Chazal say that when the Goyim entered the Heichal in order to destroy it, they found the K'ruvim hugging each other. Why were the K’ruvim hugging each other Davka on Tisha B’av? For 400 years they were either looking at each other (when Hashem was happy with Klal Yisroel), or they were facing away from each other (when Hashem was upset with us). Hugging is a gesture of L'ma'aseh, and just looking at each other is a distant closeness.
This sounds so odd. When we are in Galus and are distant from Hashem, THEN the K’ruvim are close; and when we are in Eretz Yisroel then they are distant?! It seems from here that there is something about Galus that makes it more L'ma'aseh than being in Eretz Yisroel! The truth is that the true closeness to Hashem is when you’re in the distance, and you wish to be close and you yearn for Hashem! As the Passuk says yismach lev mevakshei Hashem (Tehillim 105) Rejoice all you seekers of Hashem! We see that the M’vakesh (seeker) is the most real! It’s the person who strives and struggles; not the person who is already there! It’s the potential Baal Teshuva, upon who we say: bemakom shebaalei teshuva omdim ein tzaddikim gemurim yecholim laamod (Berachos 34b) Baalei Teshuva are even GREATER than pure Tzaddikim! The one who was already full of dirt and Tum’ah, who strives to come back; he ends up higher!
I once heard in the name of R' Yaakov Galinsky Zatzal, that the fine Jew who is a big Rosh Yeshiva with lots of Talmidim and Kishronos (ability) and Kavod etc., is nothing compared to his Bubby who had loads of struggles and Tefilos in order to be Zoche to such a grandson. Look how Rochel and Leah had to struggle; especially Leah! With all these tears, she built Klal Yisroel!
