Shalom and Bracha!

Wednesday, August ninth, is Tu B'av, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Av. The Mishnah in Ta'anit states "There were no Holidays for the Jewish people as great as the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur". On the fifteenth of Av, the maidens of Israel would go out into the fields and dance and the men would seek their brides. All of the girls would wear borrowed white clothing in order not to embarrass the poor who lacked beautiful clothing of their own.

The Ari Hakadosh (A very renowned Kabbalist) explained that the reason for the greatness of Tu B'av is that it falls on the fifteenth of the Hebrew month. The Hebrew calendar is a lunar calendar, and the fifteenth of the month is the night of the full moon. The moon represents the Jewish people, and the rise of the moon represents the rise of the Jewish people. This explanation warrants further explanation; Pesach and Sukkot also fall on the fifteenth of the Hebrew month when there is a full moon. However, this full moon represents the strength of the Jewish people to arise and overpower the destruction that occurred on the ninth of Av, and as such represents the power to overcome all negativity.

The healing of the tragedy of the ninth of Av is also implied in the Talmud's explanation of the Holiday. The first reason given for the Holiday is that the Jew stopped dying in the desert. It was decreed on the ninth of Av that the Jewish people should wander in the desert for forty years and that that generation should die in the desert. They ceased to die on the fifteenth of Av. The city of Betar was destroyed on the ninth of Av. The Romans refused to allow the dead to be buried. Hashem made a miracle and the bodies didn't decompose. Years later, they were allowed to be buried on the fifteenth of Av. The second Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av because of disunity. Through deep Torah insight, two divisive decrees were annulled on the fifteenth of Av.

This is also why the celebration of the Holiday was through betrothal and sensitivity. The union of a man and his wife parallels the bond between G-d and the Jewish people. The exile is a form of separation and the redemption is a reuniting. Therefore, on the fifteenth of Av, we celebrate with preparations for new betrothals. Since the coming of Moshiach is dependent upon fixing the sin of divisiveness, we celebrate through extra consideration. The Talmud explains that even the King's daughter would wear borrowed clothing. Imagine for a moment how uncomfortable it would be for a princess to seek her prince in borrowed clothing! Nevertheless she did so, in order to spare a poor maiden shame. This teaches us the measure of sensitivity we must have for others.

The Talmud continues that from the fifteenth of Av the nights get longer and it is imperative to increase in Torah study. The Talmud continues that this brings longer life.

May we merit that this fifteenth of Av will fully transform all of the tragedies of the ninth of Av and we will see the rebuilding of the Temple and hear the new depths in Torah that Moshiach will reveal.

Chag Sameach,

 Rabbi Biggs

Dedicated to Massaoud Ben Simcha Zarka on the occasion of his birthday for a wonderful year.