The Shabbos before Tisha b’Av 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 if 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 suit. But the prince played outdoors and ripped and soiled his clothing. The king ordered another set of clothes, but the prince ruined those too. 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 that you can take care of your clothing, I will give it to you."
Once a year, the king would take out the beautiful garments and show them to his son. He did this so his son would desire them and improve his behavior. The king would tell his son, "When I see that you are responsible and ready, I will give it to you."
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. Hashem tells us, "I am showing you the future era on this Shabbos, so you will desire it and yearn for it. When I see that you are ready for it, I will give it to you."
The Tzaddikim of Bobov zt'l would advise their chassidim to bring in Shabbos early on Shabbos Chazon, to turn some of the mourning of the Nine Days into a time of joy.
The Ohev Yisrael writes, הוא חזון שבת אשר ל"י השנה שבתות מכל במעלה גדול יותר, "We can say that Shabbos Chazon is the greatest Shabbos of the year." The Gemara (Yevamos 62: לדרך היוצא) says that the love between people increases right before their 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 uniqueness of this Shabbos, the greatness of such an uplifting Shabbos. It is a time of incredible 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 before the separation.
The Gemara (Bava Basra 99.) teaches that when the Yidden served Hashem, the keruvim in the Beis HaMikdash faced each other. When the Yidden didn't serve Hashem, the keruvim turned away from each other. They were gold figures, yet they miraculously moved on their own, in accordance with the extent of 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, that 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? Ohev Yisrael answers that this was the love that preceded the separation.
Reb Chaim Volozhiner on the Keruvim
Reb Chaim Volozhiner (Nefesh HaChaim 1:8) writes, "It is known that one keruv represented Hashem and the other the Jewish nation. The degree of closeness and connection between the Jews and Hashem could miraculously be observed by the position of the keruvim. When the eyes of the Jewish nation were turned to Hashem, the keruvim faced each other. But if the Jewish nation turned slightly to the side, that would immediately be mirrored in the keruvim. If chas veshalom, they turned away entirely, the keruvim would completely turn away from each other."
Shabbos and Joy
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 complete. (We know it was Shabbos because the Yerushalmi (Taanis 4:5) says the Babylonians entered the Beis HaMikdash on rosh chodesh Av and that Tisha b'Av was on Sunday. So, if Tisha b'Av was Sunday, rosh chodesh, the day they entered the Beis HaMikdash was on Shabbos.)
The Ramban (Bamidbar 28:2) writes, "The musaf of Shabbos doesn’t have a korban chatas like all other holidays. This is because Kneses Yisrael is like Hashem's spouse, and everything is peaceful."
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. They say, "What connection does a regular person have with Shabbos?" But if someone is mechalel Shabbos, he is מיתה חייב. So, just as he is associated with the severity of desecrating the Shabbos, so too is he 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 tended 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 (when rosh chodesh falls on a Shabbos), Shabbos honors her guest and gives the guest 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 meals. But when Tisha b'Av is the guest, Shabbos tells Tisha b'Av to wait until tomorrow. Shabbos doesn't welcome 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 this every Shabbos, including the Shabbosim of the Three Weeks, and even on Shabbos Chazon. We should add ''especially on Shabbos Chazon," because the Ohev Yisrael calls it the greatest Shabbos of the year.
