In a year filled with pain and uncertainty, hope and prayer, Tisha B’ Av fills in the missing gaps of sadness in our lives.
The Jewish people, a nation that has seen so much over the millennia, has had, one would think, ample time to reflect on what is important and what is not.
And yet in many cases, the long exile has had an opposite effect on us. The Sfas Emes says, when moshiach comes, there will need to be two redemptions. One to take the Jewish people out of galus (exile). And yet another one to take the galus out of the Jews.
We have grown accustomed to the trappings of our lives in our host nation. The cars, the houses, the “things.” Even though we pray many times a day to please rebuild Jerusalem in all her glory, do we truly absorb the meaning of this request?
The Rambam says that in addition to believing in Moshiach, there is a separate mitzvah to expect Moshiach every day, and live our lives as if he will come at any moment! The first mitzvah doesn’t require much on a day to day basis; we believe, that's enough. But living our life as if Hashem can redeem us at any moment and rebuild the Bais Hamikdash is an investment of heart and soul. And one which, if carried out properly, calls for us to re-examine our priorities. Are we tied to our lives here a little too much to rejoice when Moshiach comes?
R’ Nochum Chernobler, the Meor Enayim, was once a guest at the inn of a simple Jew. During the night the innkeeper heard cries of pain emanating from the Rabbi’s room. In the morning he asked him, Why were you crying so much last night?'' The Chernobler said, “I was saying Tikkun Chatzos.” “What’s that?” asked the innkeeper. “It’s a time past midnight, when we rise and cry for the Holy Temple that was destroyed and will be rebuilt, very soon in our days. Our nation will be returned to its previous glory! We will all be going very soon to the land of Israel with Moshiach. Are you ready?” “Who will take care of our goats and our chickens? Our possessions? We certainly cannot leave! Please go back and tell the Rabbi.” The innkeeper returned to the Chernobler and told him that they cannot leave now. His wife said they could lose their animals...their possessions! The Chernobler told him to tell his wife that no one knows what the future could hold for them even if they stay here, while everybody goes along with Moshiach. Robbers and thieves could come and steal everything from them! He went back to his wife and told her what the Rabbi had said. She thought about it for a bit and said “please tell the Rabbi that Moshiach should please take all the robbers and thieves with him to Eretz Yisroel, and that we are staying here ...thank you.”
This story is a bit comical – but certainly revealing. We are all tied to our lives here. And moshiach? We’ll deal with that later.
Hashem has been sending us messages, the signs are everywhere we look. Let’s open our hearts and minds to the fact that there was once a Beis Hamikdash in which G-ds presence dwelled. We know much more than the simple Jew and his wife and yet what do we do with this knowledge?
Even if we do not rise to cry each night for tikkun chatzos, let us recognize the pain of the shechina, that rests each night without a “dwelling” here in this world. As our existence in galus seems to become more tenuous each day- let us pray for the Ribbono Shel Olam to once again restore our previous glory as a nation, protect our nation, and rebuild the Bais Hamikdash speedily in our days!
Good Shabbos!
Written by R’ Avrohom Hillel Reich based on a lesson and story by Harav Ben Tziyon Sneh Shlita
