י. (ישעיהו מ, א) ִ ּ מ ַ ע ּ מו ֲ ח ַ נ ּ מו ֲ ח ַ נ
Be consoled, be consoled, My people! (Yeshayahu 40:1)
The custom is that when high noon arrives on Tishah b’Av, we get up from the floor. For three weeks, we prepared for this day of Tishah b’Av, yet when the moment of the Temple’s burning finally arrives, which was on Tishah b’Av afternoon, we get up from the floor.
Why? Because at this time, after we have prepared ourselves for three weeks, after we have read the kinos, we understand very well the significance of the Churban. We are aware of the state we are in. And this is already the beginning of the cure, the start of the salvation.
Because if we see the great fire, if we understand its significance, then we can already get up from the floor. Because then the situation will strengthen us, it will push us to take hold of Hashem’s hand, to daven, to cry and plead with Him, without letting up. And then Hashem will do His part, to save us and bring us out of the darkness into great light.
This is true not just of the general destruction. If we will recognize our own personal situation, if we will cry over ourselves, as if our “self” is lying dead in front of us, then, coupled with faith that Hashem can save us, this is already the yeshu’ah!
We should cry and plead, but not fall into sadness and despair. Giving up hope is nothing but foolishness and heresy. The difference between sadness and bitter-heartedness is that a sad Jew goes to sleep, whereas a bitter-hearted Jew opens up a Sefer Tehillim.
Right after Tishah b’Av, we have Shabbos Nachamu. Because the consolation comes from recognizing the situation for what it is. If we see the flames, if we realize that only Hashem can put them out, and we know that Hashem is with us, this is the greatest consolation. As Chazal say: Whoever mourns over Yerushalayim will merit seeing her joy.
And so it is with someone who mourns over the destroyed “Yerushalayim” of himself, who is pained over the latent abilities that Hashem gave him, over the head and heart that are not being utilized properly. In the end, he will see the joy and consolation. He will reach the goal, for Hashem will give him the strength to toil properly in Torah, to do Hashem’s Will, to be close to Him.
Exactly how this will happen, we don’t know, but we believe that Hashem is omnipotent. There is nothing He can’t do.
Tishah b’Av is a time of crying. It is a crying that draws us closer to Hashem. It is a day on which Hashem says: ה ָ ר ָ צ ְ י ב ִ כ ֹ נ ָ א ֹ ו ּ מ ִ ע – I am with him in his trouble.
If all the gates of Heaven are closed, if things are bad and dark, then about such a situation, Hashem declares that He is with us in our troubles. We don’t even need to enter any “gates.” Hashem is right here next to us!
In our generation, there is no way to get past all the stumbling blocks, there is no way not to stumble and fall, unless we hold on to Hashem’s hand. Only with Him is everything possible. In this merit, may we see the consolation of Tzion and Yerushalayim, amen!
