Divrei Torah

The Three Weeks

The days in between the 17^th of Tamuz and the 9^th of Av (better known as the three weeks) always make a person feel a little strange. The questions start to pop into our head, "what if there's a really big sale?" or "what if I only listen to music to get me going in the morning?" do you think the Rabbi will say its o.k.? (Regarding the laws of the Three weeks one should only ask a competent Rabbi regarding the laws of purchasing new clothes and listening to music during these days). For most of us thoughts of the Three weeks usually come with a heavy heart. The thought of sitting on the ground saying words we don’t understand would not be the top choice if we were looking for inspiration. How many of us have walked away from synagogue saying "wow that was great can we do that again" or "I can't wait till next year". Usually the only thing on our minds is what we are planning to break the fast on.

            I would like to introduce a new approach to the "Three weeks", one that will enable our thoughts and actions to see these days in new light.

            The gemarah in Yuma 54b states, "Raish Lakish said during the time when the enemies of the Jewish nation entered into the Bais Hamikdash they saw the "Cruvim (angelic figures that were placed on top of the aron kodesh) hugging one another". This statement of Raish Lakish arouses the following question. The Gemarah in Baba Bathra 99a says" when Bnei Yisrael was doing the service of Hashem properly the "Cruvim" faced one another. In comparison, when Bnei Yisrael were not doing there service properly, the "Cruvim" faced the walls of the Kodesh Hakidashim".  One is forced to ask, if the "Cruvim" only face each other when Bnei Yisrael is doing their service properly, and the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed solely for the reason that we were not doing the service of Hashem properly, why then was Hashem showing us a sign of affection through the "Cruvim" ,especially a sign of such strong affection.

            The late Slonomer Rebbe Rabbi Shalom Noach Brezovski ZT'L offers an analogy to clarify the Gemarah's question. The following analogy is based on the love that father has for his son. This love can be understood on three levels. The first level is a relationship where the father and son get together regularly; they share their thoughts and feelings towards one another and have a strong bond. The next level adds one detail, the son lives far away so the father yearns for those days when he gets to see his son and shower him with love. The third level is more complex. The child is very sick, and requires a very difficult surgery, the success rate is low, and the father is one of the few surgeons in the world that know how to perform this difficult task. The surgery is very painful and the details are very intricate. The love that the father feels for his son is overwhelming knowing that his son needs this surgery to live. This feeling of love is the same that Hashem had during the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. The destruction of the Bais Hamikdash was a painful process for Hashem, the same feeling the father feels each time he pains his son through each incision is the same feeling Hashem felt through each incision that occurred to Bnei Yisrael. Hashem in his infinite wisdom knows that the same way the child will not be able to live without this surgery so to Bnei Yisrael will not be able to continue without experiencing this destruction.

            Yirmiahu Hanavi tells us in Eichah (perek1 pasuk3) "Kol rodfuha hisiguha ben hamitzarim" translated as, "all her pursuers overtook her in narrow straits." Chazal explain that this is referring to the time of the "Three Weeks." All of the destruction that takes place to Bnei Yisrael happened during these days. The Maggid of Mezrich offers a different explanation to this verse. The "pursuer" is every Jew in Clal Yisrael. Instead of explaining "Hisiguha" as "overtake" one can translate the word to mean "reach." Anyone who pursues hashem during these "Three Weeks" will reach him during these "Three Weeks".

            This is the message of the "Cruvim" hugging one another, Hashem wanted to show his children that the destruction is very painful and sometimes you're not going to understand. The message Hashem is conveying is as follows, my children know that during this time I love you more then any other time. If one will try to work towards his relationship with Hashem during this time of the year, he will have more help then he has the rest of the year. The reason being, the whole year one might only have Hashem walk hand and hand with him. During the "Three Weeks" however Hashem is actually hugging him. One should try and change his mindset from the burden and heaviness to feelings of closeness and building. To rebuild the Bais Hamikdash one first needs to have the relationship with Hashem that reflects the desire to be close to Hashem. The "Three Weeks" offer us an opportunity once a year to create that relationship.