The holy sefer Bnei Yissaschar zt”l (Maamar Alef on the Essence of the Month, section 5) innovates a practical directive for a Jew to observe during the Three Weeks.
These are his words: “It appears to me that one should have specific intention during these two months, when reciting the phrase ozer dalim (He helps the poor), that Hashem will quickly help these two months, Tammuz and Av, which are called ‘poor.’ How so? This is also based on what the Arizal explains (see Megaleh Amukos, Va’eschanan, ophen 105) regarding the name ‘Ado-noi’ (דני-א) in its full spelling—alef, dalet, nun, yud—which contains twelve letters. Each month is illuminated by one letter. Accordingly, the sequence of the months is as follows: Nissan corresponds to alef, Iyar to lamed, Sivan to peh. Thus, for Tammuz, the corresponding letter is daled, and for Av, it is lamed—together forming the word dal, or poor.
“For these two months are ‘impoverished’ due to our many sins, until Hashem, blessed be He, will raise them and lift them from their impoverished state.
“Therefore, one should have in mind during the phrase ozer dalim that Hashem will help these poor months. The word dal has two interpretations: one connotes of poverty and lacking, and the other connotes elevation, as in the pasuk (Tehillim 30:2), - כִּי דִ לִּיתָנִי אֲרוֹמִמְךָ ה‘I will exalt You, Hashem, for You have raised me. At present, the letters dal and lamed of these months correspond to the first meaning, denoting poverty. But Hashem, the helper of the poor, will soon elevate them to the second meaning, that of exaltation and uplifting, etc. Understand this well.”
The holy Rebbe of Sanz, the author of Divrei Chaim, zt”l, once traveled during the Three Weeks to visit his great teacher, the holy Rebbe Rav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz, zt”l.
His eldest son, the holy Rav Yechezkel Shraga of Shinova, the author of Divrei Yechezkel zt”l, wished to join him on this journey. However, the Divrei Chaim hesitated and explained his reasoning: “In Ropshitz, the custom during these days of mourning, even during the Nine Days, is to conduct joyous celebrations with meat and wine during siyumim. Yet the Rebbe of Shinova is known as an exceedingly scrupulous halachic authority, and he makes a great commotion about anything that appears to him as improper. I am therefore concerned that he will cause an uproar in Ropshitz.”
The Shinova Rebbe reassured his holy father, promising that he would not say a single word in Ropshitz and would keep his zeal to himself. Hearing this assurance, his father allowed him to join the trip.
Indeed, the Shinova Rebbe kept his promise. During their stay in the great court of Ropshitz, he held his tongue firmly. Even when his anger was stirred when the chassidim seemed to be slightly exaggerating in their feasts with meat and wine, he firmly restrained himself. Though his zeal for Hashem burned within him, he upheld his father and teacher’s command, refraining from any criticism of the ways of the Ropshitzer chassidim.
At one of these festive meals, during the recitation of Birkas HaMazon, when the holy Rebbe of Ropshitz zt”l reached the blessing, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּמְהֵרָהוּבְ נֵה - «And rebuild Yerushalayim, the holy city,» he suddenly burst into bitter weeping.
The Three Weeks
“צוּר רְאֵה נַפְשֵׁנוּ כִּי שָׁחָה, וְשִׁבְעָה עָשָֹר בְּתַמּוּז הֲפָךְ לָנוּ לְשָֹשֹוֹן וּלְשִֹמְחָה. רְאֵה ה’ וְחַלְּצֵנוּ מֵאָסוֹן, וְשִׁבְעָה עָשָֹר בְּתַמּוּז הֲפָךְ לָנוּ לְשִֹמְחָה וּלְשָֹשֹוֹן. תֹּאמַר לְצִיּוֹן קוּמָה, וְשִׁבְעָה עָשָֹר בְּתַמּוּז הֲפָךְ לָנוּ לְיוֹם יְשׁוּעָה וְנֶחָמָה” (סליחות לי”ז בתמוז).
«Hashem, see our souls for they are bent low, and the Seventeenth of Tammuz may it be turned for us into joy and gladness. Look, Hashem, and save us from disaster, and the seventeenth of Tammuz may it be turned for us into gladness and joy. Say to Tzion, arise, and the Seventeenth of Tammuz may it be turned for us into a day of salvation and consolation.» (Selichos for the Seventeenth of Tammuz)
For a long time, the saintly Rebbe melted into copious tears, with his chassidim and talmidim weeping along with him in a powerful his’orerus. At that moment, the Shinova Rebbe realized the depth of their emotions and how the chassidim fully recognized and internalized the mourning of the Three Weeks. This brought calm and relief to his soul.
The holy Rebbe, the Minchas Elazar of Munkacs zt”l, had a custom during weekday tish gatherings for significant occasions or yahrtzeits. If the time for Birkas HaMazon coincided with midnight, he removed his shoes. During the blessing, ֵינוּ עַל יִשְׂ רָאֵלק אֱלֹרַחֶם נָא ה‘ - עַמֶּךָ. וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִירֶךָ»Have mercy, Hashem, our God, on Yisrael Your nation and on Yerushalayim Your city...» he cried and lamented bitterly, sighing and groaning loudly, as was his sacred way, until the conclusion of, וּבְנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ - “And rebuild Yerushalayim, the holy city, speedily in our days.” He would linger over this precious blessing for a long time.
In the city of Ramat HaSharon, there resided a distinguished Bucharian talmid chacham. He had immigrated to the Holy Land during the Bucharian aliyah and dedicated himself to Torah study alongside the renowned Rav Yaakov Edelstein, zt”l, the famed Rav of Ramat HaSharon.
This man was among the remnants of the Bucharian elders who preserved their community’s spiritual flame. He was commonly known as “The Mori” (Teacher), as Bucharian rabbanim were called.
One of the beautiful customs passed down from his forebears was his nightly recital of Tikkun Chatzos. Seated on the floor, he would chant the Tikkun with soulful, old niggunim and heartfelt tears. Many gathered to join him, especially during the days of the Three Weeks.
Anyone who entered his home during this time was met with tears and brief words of arousal: “The destruction of the Beis Hamikdash! The Shechinah is in exile!” His words stirred complete repentance and a fervent yearning for the complete redemption!
Rav Shmuel Ashkenazi zt”l, a talmid and close associate of Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, zt”l, the Maharitz, related that the Rav’s typical sleep schedule consisted of approximately four hours per night. Each night, he would sleep from 2:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. But it was his practice every evening to retreat to his bedroom at 1:30 a.m., locking the door from 1:30 until bedtime, during which no one could speak with him until the next morning.
Rav Shmuel was somewhat puzzled by this half-hour of solitude each night. On one occasion, when the opportunity arose to observe the practices of the Maharitz during this time, he was astonished by what he saw.
He recounted what he witnessed: “Immediately after entering his room and locking the door, our holy teacher extinguished the light in the room, took out a small candle, lit it, and sat on a low stool on the floor. With awe and reverence, he opened his siddur to the prayer of Tikkun Chatzos and began to cry with deep, heartfelt tears over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, lamenting incessantly over the exile of the Shechinah and the suffering of the Jewish people. This continued for a full half-hour every single night.”
Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt”l, the leading Rav of Eretz Yisrael, instructed young men among his talmidim and followers that if they were still awake at midnight—especially in the winter months when midnight is not very late—and had not yet gone to bed, even if they were not accustomed to reciting the full Tikkun Chatzos as practiced by the pious and anshei ma’aseh, they should at least recite Tehillim 137, עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל - By the rivers of Bavel, to participate, even partially, in the mourning of the Shechinah, through this tefillah.
I have already elaborated elsewhere (see the wonderful sefer “Tiv HaNechamah”) on what I was privileged to witness regularly in the presence of Rav David Jungreis zt”l, a Raavad in Yerushalayim. Each time he reached the berachah, וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם עִירְךָ בְּרַחֲמִים תָּשׁוּב - “And to Yerushalayim, Your city, return in mercy” during Shemoneh Esrei, he prayed with such devotion that his beard was soaked, drop by drop, with tears. He made a gesture with his hands, as if choking himself, due to his profound sorrow at the destruction, as if accepting upon himself a form of death for the sake of the redemption of Yisrael.
Be’ezras Hashem, I found support for this practice in the Yaaros Devash (derush 1), regarding the intent behind the blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei: “During the berachah, וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם עִירְךָ בְּרַחֲמִים תָּשׁוּב - ’And to Yerushalayim, Your city, return,’ and, אֶ ת צֶמַח דָּוִד עַבְדְּךָ מְהֵרָה תַצְמִיחַ - ’And speedily sprout the branch of David,’ one must shed unceasing tears over the rebuilding of Yerushalayim and the restoration of the Davidic dynasty, for this is the pinnacle of human perfection. If we lack Yerushalayim and the kingdom of David, why do we need life at all? If the heavenly angels weep and lament over the destruction of Yerushalayim day and night without ceasing, and they are the mourners of Tzion, how can we remain silent and not cry over the desecration of Hashem’s name caused by the destruction of Yerushalayim and the loss of the Davidic kingdom?
“Every person is obligated to say in his heart: ‘Ribbono shel Olam, I surrender my soul for the sanctification of Your Name. If I am not worthy to witness the rebuilding of Tzion and the restoration of the Davidic kingdom, I am willing to die for the sanctification of Your Name. May my eyes not see it, but please rebuild Yerushalayim and sprout the branch of David, so that Your name be sanctified.’”
Among the Jews of Yerushalayim in the previous generation was a righteous man, Rav Yosef Dushinsky zt”l, a renowned and skilled butcher in the old Machane Yehudah market.
Every day during the Three Weeks between the seventeenth of Tammuz and the ninth of Av, at precisely midday, he would close his shop for an hour and enter the nearby Etz Chaim Talmud Torah. There, he would find an empty side room, sit on the floor, and cry bitterly over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash as he recited Tikkun Chatzos with great emotion and a loud voice. He would read the entire order of Eichah slowly and with composure. Only after completing the entire Tikkun would he return to his shop and continue cutting meat.
Such were the Jews of Yerushalayim. All the more so, the talmidei chachamim, ge’onim, and tzaddikim of the city, who wept with their whole hearts over the destruction, sharing in the suffering of Klal Yisrael and the exile of the holy Shechinah.
