Rabbi Meir Malka in a Special Lesson for Tisha B'Av and Tu B'Av

"Our teacher Rav Berland greatly valued this day of Tu B'Av, when matches are drawn for everyone, with Hashem's help."

"Just a few days ago was Tisha B'Av and now Tu B'Av, about which it is said in the Gemara that it is one of the two greatest days for Israel. There were no better days for the people of Israel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur. (Taanit 31): "Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no better days for Israel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, when the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in borrowed white garments, so as not to embarrass those who did not have, and the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards, and what would they say: 'Young man, lift your eyes and see what you choose for yourself? Do not set your eyes on beauty, set your eyes on family. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears Hashem is to be praised.' These are the best and most joyous days for the people of Israel."

"Rabbi Natan explains that there is a connection between these two times. On Tu B'Av, the deaths in the desert ceased, the people who were supposed to enter Eretz Yisrael, but were decreed to die because of the sin of the spies and could not enter Eretz Yisrael. Throughout the desert period, every year on Tisha B'Av, this generation would die. On this day, they would all dig graves and enter them at night, and in the morning a proclamation would go out as to who would live. Each year, 15,000 died until the entire generation was gone. In the last year, they also dug graves, but a proclamation went out that all were to live. They thought they might have erred in the date, and the next day they entered the graves again, but in the morning they saw again that all were alive. This continued for five days until the moon was full and it was clear that it was already after Tu B'Av and the decree was surely sweetened."

"Rabbi Natan explains that the decree was sweetened specifically on this day, because following Tisha B'Av comes Tu B'Av. On Tisha B'Av, we remove our shoes and sit on the ground, which shows our humility, that we have no importance. This is a great rectification when a person recognizes their state, humbles themselves, and confesses their deeds. Through this, they merit elevation and reach Tu B'Av, because the scroll of Lamentations is like the cry of 'Ayeh' that Rebbe Nachman teaches about (Likutey Moharan, Part II, Torah 12). Rebbe Nachman says, regarding, God forbid, a person who has fallen from everything and no advice can return them to the way of Hashem."

"Rebbe Nachman prefaces and reminds us of the Mishnah from Pirkei Avot (Chapter 5, Mishnah 1) which speaks of the ten utterances with which the world was created. The Gemara questions that there are only 9 times where it says 'And Hashem said', and answers that 'Bereishit' is also an utterance, but it is called a 'hidden utterance', as if covered. Rebbe Nachman explains that the same utterance with which Hashem created the world continues to illuminate, and each utterance enlivens the part of creation that was created by it. Rebbe Nachman innovates that the hidden utterance of Bereishit, which is the highest of all utterances, because the saying there is covered and hidden, therefore it has the power to illuminate and enliven the lowest places. And a person whom no saying enlivens says to themselves - to where have I come, to where have I fallen, and this compassion for oneself is the cry of 'Where is the place of His glory', then they connect to the highest utterance of Bereishit."

"From the lowest state of a person, when they feel the pain of distance, light and life are drawn to them from the highest place. This work of the cry of 'Ayeh' is not a one-time event, for throughout the year we go through - Our teacher Rav Berland always said that each of us has great burdens to rectify, both from this incarnation and from previous ones. Every time a person experiences such descents and distances and cries out to Hashem - they rectify, they break iron walls with every call and lifting of eyes upwards."

"Our teacher Rav Berland said there are no reinforcements like the words of the Likutey Halachot of Rabbi Natan, but nowhere in the book is the expression - 'it's not terrible'. Every action of a person is significant, a thought, a bad look, but in one second a person can rectify. This cry has power for several matters: A. It cancels the accusation against a person, a person is ashamed and their sins are forgiven B. It elevates the essence of the person, they have a different essence."

"The lamentations said on Tisha B'Av are an expression of sorrow and through this, one ascends to a higher place and merits to receive Tu B'Av, a lofty and high day with a strong connection to Hashem."