Summary

During the three weeks of mourning, we read Haftorahs where the prophet warns the Jewish people how G’d will punish us if we forsake Him and His commandments. For the next seven Shabboses, we will read Haftorahs that contain the prophets’ words of comfort, describing the bright future awaiting us with the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. There is a total of ten weeks that we read about the punishment for leaving the ways of G’d and the comfort with G’d’s promise that there will be a bright light at the end of the dark tunnel of exile. The first three sefirot are so exalted that they belong in the Concealed World above human comprehension. The seven lower sefirot belong to the revealed world that we can comprehend and take comfort in. There is an amazing Midrash Rabbah that describes how G’d prepared the light at the end even before we entered the tunnel. When Moshiach comes Tisha B’Av will again be celebrated as a festival, just as it was during the period of the Second Temple. We do not give up. Already, on Tisha B’Av we find comfort and solace in the middle of our mourning, and we continue with the seven weeks of comfort to strengthen our belief in the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Rabbi Akiva laughed when he saw a fox come out from the place of the inner sanctum of the Temple.

Warning for three weeks

In last week’s Torah Attitude, we discussed the three weeks of mourning. On each Shabbos of these three weeks, we read a Haftorah, after reading the weekly parasha, where the prophet warns the Jewish people how G’d will punish us if we forsake Him and His commandments.

Comfort for seven weeks

For the next seven Shabboses, we will read Haftorahs that contain the prophets’ words of comfort, describing the bright future awaiting us with the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Ten weeks in total

It is interesting to note that we read about the punishment for leaving the ways of G’d, and the comfort with G’d’s promise that there will be a bright light at the end of the dark tunnel of exile, for a total of ten weeks. This corresponds to the ten Sefirot through which G’d created the world, and runs it on a constant basis. The ten sayings that G’d expressed to create the world (see Pirkei Avos 5:1) also correspond to the Sefirot, and so do the ten plagues that G’d smote the Egyptians, and showed how He is in control of every part of creation. Similarly, the ten commandments, mentioned in this week’s parasha, correspond to the Sefirot. They describe how G’d instructs us to live and be a beacon of light to all of creation.

Three concealed

The Tanya (Letter of Repentance, chapter 4) explains that the first three sefirot are so exalted that they belong in the Concealed World above human comprehension. The Tanya (Likutei Amarim chapter 26) further explains that when G’d conducts the world’s affairs through these exalted sefirot it may appear painful to us and involve suffering. However, says the Tanya, the truth is that everything G’d does is for our good and benefit. As Nachum Isch Gum Zoo used to say (see Talmud Ta’anis 21a) “gam zoo letovah” (this too is for the good). Even what appears to be bad is also for the good.

Seven revealed

On the other hand, the seven lower sefirot belong to the revealed world that we can comprehend and take comfort in. The six days of creation, culminating with Shabbos, the seventh day of the week, correspond to these seven sefirot. There are seven weeks from the exodus from Egypt on Pesach till the revelation at Mount Sinai on Shavuous. During these seven weeks G’d helped the Jewish people to elevate themselves from the years of bondage and to get ready to accept the Torah. They also correspond to the seven sefirot, as do the seven weeks of comfort after the period of mourning. The Zohar (Tazria 47b) states that if there was no darkness, we would not appreciate the light. This is how it has been right from the beginning of creation, where it says (Bereishis 1:2-3): “And it was dark upon the surface of the deep … And G’d said, ‘Let there be light.’” In the same way, the Jewish people had to go through the dark years of bondage in Egypt in order to appreciate the exodus culminating with the great light of Torah. And our present exile is a preparation for the new light that will shine in Zion, as we describe at the end of the first blessing before reciting Shema in the morning.

Light of Moshiach

There is an amazing Midrash Rabbah (Vayeishev 85:1) that describes how G’d prepares the light at the end even before we enter the tunnel. At the time when Joseph’s brothers sold him, the Midrash describes how Joseph fasted and mourned the separation from his family. The Midrash continues that Reuben fasted and mourned over his wrongdoings (see Rashi Vayeishev 37:29), and Jacob fasted and mourned the loss of his beloved son. What was G’d doing at that moment? Says the Midrash, “He prepared the light of Moshiach.” For when the brothers saw their father’s pain, they deposed Yehuda as their leader, blaming him for his idea to sell Joseph (see Rashi Vayeishev 38:11). Yehuda, therefore, went his own way, ending up having relations with the righteous Tamar, and from that union the royal dynasty of the Jewish people, of which Moshiach will be a scion, was established.

Celebrate Tisha B’Av

On Tisha B’Av when our period of mourning comes to its climax, our sages have instituted laws and customs that strengthen our belief in the coming of Moshiach and our longing to experience the final redemption. We do not say Tachanun and other supplications similar to minor festivals like Rosh Chodesh and Hanukkah. Magen Avraham (Orach Chaim 552:11) writes that the custom is to have a full meal before minchah the day before Tisha B’Av. This first of all enables us to fast well, but it also reminds us that when Moshiach comes Tisha B’Av will again be celebrated as a festival, just as it was during the period of the Second Temple.

Never give up

Yes, we have plenty of reasons to mourn the many tragedies and calamities we have experienced since the destruction of the Temple. However, we do not give up. Already, on Tisha B’Av we find comfort and solace in the middle of our mourning, and we continue with the seven weeks of comfort to strengthen our belief in the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Akiva laughed

In this way, we follow in the footsteps of Rabbi Akiva (see Talmud Makkos 24b) who laughed when he saw a fox come out from the place of the inner sanctum of the Temple. He explained his strange conduct and said that now that he had seen the ultimate destruction with the fulfillment of the prophecy of Uriah (Michah 3:12) that Zion will be plowed as a field, he felt confident that the prophecy of Zachariah (8:4-5) will be fulfilled, and the time will come when “the elderly men and the elderly women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem” with the coming of Moshiach. Amen.

These words were based on notes of Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

Shalom. Michael Deverett