Parashas Va'eschanan & Tisha b'Av - This MAY be read on Tisha b'Av !

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We are now in the mourning period of the nine days. On Tisha b'Av (morning) and this coming shabbos (Parashas Va'eschanan) we will read about Moshe motivating Bnei Yisroel to do teshuva. He envisioned the Jews serving idols, becoming exiled and dispersed, which is what prompted him to speak to Bnei Yisroel. [1]

We fast on Tisha b'Av because of five tragedies that happened to Bnei Yisroel on that date.

1. As a result of the sin of the spies (see Parashas Shelach) Hashem decreed that our forefathers would have to wander the desert for forty years before entering Eretz Yisroel. [2] All the males of that generation above the age of twenty died and only their children were able to enter the land.
2. The first Beis Hamikdash was destroyed.
3. The second Beis Hamikdash was destroyed.
4. Beitar was captured and fell to the Romans.
5. Turnus Rufus plowed the area of the Beis Hamikdash and it's surroundings.

Moshe prophesied that 852 years after the Exodus from Egypt, Bnei Yisroel would sin so greatly, they would deserve destruction. With Hashem's mercy, He destroyed the Beis Hamikdash instead of Klal Yisroel, who by suffering exile were allowed to survive.

Moshe continued to tell Bnei Yisroel: "When you are suffering during the days of the Final Redemption; if you do teshuva and return to Hashem and do His will, He will not forsake, destroy, or forget you."

The same way Hashem redeemed us when He took us out of Egypt, He will also redeem us from this exile. Both times in the same circumstances:

1. Bnei Yisroel's distress
2. Their teshuva
3. The bris made with our forefathers
4. Hashem's mercy
5. The arrival of the predesignated time of the Redemption (or as soon as we do teshuva) [3]

We don't have much to give Hashem because the Beis Hamikdash is no longer here. We can't bring korbanos, but we do have tefillah. It says in Brachos, "The gates of prayer are locked, but the gates of tears will never be." We should take advantage of that gates of tears, and return to Hashem for Him to bring the Final Redemption. How long can we live in exile? It's not ideal!

We will be reading Megillas Eicha on Tisha b'Av. A posuk we should be familiar with is, "She cries and cries in the night, with a tear always on her cheek."

Whoever mourns the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdash, will merit to see the joy of it's rebuilding.[4]

May we, who have studied about the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdash, be worthy to see the joy of it's rebuilding!

Have a meaningful fast and a wonderful shabbos,
Nisso

[1] 4:25-40
[2] Taanis 29a
[3] Devarim Rabba 2:14-16
[4] Taanis 30b & Baba Basra 60b