos rosh chodesh), Shabbos honors her guest and gives her the haftarah and the musaf. When the guest is yom tov, Shabbos gives it all the tefillos. When the guest is Yom Kippur, Shabbos also gives away the Shabbos seudos. But when Tisha b'Av is the guest, Shabbos tells Tisha b'Av to wait until tomorrow. Shabbos doesn't accept this guest because Shabbos is a day of joy. It states, שמחתכם וביום "The day of your happiness," and Chazal (Sifri 19) say that this refers to Shabbos. Therefore, rejoice with Shabbos. Eat tasty foods, sing zemiros, daven well, and make it a special day. Do so every Shabbos, including the Shabbosim of the Three Weeks, and even on Shabbos Chazon. And we should say ''especially on Shabbos Chazon," because the Ohev Yisrael calls it the greatest Shabbos of the year.
