By Rabbi Reuven Semah
A true story is told by Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger about a sefer (book) that was released called Siach Hanechama that contains insights into the period of the Three Weeks and commentary on the book of Eicha from Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt”l.
As the final touches to the sefer were being made, a certain well-to-do Jew was approached and presented with the opportunity to assist in covering the costs of publication. The potential benefactor thought for a moment and then demurred.
Refuses to Fund the Sefer
“With all due respect,”” he said, “I do not wish to fund your sefer. You see, every day we plead with Hashem to rebuild the Bet Hamikdash. We all believe that any moment, Eliyahu Hanavi can come and inform us of the imminent arrival of Mashiah. Thus, it is a shame to publish such a sefer on the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash and Tish’ah B’Ab because Be’ezrat Hashem, real soon, the sefer will be useless and obsolete. No one is going to look at it and I don’t want to throw away my money for such an endeavor.”
This man’s response was shared with Rav Chaim, who did not agree with it at all.
“He is incorrect,” said Rav Chaim. “Even after Mashiah comes, we will continue to study and learn all the Sefarim that deal with the destruction. The laws of the Three Weeks won’t be erased from the Shulhan Aruch! The Torah of Moshe is eternal. The reason we will still review the details is in order to know and remember what caused the Hurban and what sent us into exile in the first place. This will ensure that we know how to improve ourselves and perfect our characters and so that we will remember what sin can bring about.”
May we speedily witness the coming of the Mashiah, Amen.
Reprinted from the Parshat Va’etchanan 5783 edition of the Jersey Shore Torah Bulletin.
