ONE POINT
from
לקוטי שיחות חלק כד, שיחה א לחמשה עשר באב
מחזור הראשון של לימוד הלקוטי שיחות - ה'תשפ"ג
Sicha resources: www.ProjectLikkuteiSichos.org
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Lubavitch Hebrew Academy, Margate, FL
In the Gemara:
At the end of מסכת תענית, the גמרא lists a number of reasons for the celebration of חמשה עשר באב.
One reason is that on this day they stopped cutting wood for the fire on the מזבח (since from this time onward the strength of the sun weakens, and the wood would not be as dry, and not fit for use in the בית המקדש).
Question:
What is so special about the fact that they stopped chopping wood for the מזבח?
Why is this a reason for celebration?
Answer:
In the Mishna, the reasons for the יום טוב of חמשה עשר באב come right after describing the various sad events of תשעה באב, especially the destruction of the בית המקדש.
This is because each of the reasons for celebrating חמשה עשר באב counters and corrects another reason for the sadness of תשעה באב.
The wood that they finished chopping then was used throughout the entire year, to burn קרבנות that were brought on behalf of all of the Yidden, as well as קרבנות that were brought by any individual, for whatever reason.
Preparing this wood was a tremendous act of צדקה and אהבת ישראל.
On תשעה באב we mourn the destruction of the בית המקדש that happened because of שנאת חנם.
On חמשה עשר באב we celebrate צדקה and אהבת ישראל that will bring about the building of the 3rd בית המקדש speedily in our day, with the coming of משיח.
Further discussion:
רבי מנשיא adds that they called the day יום תבר מגל, the day of the breaking of the axe. Why did they break the axes instead of putting them away for future use?
(See אות ז in the שיחה)
