Reasons for the Customs of Bein Hametzarim - Rabbi Shmuel Mekamel shlita

00:02 Speaker 1 You’re listening to “Lema’an Yishme’u,” a podcast from Machon Halacha Chabad.

00:09 Speaker 2 The days of Bein Hametzarim. The Sages said that five things happened to our ancestors on 17 Tammuz: the Tablets were broken, the daily offering ceased, the city was breached, Apostomos burned the Torah, and an idol was placed in the Sanctuary. The first event—the breaking of the Tablets—happened after the Jewish people received the Torah and Moshe Rabbeinu went up the mountain to bring the Torah to them. The Jewish people miscalculated and made the calf. When Hashem told him, “Go, descend, for your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt have become corrupt,” he came down, and when he saw it, he broke the Tablets. That day was 17 Tammuz, and from then on it became a day of calamity. It says that Aharon HaKohen wanted to prevent this. He told the Jewish people, “Tomorrow will be a festival to Hashem.” The writings of the Arizal explain that there is also a deeper meaning to Aharon HaKohen’s words, “Tomorrow will be a festival to Hashem”: this day, 17 Tammuz, is destined to become a Yom Tov. Had they merited it, they would already have seen then how this day turns into joy and celebration. Since the sin of the calf, 17 Tammuz has been a day of calamity. As we know, it says, “And on the day I make an accounting, I will call them to account for their sin,” and our Sages say that no calamity comes upon the Jewish people without some measure of repayment for the sin of the calf. Years later, several other painful things did indeed happen to the Jewish people. On this day, the daily offering ceased. It was the important offering about which Hakadosh Boruch Hu says, “My offering, My food for My fires, you shall take care to offer to Me at its appointed time.” The Jewish people observed this devotedly, with self-sacrifice, making sure to bring the daily offering. It was offered twice each day in the Beis Hamikdash, once in the morning and once in the evening. And we know that even during the siege, when the Romans

02:12 Speaker 2 surrounded Jerusalem, animals were supplied so they could bring the daily offering, until 16 Tammuz. The first day on which they stopped bringing the offering was 17 Tammuz. Another painful thing happened: Apostomos burned the Torah. We know how grave the burning of the Torah is. Incidentally, on 9 Tammuz—a day also connected with 17 Tammuz—we fast as well for what happened in the time of the First Beis Hamikdash on 9 Tammuz. But we also know that on 9 Tammuz, a Friday in Parshas Chukas in the year 5002, according to some opinions—though it certainly happened on a Friday in Parshas Chukas—the Talmud was burned after the Paris Disputation. This followed the denunciation by the apostate Nicholas Donin, may the names of the wicked rot, who brought the great Jewish sage Rabbi Yechiel of Paris into a major disputation. Rabbi Yechiel was, of course, very successful, but the purpose of the disputation was to bring about the burning of the Talmud. Because the disputation was so successful, the decree to burn the Talmud was delayed somewhat. Ultimately, though, on that Friday in Parshas Chukas, the terrible burning of the Talmud took place. It says in the book Tanya—meaning the early work Tanya Rabbasi—and is also brought in Shibolei Haleket, that a fast was established for the Friday of Parshas Chukas because people saw in it a sign from Heaven. In Parshas Chukas it says, “This is the statute of the Torah,” which Onkelos translates as “Da gezeiras oraisa.” But what appeared there was “Ve’da gezeiras oraisa”—with an added “and.” From this they understood that it was a decree from Heaven, and individuals established a fast on that day over

04:13 Speaker 2 the burning of the Torah. Here, then, is another very sad incident whose details we don’t know so well: Apostomos burned the Torah. There are several opinions about exactly what happened when Apostomos burned the Torah, but it is one of the events recalled and marked on 17 Tammuz. We fast because of it and, of course, mention it when reciting the Selichos for 17 Tammuz. Other things happened as well. For example, an idol was placed in the Sanctuary of the Beis Hamikdash. Some say this was in the First Beis Hamikdash—the idol placed there by Menashe. Others say it was in the Second Beis Hamikdash, by that same wicked Apostomos. Another event was the breaching of Jerusalem’s city wall. The enemies had besieged the walls of Jerusalem for some time without being able to break through. In the end, because of baseless hatred and the Jews’ fighting among themselves—all the conflicts between the different factions of the Jewish people—the Jewish defenders were weakened and the Romans gained the upper hand. On 17 Tammuz, they managed to breach the city wall and enter. That effectively decided the outcome of the battle, and it was already clear that Jerusalem would fall into the hands of the oppressors. The fighting inside Jerusalem itself continued for another three weeks, but finally, on Tisha B’Av, the Temple Mount was captured, the Beis Hamikdash was burned, and the terrible exile began. In fact, the burning of our G-d’s house and the destruction of Jerusalem and the lower city continued for several more weeks. The fighting and struggle lasted until 8 Elul; only then was the war finally and completely decided. So here begin three weeks of calamity: from the night of 17 Tammuz, the day Jerusalem was breached, until Tisha B’Av, when the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed.

06:22 Speaker 2 These days are called Bein Hametzarim, after the verse, “All her pursuers overtook her between the straits,” because of the difficult nature of these days. The Sages instituted the reading of haftaros that speak of calamity. Despite all the painful events that we know from the verses and the teachings of our Sages took place during these days, the Gemara did not institute mourning practices on account of the troubles that befell our ancestors then. The mourning customs actually began at a later stage. Some write, though, that even Daniel, who was in exile in Babylonia, said, “I was in mourning; I ate no pleasant bread, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself until three full weeks had passed.” He tells us that he mourned for three weeks. Some say these were the three weeks from 17 Tammuz to Tisha B’Av, so there is an early source for the custom of the Three Weeks. But as I said, the Gemara does not mention all the laws of mourning; the customs of mourning from 17 Tammuz reached us only later. What is mentioned in the Gemara, or in the Mishnah? Tractate Taanis already says that when Av begins, we reduce our joy: we don’t hold celebrations or undertake building projects for the sake of celebration. The mourning laws mentioned in the Gemara concern the week in which Tisha B’Av falls. In practice, throughout all three weeks, our custom is not to get a haircut, not to marry, not to hold dances, and not to recite Shehecheyanu. It isn’t fitting to say, “Who has granted us life and sustained us and brought us to this time.” But the Rebbe, in our generation, urged that these days should lead us toward transforming destruction into rebuilding. And we know what Hakadosh Boruch Hu said to Yechezkel when he asked why they should study the laws of the Beis Hamikdash while it lay in ruins: how could he tell the Jewish people about the Beis Hamikdash?

08:23 Speaker 2 So Hashem says that when you study the teachings about the Beis Hamikdash, “I consider it as though you were engaged in building it.” And studying its description in the Torah is as great as building it. “Go tell them to study the form of the Beis Hamikdash in the Torah, and in reward for their study I will consider it as though they were engaged in building the Beis Hamikdash.” Of course, these days are the right time to give more tzedakah, to increase Ahavas Yisroel in general, and to add to our Torah study, particularly on subjects connected with the building of the Beis Hamikdash and the Geulah. And from Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av through Tisha B’Av, the Rebbe encouraged holding siyumim—celebrations marking the completion of a tractate. This is, in fact, an opportunity to turn these days into days of joy. A siyum is a joyous occasion according to the Torah, and of course this is done in a permitted way. In this way, we increase the joy that the Torah permits. Our Sages said, “When Av begins, we diminish joy.” In fact, our Sages prohibited haircuts and laundering clothes during the week in which Tisha B’Av falls, and in practice we also do not wear freshly laundered clothes. Even if we washed clothes before Tisha B’Av, we do not put them on freshly laundered. Instead, the custom is to wear them beforehand, before the Nine Days, so as not to wear a fresh garment with the sense of freshness and joy that comes from putting it on. Our Sages said not to bathe on Tisha B’Av, but the early halachic authorities extended the prohibition on bathing to the week in which Tisha B’Av falls, and some hold that one should not bathe from Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av. In practice, since this is very difficult in hot countries, the prohibition concerns bathing for pleasure. For example, we do not go to swimming pools, spas, or other places where people bathe for pleasure. That is something we do refrain from, because of the prohibition on bathing for pleasure. But bathing for cleanliness is different, and of course, in the natural course of things, it is not possible

10:32 Speaker 2 to go without washing during these days. Not every bath or shower is for pleasure. It is very hot during these days, and everyone sweats, so one may shower. The point is that the shower should be limited to what is genuinely necessary for cleanliness, and no more. There is no permission to linger in the shower for pleasure or to wash more than necessary. You wash and get out. As for eating meat and drinking wine, we know that our Sages spoke about this in connection with the final meal before the fast: meat and wine may not be served at that meal on the eve of Tisha B’Av, because they bring joy. We also know that refraining from meat and wine recalls the cessation of the sacrifices and the wine libations on the altar in the Beis Hamikdash. Strictly speaking, it would have been fitting to prohibit eating meat and drinking wine from the day the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed until it is rebuilt. But the community could not bear that, so the prohibition was imposed only on the eve of Tisha B’Av. In practice, though, our custom is to be stringent throughout the Nine Days, until midday on 10 Av, and not eat meat or drink wine—with the exception, of course, of Shabbos. Since there is no mourning on Shabbos, it is customary to wash with hot water before Shabbos. We wear Shabbos clothes and freshly laundered clothes. This Shabbos is called Shabbos Chazon, after the haftarah, “Chazon Yeshayahu.” But we know what Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev said: on this Shabbos, each and every person is shown the Third Beis Hamikdash—chazon means “vision.” It is like a father who wants to show his children a garment he bought them. The first time, they did not take care of the garment; the second time, they did not take care of it either. The third time he buys a garment, he wants it to last. So every so often, he shows it to the children to stir them and strengthen them

12:34 Speaker 2 in this matter. So on this Shabbos, Shabbos Chazon, we have the opportunity for our Father to show each and every Jew the Beis Hamikdash. Since there is no mourning on this Shabbos, on the contrary, we should show our joy on Shabbos and eat meat—even rich meat—and drink wine, even more than on an ordinary Shabbos, to rule out any expression of mourning on Shabbos. The eve of Tisha B’Av. We know that words of Torah have the quality of bringing joy. It says, “The precepts of Hashem are upright, gladdening the heart.” So after midday on the eve of Tisha B’Av, when we already begin to feel sorrow over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, we no longer engage in Torah study of joyful subjects. Instead, we study only subjects relevant to Tisha B’Av, dealing with calamity. For example, we can study the chapter Hanizakin in Tractate Gittin, or the chapter Eilu Megalchin in Moed Katan, which discusses mourning. We can read the Book of Iyov, but not joyful subjects. The inner dimension of the Torah may be studied, and it is preferable to study subjects connected with the Beis Hamikdash. From Minchah on the eve of Tisha B’Av until the fast ends, we do not say Tachanun at any of the prayers, because, as we know, Tisha B’Av is called a mo’ed. “He proclaimed an appointed time against me to crush my young men”—that is the verse in Eichah. Tisha B’Av is called a mo’ed, and we are confident that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will turn this day into Yomim Tovim, into gladness and joy. The final meal before the fast. Our Sages said that at this meal a person should not eat two cooked dishes, because we want to express mourning at this meal, not festivity. We need to remember the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and grieve over it. But one cooked dish has no festive quality, no special indulgence, so there is no problem with eating one cooked dish. This prohibition, however, applies only to the last meal before the fast begins. An earlier meal is not subject to the restriction on two cooked dishes. That is why the common custom is to eat a substantial meal in the afternoon, before Minchah, at which one may eat as much as needed so that the fast will not harm us. Some have given another reason for this custom: it commemorates the Tisha B’Av meal when the Beis Hamikdash stood. We know that in those days people did not fast on Tisha B’Av. On the contrary, the day had been turned into gladness and joy, and people ate and rejoiced abundantly. We, too, draw strength and encouragement on this day. Just as we do not say Tachanun on it, in the hope that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will turn it into gladness and joy, we also make the meal a little more substantial. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai would eat dry bread with salt and drink a jug of water, without any cooked dish, on the eve of Tisha B’Av. He would sit in a lowly spot between the oven and the stove. In practice, at the final meal before the fast, our custom is to eat just one cooked dish: an egg. Of course, we eat this meal after Minchah. We wash our hands for bread, because it is a meal, but we eat it with only one cooked dish, the egg. It is customary to eat round bread, a bagel, which is a mourner’s food, and to dip bread in ashes, as it says, “He has made my teeth grind on gravel.” It is also customary to sit on the ground to express mourning during the meal. Each person sits in a separate corner, “sitting alone and silent,” and therefore there is no zimun. Since we do not eat together, there is no zimun at

14:49 Speaker 2 A special pleasure, so there is no problem eating one cooked dish. But this entire restriction applies only to the final meal before the fast begins. At an earlier meal, the restriction of two cooked dishes does not apply. So the common custom is to eat a substantial meal at midday, before Minchah, at which one can eat as much as needed so that the fast will not harm us. Some have added another reason for this custom: it recalls the meals of Tisha B’Av when the Beis Hamikdash stood. We know that when the Beis Hamikdash stood, people did not fast on Tisha B’Av. On the contrary, the day became one of joy and celebration, and they ate and rejoiced abundantly. We, too, draw strength and encouragement on this day. Just as we do not say Tachanun, in the hope that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will turn this day into one of joy and celebration for us, we also eat a little more at the meal. The Gemara relates that on the eve of Tisha B’Av, Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai would eat dry bread with salt and drink a pitcher of water, without any cooked dish. He would sit in a lowly place between the oven and the stove. In practice, at the final meal before the fast, our custom is to eat only one cooked dish: an egg. Of course, we eat this final meal after Minchah. We must wash our hands for it, because it is a meal, but we eat it with only one cooked dish, the egg. It is customary to eat round bread, a bagel, which is a mourner’s food, and to dip bread in ashes, as it says, “He has broken my teeth with gravel.” It is also customary to sit on the ground to express mourning during the meal. Each person sits in a separate corner, “sitting alone in silence,” and therefore there is no zimun. Since we do not eat together, there is no zimun at…

16:57 Speaker 2 The final meal before the fast. Of course, all of this applies to the final meal in an ordinary year. But when Tisha B’Av falls on Shabbos, or the eve of Tisha B’Av falls on Shabbos, that meal must be eaten with joy. We eat meat and drink wine, and one may even set a table as lavish as King Solomon’s in his time, to rule out any display of mourning on that Shabbos. Five things happened to our ancestors on Tisha B’Av: it was decreed that our ancestors would not enter the Land, following the sin of the Golden Calf. In the year 2449 from Creation, the spies whom Moshe Rabbeinu sent to explore the Land brought back an evil report about it. When they returned, the Jewish people began to cry, and Hakadosh Boruch Hu said: “You cried for no reason, and I will establish for you a time of weeping for generations.” It was then decreed that the Jewish people would remain in the desert for forty years and serve their punishment. That entire generation died; only their children, those who had been under twenty, would enter the Land. From then on, Tisha B’Av was established as a day of weeping for generations, and several other very painful things did indeed happen on it. We know that the First and Second Beis Hamikdash were destroyed, Beitar was captured, and the city was plowed over. All these followed the first painful event, the sin of the spies. The First Beis Hamikdash, which stood for 410 years, was destroyed in the days of Tzidkiyahu by Nevuchadnetzar, king of Babylon. This was on Tisha B’Av in the year 3338 from Creation. After the destruction of the First Beis Hamikdash, the Jews were exiled to Babylon. After a seventy-year exile, Cyrus, king of Persia, announced that he was granting permission to build the Second Beis Hamikdash. Many Jews began gathering in Jerusalem and started the work of building it. Twenty-two years later, the

19:05 Speaker 2 Beis Hamikdash was completed, and it stood for 420 years. In the days of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was the leader at the time of the destruction, the Roman forces came and destroyed the Second Beis Hamikdash. They killed many Jews and set the Beis Hamikdash on fire. This was in the year 3828 from Creation. After the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash, a large Jewish force, including many men, women, and children, held out in the city of Beitar. This was during the Bar Kochba revolt. Beitar was the fortified city with the largest number of Jews gathered within it. On Tisha B’Av, fifty-two years after the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash, Beitar was destroyed with terrible cruelty. Our Sages give horrifying descriptions of its destruction and capture. For decades after the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash, the fighting continued. After the Bar Kochba revolt was suppressed, the Romans sought to erase every trace of Jewish identity. They changed the name of the Land of Israel and the name of Jerusalem, and they were not satisfied until they had plowed the city’s ground from end to end. In doing so, they fulfilled the verse foretelling the destruction: “Therefore, Tziyon shall be plowed like a field.” This, too, happened on Tisha B’Av and was added to the list of calamities that befell our people. After the destruction of the First Beis Hamikdash, Tisha B’Av was established as the most severe of the four fasts instituted over the calamities of the destruction. After the Second Beis Hamikdash was built, the day became one of joy and gladness. But when the Second Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, the fast returned, along with all the afflictions and mourning practices that had been established for Tisha B’Av. In practice, all the other fasts

21:37 Speaker 2 are observed only from dawn until nightfall, whereas Tisha B’Av is the most severe of them all. It retains the stringency of Yom Kippur: it lasts from evening to evening, and all five forms of deprivation are prohibited. Beyond the five forms of deprivation established for Tisha B’Av, as on Yom Kippur, other things are forbidden as part of the laws of mourning. Mourning practices are observed on Tisha B’Av, so just as a mourner may not study Torah, we may not study Torah on Tisha B’Av, because it gladdens the heart. And just as a mourner may not greet others, we do not exchange greetings on Tisha B’Av. It is also forbidden to do things that distract us from mourning. That is why we may not go for a stroll on Tisha B’Av or walk in a large group, lest we be distracted from mourning. We may not engage in friendly chatter that could lead to laughter and frivolity, and we may not do work. Our Sages said: “Anyone who does work on Tisha B’Av will never see a sign of blessing from it.” The main reason, of course, is not to be distracted from mourning. Some had the custom of going to the cemetery after the kinos to stir feelings of mourning, subdue the yetzer hara, return in teshuvah, and remember the day of death. But the Rebbe says that in practice we do not do this. The reason is that we have the custom of immersing before going to a cemetery, and on Tisha B’Av we do not immerse. Even looking at the graves from outside is undesirable, because that still involves some connection. So we refrain entirely from going to the cemetery on Tisha B’Av. Throughout the night of Tisha B’Av, from the time the day begins, we sit on the ground like mourners, until midday. In this way, we express mourning in addition to the five forms of deprivation observed on Tisha B’Av. In the shul, the custom is not to turn on lights that are unnecessary; only the lighting that is needed is used. We learn this from the verse,

23:49 Speaker 2 “He has made me sit in darkness.” As we know, it is written that Hakadosh Boruch Hu said to the ministering angels: “What does a human king do when he is in mourning?” They said to Him: “He extinguishes the lamps.” He said to them: “I, too, will do so, as it says, ‘The sun and moon grew dark.’” The lights were, in effect, extinguished at the time of the destruction, and in remembrance of that, we too dim the lights. Likewise, before Maariv we remove the curtain from the Aron Kodesh, as it says, “Hashem has done what He planned; He has carried out His word.” Just as a king tears his royal garments when he is in mourning, Hashem said, “So will I do.” In remembrance of this, we remove the curtain that adorns the Aron Kodesh. On the night of Tisha B’Av, Megillas Eichah is read publicly after Maariv. The custom is to read it from a Chumash; we do not read it from a scroll written on parchment. We do not want this scroll to have a lasting existence, so it is not written in a permanent form, only a temporary one. Some even do not keep their kinos booklets and immediately put them away for genizah, so that this occasion should not endure. We want it to turn to joy and gladness immediately. The megillah is read in a low voice, like mourners. At every passage that says “Eichah,” the chazzan raises his voice. When the chazzan reaches the verse “Hashiveinu,” the congregation says it aloud as a prayer. Then the congregation repeats the verse, and he says, “For if You have utterly rejected us.” The congregation again says “Hashiveinu,” and the chazzan, too, repeats: “Bring us back to You, Hashem, and we shall return; renew our days as of old.” After reading Eichah, we say the kinos, followed by “And You, Holy One, are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” But if Tisha B’Av begins on Motzaei Shabbos, we do not say “Vihi Noam”; we say

26:04 Speaker 2 Only, uh, only “Ve’atah Kadosh.” In fact, we always say “Ve’atah Kadosh” after the kinos. On Motzaei Shabbos, even though we normally say “Vihi Noam,” we skip “Vihi Noam” and say only “Ve’atah Kadosh.” And we say Kaddish without “Tiskabel.” When Tisha B’Av begins on Motzaei Shabbos, we do not make Havdalah, of course. We only light the candle and say the blessing “Borei Me’orei Ha’eish” over it. We do not smell spices, and we do not make Havdalah until Motzaei Tisha B’Av. One of the five restrictions of Tisha B’Av is the prohibition against washing. So we do not wash our hands fully after using the bathroom, when we get up in the morning, or before davening. On Tisha B’Av we refrain from the washing we ordinarily do each day, washing our hands only as far as necessary, up to the knuckles. We see that this is done on Yom Kippur too, but for the opposite reason. Regarding Yom Kippur, it says that because of the holiness of the day, the forces of impurity have no ability or permission to reach beyond the knuckles. So there is no need to wash beyond them, because the forces of impurity do not take hold there. And what is not needed may not be washed. On Tisha B’Av, it is the reverse: because of the state of this day, the forces of impurity do not even desire to rest upon a Jew, and the furthest they reach is the knuckles. So, in the end, we wash our hands only up to the knuckles and no further, because if there is no need, washing the hands is prohibited. That is included in the prohibition against washing. In the morning blessings on Tisha B’Av, we do not say the blessing “She’asah Li Kol Tzorki.” In the blessings, we are giving thanks for all these things.

28:15 Speaker 2 We are really giving thanks for our daily routine, for the order in which we get up and prepare ourselves. Among the things we give thanks for is having shoes to put on. Since wearing shoes is prohibited on this day, we do not say “She’asah Li Kol Tzorki” until the next day. That is, even on Motzaei Tisha B’Av, when we can once again put on leather shoes—as we know, there is a practice to wear leather shoes before Kiddush Levanah—we do not make up the blessing then. Because wearing shoes was prohibited on that day, we skip the blessing and do not make it up even when Tisha B’Av ends. Only the next morning do we return to saying “She’asah Li Kol Tzorki” in its usual place among the morning blessings. So there are two days a year on which we do not say “She’asah Li Kol Tzorki” at all: Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur. The verse says, “Hashem has done what He planned; He has fulfilled His word.” Just as a king tears his royal garments when he is in mourning, Hashem said, “So do I.” That is why we refrain from wrapping ourselves in a tallis, which is a royal garment. It is a garment with which we adorn ourselves every day during davening, but on Tisha B’Av we refrain from wrapping ourselves in a tallis gadol. We also do not adorn ourselves with tefillin on Tisha B’Av, as it says, “He cast the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth”; tefillin are called “splendor” and “glory.” But since most of the Rishonim hold that we do put on tefillin and wrap ourselves in a tallis, we do so at Minchah, after midday, when those aspects of mourning no longer apply. At Shacharis on Tisha B’Av, we say “Mizmor Lesodah.” The reason is that “Mizmor Lesodah” is said on any day when, in the time of the Beis Hamikdash,

30:13 Speaker 2 the thanksgiving offering could be brought. Since the thanksgiving offering was brought on Tisha B’Av in the time of the Beis Hamikdash, we say “Mizmor Lesodah” on Tisha B’Av as well. On Tisha B’Av, the kohanim do not duchan. This is derived from the verse, “When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you.” Likewise, a mourner does not duchan because he is not in a state of joy. Duchaning must be done specifically with joy. That is why, outside Eretz Yisroel, where that joy is not present, it was instituted that the kohanim duchan only on Yom Tov, when people are joyful. So duchaning is intrinsically connected with joy; being joyful is a condition for it. A day that is not joyful, such as Tisha B’Av, is not a day for duchaning. Therefore, even the chazzan does not say “Elokeinu Veilokei Avoseinu, Borcheinu Bivrachah Hameshuleshes” during Shacharis. After the chazzan’s repetition, we read from the Torah in Parshas Va’eschanan, which is generally the parsha of Tisha B’Av. We read the passage beginning “When you have children,” which deals with the destruction of the land, a theme of Tisha B’Av. Then we read the haftarah from Yirmiyahu, beginning “Asof Asifeim.” The reason a haftarah was instituted for Tisha B’Av is that, unlike other fasts, on which a haftarah was instituted only at Minchah—because people work during Shacharis on those fasts, and the Sages did not want to keep them from their work—people do not work on Tisha B’Av, when work is not done. So a haftarah was instituted for Shacharis as well. The haftarah begins “Asof Asifeim” and speaks, in Yirmiyahu, about calamity and destruction. Afterward, we sit on the ground and say the kinos like mourners, sitting on the ground as though someone had died before them. Then we say “Ashrei” and “Uva Letziyon,” but skip the verse “Va’ani Zos Brisi.” Afterward, we say

32:22 Speaker 2 the full Kaddish without “Tiskabel,” and conclude davening with “Aleinu Leshabeiach,” without saying the Shir Shel Yom or the passage of Ketores. We make those up at Minchah, along with all the daily study portions we missed. At Minchah, as we said, we wrap ourselves in a tallis, put on tefillin, and make up all those portions. We say Shema while wearing tefillin, of course, and then say the Shir Shel Yom and “Kavei El Hashem,” which we omitted at Shacharis. We also say the Tehillim portion and all the morning study portions we did not say—all the regular portions except the Rambam portion. We do not actually study the Rambam portion on Tisha B’Av. We finish the portion for Erev Tisha B’Av by midday on Erev Tisha B’Av, and study the portion for Tisha B’Av itself only on Motzaei Tisha B’Av. We then begin Minchah and say the Korbanos for Minchah while wearing a tallis and tefillin. In the Minchah Amidah on Tisha B’Av, we mention the occasion and say, “Nachem, Hashem our G-d, the mourners of Zion.” The halachic authorities write that this should be said in the blessing “Boneh Yerushalayim.” They derive this from the principle that, at the end of any blessing, one may add something relating to that blessing. Although the halachic authorities disagree about whether “Nachem” is also said at Shacharis and Maariv on Tisha B’Av, or only at Minchah, in practice the custom is to say it only at Minchah on Tisha B’Av. The reason is that toward evening, they set fire to the Beis Hamikdash; in fact, the fire burned in the Heichal until 10 Menachem Av. That is why the mourning practices continue until midday on 10 Menachem Av. Since the Heichal was set ablaze toward evening, at that time we recall the lowly state of Jerusalem and plead with Hashem to rebuild the Beis Hamikdash for us already. Another reason is that throughout the day we observe mourning, and it is not a time to receive comfort.

34:31 Speaker 2 It would not be appropriate to say Nachem. That is why we say Nachem only at Minchah. And according to the deeper meaning of these matters, we know that the reason we say Nachem specifically at Minchah is that this was when the redeemer of Israel was born. Moshiach was born, and we take heart and find comfort, so we say the Nachem prayer. Our Sages said: “One recites the blessing over the moon only when pleasantly scented and dressed in fine clothing.” In other words, Kiddush Levanah should be done respectfully, because we know that the occasion of Kiddush Levanah is an occasion of greeting the Divine Presence. Had the Jewish people merited to greet their Father in Heaven even once a month, that would have sufficed for them. And Abaye derived halachos from this: since Kiddush Levanah is like greeting the Divine Presence, we do it respectfully. So there is a question among the halachic authorities about whether one may recite Kiddush Levanah at the beginning of Menachem Av. In practice, they said it is preferable to postpone it until after Tisha B’Av. Some asked: Even on the night following Tisha B’Av, the mourning customs are still observed until midday on 10 Av. So can Kiddush Levanah really be recited that night? But in practice, the custom is to recite Kiddush Levanah on the night following Tisha B’Av. Because the birth of Israel’s redeemer brings comfort, we begin to take comfort already from midday on Tisha B’Av. Of course, we do not do it with abundant singing and music, since that is still prohibited until after midday on 10 Av. What we do is change into leather shoes and recite Kiddush Levanah with a large gathering. We also try to eat something beforehand, so that we can greet the Divine Presence properly. 10 Av. Our Sages said

36:33 Speaker 2 that the Beis Hamikdash began to be destroyed toward the end of Tisha B’Av, and most of it was destroyed on 10 Av. Some even wanted to establish the fast on 10 Av, while others were stringent and held that one should fast not only on Tisha B’Av but also on 10 Av. But the halachah was established that the fast is only on Tisha B’Av, when the calamity began, because its beginning is more severe. Still, since most of the Sanctuary burned on 10 Av, it was established that the mourning customs should continue. We do not eat meat or drink wine on 10 Av either. There is considerable discussion among the halachic authorities about how long this prohibition lasts. In practice, the custom is that after midday on 10 Av, one may eat meat, drink wine, do laundry and do all the other things as well. When the wicked government decreed that the Torah could not be read publicly, the Sages instituted the reading of a haftorah in its place. They established that the haftorah from the Prophets should relate to the parsha, and indeed a haftorah was arranged for each weekly parsha. Nevertheless, in the time of the Geonim, it was established that on the last ten Shabbosos of the year—covering Parshas Matos, Masei and Devarim, and then from Parshas Vaeschanan through Parshas Nitzavim or Nitzavim-Vayeilech—the haftoros would address the themes of the time. The first three are called the Three of Calamity; they speak of calamity and are read during the Three Weeks leading up to Tisha B’Av. After Tisha B’Av, we begin reading the Seven of Consolation, seven haftoros of comfort. They form a dialogue between Hakadosh Boruch Hu and the Jewish people. Hakadosh Boruch Hu says, “Comfort, comfort My people”—the haftorah read on the first Shabbos, Shabbos Nachamu. He tells the prophets, “Comfort My people.” Then the Jewish people respond, “And Zion said, ‘Hashem has forsaken me.’”

38:52 Speaker 2 I am not consoled by the prophets’ words of comfort. They come and say, “Afflicted and storm-tossed, unconsoled”—we are not comforted. So the prophets return and tell Hakadosh Boruch Hu that the Jewish people will not be consoled by the prophets’ words. Hakadosh Boruch Hu therefore says in the next haftorah, “I, I am He Who comforts you.” And He also says, “Sing out, barren one who has not given birth,” and, “Arise, shine, for your light has come.” Then the Jewish people respond, “I will greatly rejoice in Hashem”—that is, now I have reason to rejoice—“my soul will exult in my G-d, for He has clothed me in garments of salvation.” So these are the haftoros of consolation. The Rebbe says that during these days we should continue with all expressions of joy until 15 Menachem Av, for “there were no festivals for Israel like the fifteenth of Av.” That is when all the calamities that occurred at the time of the destruction find their correction; there is a sense of completion. The Rebbe says to take this day, 15 Av, and increase in joy, hold joyful farbrengens and celebrate the completion of Talmudic tractates. From then on, we begin wishing one another a good inscription and sealing for a good, sweet year. It is written in the sefarim that “15 Menachem Av” has the same numerical value as “a good inscription and sealing.” So we begin increasing in joy during these days, and we increase our Torah study. The nights begin to grow longer, and we need to make use of them: “The night was created only for Torah study.” Of course, throughout these days we add to all of this with joy and gladness of heart. May Hakadosh Boruch Hu turn these days into days of gladness and joy for us, show us the consolation of Zion and Jerusalem, and may we merit the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days. “Grant us our portion in Your Torah,” and may we merit to see the Beis Hamikdash rebuilt with the true and complete Geulah, immediately, right now.