These days are also mesugal for tefillah. The Avodas Yisrael (Masei הקדים וכבר ה"ד) writes, quoting the Magid of Mezritch zt'l, "When a king is out of his palace and passes through the marketplace and the streets, he is close to all those who call out to him and listens to the shouts of those who call his name. Similarly, we must know that at this time [during the Three Weeks], it is like a bird who left its nest [Hashem is in galus], and everyone has permission to come close to the King of the world, and He answers all."
Rebbe Aharon of Belz zt'l taught that when a Yid learns Torah, he isn't in galus. This is why one may eat meat and drink wine at a siyum during the Nine Days. Where there is Torah, there is no galus. The Chozeh of Lublin zt'l said: Halachah states that at a bris in the Nine Days, only ten people may partake in the meat and wine at the meal. But there is no limit to the participants at a siyum in the nine days. The Chozeh explains that the churban came about because they weren't studying Torah as they should, as it states (Yirmiyahu 9:11-12) תורתי את עוזבם על 'ה ויאמר ,עבר מבלי כמדבר נצתה ארץ אבדה מה על, "Why is the land ruined (and) withered like a wilderness, without anyone passing through? Hashem said, '[It is] because they have forsaken My Torah.'" When one finishes a masechta and makes a siyum, he amends the root cause of the churban. The scent of the ge'ulah is in the air, and therefore, all participants can partake in the meal.
A king may possess many things that make him happy – singers, drums, dancers, flutes, and harps. When the king is happy, he doesn't need the singers and musicians. He is happy without them. However, when he is sad, he calls for his musicians to sing and play before him and make him happy. The nimshal is that the malachim in heaven sing and praise Hashem. However, at the time of the churban, there is sadness in the outer chambers. Someone who cares about Hashem must strengthen himself, enter the inner chambers without sadness, and make the honored King happy."
During the Holocaust, people were amazed to see Rebbe Pinchas of Ustila zy'a (the son-in-law of Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz zy'a) learning Torah with immense hasmadah. How could he put aside all the pain and devastation and delve into Torah study now? He replied, "People asked my father-in-law this same question during World War I. They couldn’t understand how he had the peace of mind to study Torah then. He explained that studying Torah is even more important during hard times. The Mishnah says, 'When a person is in pain, the Shechinah says, 'My head hurts. My arms hurt,' which means Hashem suffers together with us. We live in a time when Klal Yisrael is in distress, and Hashem is certainly suffering together with us. It’s our duty to make Hashem happy, and nothing brings more joy to Hashem than a Yid studying Torah."
