The Cry of Tisha B'Av Brings the Elevation of Tu B'Av - Rabbi Meir Malka

Rabbi Meir Malka in a special lesson for Tisha B'Av and Tu B'Av

"Our teacher, Rav Berland, would highly value this day of Tu B'Av, on which shidduchim (marriage matches) are drawn down for everyone, with Hashem's help."

"Only a few days ago was Tisha B'Av, and now it is Tu B'Av, about which the Gemara says it is one of the two greatest holidays of 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, for on them the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in borrowed white garments (clothing), so as not to shame those who did not have any, and the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards. And what would they say? "Young man, lift up your eyes and see what you choose for yourself. Do not set your eyes on beauty, set your eyes on family. Grace is a lie and beauty is vanity; a woman who fears Hashem, she shall be praised." These are the best and most joyous days for the people of Israel."

"Reb Noson explains that there is a connection between these two times. On Tu B'Av, the dying of the desert generation ceased—the people who were supposed to enter the Land of Israel, but upon whom death was decreed due to the sin of the spies, and they could not enter the Land of Israel. Throughout the entire period in the desert, members of that generation would die every year on Tisha B'Av. On that day, everyone would dig graves and enter them at night; in the morning, a proclamation would go out as to who was to live. Every year 15,000 died until that entire generation had passed away. In the final year, they all dug graves as well, but a proclamation went out that everyone was to live. They thought perhaps they had erred in the date, and the next day they all entered the graves again, but in the morning they saw again that everyone was alive. This continued for five days until the moon was full, and it was clear that it was already after Tu B'Av and that the decree had certainly been sweetened."

"Reb Noson explains that the decree was sweetened specifically on this day because Tu B'Av follows Tisha B'Av. On Tisha B'Av, we remove our shoes and sit on the ground; this shows our lowliness—we have no importance whatsoever. This is a great tikkun (rectification) when a person recognizes his state, humbles himself, and confesses his deeds. Through this, he merits an ascent and reaches Tu B'Av, for the Book of Lamentations is like the cry of 'Ayyeh' (Where?) that Rebbe Nachman teaches about (Likutey Moharan II, 12). Rebbe Nachman speaks regarding a person, Heaven forbid, who has fallen from everything and no advice can return him to the path of Hashem."

"Rebbe Nachman begins by mentioning the Mishnah from Tractate 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 is written 'And God said,' and answers that 'Bereshit' (In the beginning) is also an utterance, but it is called a 'hidden utterance,' as if covered. Rebbe Nachman explains that the very utterance with which Hashem created the world still continues and shines, and each and every utterance gives life to the part of creation created by it. Rebbe Nachman innovates that the hidden utterance of Bereshit is higher than all the utterances, because the speech there is covered and hidden, and therefore it has the power to shine into and give life to the lowest places. And a person whom no utterance gives life to says to himself—where have I reached, how far have I fallen? And this compassion for himself is a cry of 'Ayyeh, where is the place of His glory?', and then he connects to the highest utterance of Bereshit."

"From the lowest state of a person, when he feels the pain of distance, light and vitality are drawn to him from the highest place. This work of the cry of 'Ayyeh' is not a one-time event, because throughout the whole year we go through—our teacher, Rav Berland, always said that each of us has great burdens that need to be rectified, both from this lifetime and from previous lifetimes. Every time a person goes through such descents and distances and he cries out to Hashem—he rectifies, he breaks iron walls with every call and lifting of his eyes upward."

"Our teacher, Rav Berland, said that there is no encouragement like the words of the Likutey Halachot of Reb Noson, but in the entire book, the expression 'it's not a big deal' is not written. Every action of a person is significant—a thought, an improper look—but in one second, a person can rectify. This cry has the power for several matters: a. It nullifies the prosecution against the person; if a person is ashamed, his sins are forgiven. b. It elevates the essence of the person; he has a different essence."

"The Kinot (lamentations) that we say on Tisha B'Av are an expression of sorrow, and in the merit of this, we ascend to a higher place and merit to receive Tu B'Av, a lofty and high day on which there is a strong connection to Hashem."