Question:
Why is it that Tisha B’Av is called a moed, [(קרא עלי מועד (איכה א’ ט”ו], and because of that we don’t say Tachanun? Isn’t Tisha B’Av a sad day?
Answer:
It says in the navi that Tisha B’Av will be a Yom Yov when Moshiach comes. Anything that will happen when Moshiach comes has a shoresh already now. This means that right now there is an ohr of Yom Tov on Tisha B’Av.
Every Yom Yov has a certain manifestation of Hashem’s light. Tisha B’Av is the Yom Yov of the Shechinah, but because the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, the light manifests in a way of mourning as opposed to in a way of simchah, like in other Yomim Tovim. But there is still an amazing shefa of ohr haShechinah. The kli, vessel, through which we capture that ohr, is different than a regular Yom Tov, but the light is the same!!
On Tisha B’Av every Yid gets spiritual energy to be a “Shechinah Yid,” who lives and breathes the Shechinah! Because the Shechinah is now in galus, the avodah is mourning, and someone who mourns with Her will definitely connect to Her, and be happy with that connection right now already.
The Shechinah means “the way Hashem reveals Himself in this world.” One who is connected to the Shechinah feels that Hashem is looking at him the whole time. He feels Hashem’s great love and affection for him—the reassurance of being in his mother’s arms. In the times of the Beis Hamikdash, the whole world knew and felt that the Shechinah resides in this world. Even the goyim felt that, like the pasuk says: “לו האמינו מלכי ארץ… כי יבא צר ואויב בשערי ירושלים” — the kings of the earth could not believe, nor the inhabitants of the world, that the enemy could enter the gates of Yerushalayim.
The Shechinah in galus means that one can live in this world and not see the presence of Hashem. One can talk to Hashem and feel that he is talking to the wall! One can learn Torah and do mitzvos and know nothing about Hashem! This means that the Shechinah is in galus: it is concealed.
This is what we cry about on Tisha B’Av—we cry that we are not connected enough to Hashem, and don’t feel Him in every single area of our lives. If we prepare ourselves for this Yom Tov, we can get a spiritual boost, to connect with Hashem even here in the galus – to always feel that my Abba is right next to me the whole time!!
Someone who really feels close to the Shechinah, also feels very passionate about kavod haShechinah. When he sees people stamping on the Shechinah, his heart gets torn. This is another avodah on Tisha B’Av—to connect to the Shechinah–that it bothers you terribly when there is a desecration of the Shechinah. If you don’t feel that way, try to feel pained by that alone, and ask Hashem to help you develop more of a sensitivity to be bothered when the Shechinah is trampled on in any way.
When one is zocheh to these amazing avodos, he can right away go into Shabbos Nachamu feeling connected to Hashem even here in the galus, and pave the way to Rosh Hashanah, ready to crown Hashem as King for the upcoming year.
Question:
I find it very hard to connect to the kinos, crying about tzaros that happened so many years ago, especially since I don’t feel that the texts of the kinos are bringing me closer to the Shechinah.
Answer:
The kinos are split into three sections:
- Kinos about the churban
- Kinos about the tzaros
- Kinos about kavod Shamayim and the Shechinah
This last group are the kinos that start with the word Tziyon (Tziyon means the Shechinah). These kinos speak about the Shechinah and her desecration. I always tell people to start from these kinos, from lamed-vav and onwards. Once one feels connected to the Shechinah, it is easier to connect to the tzar of Klal Yisroel, the children of the Shechinah. Once a person feels connected and united with all of Klal Yisroel, he can then cry about their tzaros. Another way to connect with the tzaros of Yidden is by thinking about how much pain it gives the Shechinah to see her children suffering.
The right order of saying kinos is to feel out whichever ones talk to his soul and connect him to Hashem, and say them slowly with passion and yishuv hadaas. You can sing a tune as you are saying it. Then continue on to the other ones, doing whatever you are able to (l’fi kocho). The kinos are not a part of davening that one must say the entire thing.
Question:
Should I spend time on Tisha B’Av reading books about the Holocaust and the like?
Answer:
Usually these types of things bring a person to despair and sadness, which are never good things. I recommend that one should learn the Zohar on Eichah, or the prophecies about l’asid lavo (the times of Moshiach), that bring a person to a hopeful mindset. This can help you feel a yearning for Geulah, and a desire to come close to Hashem. These are permitted to learn on Tisha B’Av, because they don’t disconnect the person from aveilus; rather, they bring him to a place of yearning and connection, and can bring one to teshuvah.
The goal of the day is to connect and come close to the Shechinah. You should be in touch with yourself and identify what connects you to the Shechinah. Think about ahavas Hashem, how much you love Hashem and how much Hashem loves us and is waiting for us.
Make it a priority to talk to Hashem on Tisha B’Av.
Make up your own kinos! We need to tell Hashem how much it hurts us that we aren’t connected enough to Him. We should express to Hashem that it bothers us when our time gets filled up with the mundane, or when we follow the ways of the nations of the world instead of always being focused on our relationship with Him.
Your own kinos are better than the printed ones, because they come straight from your heart!
Question:
What is the difference between the avodah at the different times on Tisha B’Av—at night, day before chatzos, and after chatzos?
Answer:
At night is the main time for aveilus and the Eichah kinos. But you can say the kinos of Tziyon at night also. It’s also very special if one is able to stay awake until chatzos and say Tikun Chatzos.
By day we say the main parts of the kinos. From chatzos and on, we may stand up, but if you want you can keep connecting to the Shechinah while sitting on the floor even after chatzos.
Once you are finished this avodah, and you did your best and tried to connect to the Shechinah, the next avodah is to feel the neshamah, to allow yourself to feel that the Shechinah is right here with you, and to commit to live with the Shechinah on a regular basis.
The first half of the day, we focus on feeling what we are missing, and how distant we are from the Shechinah. The second half of the day—the avodah of nechamah—is to decide: “OK, I understand how far we are. Let’s connect to the Shechinah right now!!”
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 46 Tisha B’av Edition.
