The haftarah of Tisha b'Av describes the Churban. Among the descriptions is (Yirmiyahu 8:13) בתאנה תאנים ואין בגפן ענבים אין, "There are no grapes on the vines, there are no figs on the fig tree." Why is this mentioned? Lacking fruit seems trite and trivial when we discuss the Churban.
27. A Holocaust survivor told the story of his survival. He related how he jumped out of a speeding train headed to the camps. Someone listening to the story asked him, "Was it a hot or cold day?" The survivor replied, "I see you don't understand. My life was saved! What difference does it make whether it was hot or cold? I was saved!" When one's life is at stake, the subject of the weather is irrelevant. Similarly, when we discuss the Churban, it seems irrelevant to mention that there were no fruits on the trees.
The pasuk says that since after the Churban, even fruit won't grow without tefillah. When Shlomo was king, it was (I Malachim 5:5), תאנתו תחת ואיש גפנו תחת איש, "Each man under his grapevine and under his fig tree." Because of the korbanos, there was much bounty, and everyone had grapes, figs, and all their needs. But now, after the Churban, everything comes solely through tefillah.
The Rokeach writes, "From the day the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn't give kindness to Bnei Yisrael without tefillah." The Chofetz Chaim (Likutei Amorim 10) writes, "All the many tzaros that befall us in galus are because we aren't shouting out to Hashem with our prayers. If we daven, our tefillos will be answered."
The Midrash (Shemos Rabba 38:4) states, "When your forefathers were slaves in Mitzrayim, didn't I save them when they davened to Me? Therefore, be cautious with tefillah because there is nothing greater than tefillah. It is greater than all the korbanos. Even if a person isn't worthy that I should do chesed with him, if he prays a lot, I will do chesed with him."
We should daven for the geulah, and very soon, the redemption will come.
