It's Erev Tisha B’Av, so we will share a Tisha B’Av- bitachon thought. In our Amida, we say Matzmiach Keren Yeshua/God grows the salvation, and Et Semach David/the growth of David.
Why is worded like that? Our rabbis explain that sometimes a situation seems to be getting worse and worse from day to day, but actually it's comparable to a seed. When you plant a seed, first it rots and then it grows. Only from the rotting of the decay can we have the new growth. The Sefer Imrei Pinhas says that is why we have Tisha B’Av before the Yamim Nora’im. It's just like that seed that's being put in the ground. First we, so to say, decay. We sit on the floor on Tisha B’Av, we're on the ground. And then we start rejuvenating, growing out of that into Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
The seed of our high holidays is developing during Tisha B’Av.
The Sefer Imrei Pinhas adds that when you sit on the ground, it's an Et Ratzon Gadol/ It's a great time of to pray to God. You can make great impacts. And in the beracha of Et Semach David, it’s brought down that one has to be hoping for the Yeshua.
One of the questions they're going to ask us after 120 years is, Did you look forward to God's salvation? The Sefer Mitzvot Katan asks, Where does it say that I'm supposed to look forward to God's salvation, that I can be held responsible for that?
And the answer is, it's in the first commandment we heard from God, which is, “ Anochi Hashem Elokecha.., I am Hashem your God, that took you out of Egypt.”
In other words, Just like I took you out of Egypt, I will take you out in the future, and once again, redeem you. We're supposed to strengthen our belief, our yearning and our hoping for Mashiach. The Rambam writes that if you don't believe in Mashiach and you don't wait for his coming, you are considered a heretic. It's not enough just to believe he's going to come. You have to be waiting. Any second, he'll be here. I'm waiting for him to come. He's going to be here in a minute or two or three, but he's going to be here.
The Chafetz Chaim says that when the famous Bet Halevi lived in the town of Warsaw, the committee of Brisk came to offer him the position as the Rabbi of Brisk. But theBet Halevi didn't want to accept their offer. So, they sent another group and told him,
“30,000 Jews are waiting for you.” When he heard that, he took the job. The Chafetz Chaim said that the Bet Halevi felt that because 30,000 people were waiting for him, he had to go. It wouldn’t be right to let them down. He added, If 30,000 people were really looking forward to Mashiach coming, he would have to come as well. His middot are no less than the Bet Halevi!
The answer is, we're really not looking forward enough. In the famous Piyut of Yigdal Elokim Chai, based on the 13 Principles of Faith (some even say the Rambam wrote it) it says, “ישלח לקץ ימים משיחנו
God should send, at the end of times, Mashiach,
לפדות מחכי קץ ישועתי
To redeem those that are waiting for the end of time, and He'll give us salvation.
It's a key point in the story, to arouse our yearning.
Tisha B’Av is not just about mourning, it's about arousing our yearning.
As we’ve mentioned before, the Bet Yosef discusses an ancient custom that ladies would wash their hair on Tisha B’Av in the afternoon. This custom was established by the elder rabbis, on purpose, even though it's really incorrect. He says it’s because on Tisha B’Av, we have to make a remembrance for the redeemer and we should not despair from the Geula. The ladies at that time were not literate or learned, and were weak in their Emuna so therefore they needed added hizuk.
Of course, the Bet Yosef says, we don't have this custom anymore. But in theory, we all agree on the same point- Tisha B’Av is supposed to be a time not to create despair, but a time to create hope. B’Ezrat Hashem we will create that hope and Mashiach will see thousands of people waiting for him, and he will come.
Have a meaningful fast and Tizku Lirot Menechamat Sion/ May you merit to see in the comforting of Sion.