NOW YOU KNOW! MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE EXPULSION OF THE JEWS FROM SPAIN IN 1492 TOOK PLACE ON TISHA B’AV. WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW IS WHY. THE EXPULSION WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE ON ANOTHER DAY. R’ DON YITZCHAK ABARBANEL, THE GREAT TORAH COMMENTATOR, KABBALIST, AND STATESMAN IN THE COURT OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA, CONVINCED THE KING TO ISSUE THE DATE OF THE EXPULSION AS TISHA B’AV. HIS REASON WAS TO INSTILL IN PEOPLE’S HEARTS THE UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE THAT THE EVIL FATE BEFALLING THEM CAME FROM HEAVEN AND WAS A PART OF THEIR FAILURE TO REBUILD THE BAIS HAMIKDASH THROUGH THEIR MERITS.
WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PERIOD OF UPHEAVAL ORIGINATES FROM THE SAME SOURCE OF ALL OUR TROUBLES: THE LACK OF THE BAIS HAMIKDASH AS HASHEM’S DWELLING PLACE IN OUR MIDST AND HIS EXPULSION, AS IT WERE, FROM HIS HOME. MAY WE REALIZE THIS, AND TAKE IT TO HEART, SO THAT THE BAIS HAMIKDASH WILL FLY DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND HASHEM WILL WELCOME US ALL HOME, ONCE AGAIN.
