Nachamu Nachamu Ami...
With Tish’a b’Av on Thursday, it’s not easy putting out this week’s TT. First, from the production side, everything has to be two days early. But more significantly, it is difficult to focus on Shabbat Nachamu when it is only Motza’ei Shabbat Chazon. We made a decision to put all the Tish’a b’Av material in last week’s issue, even though this issue will be out IY”H before Tish’a b’Av. Our surveys have shown that many people don’t see TT until Shabbat, so 9Av material would be passe. But here goes...

Heard a drasha this morning that pointed me in the following direction. The famous story of Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues visiting Har HaBayit. They see a fox roaming the ruins. They cry. He laughs. They all knew about the prophecy of Zacharya. Why weren’t they happy too? Or, look at the status of things now, Rabbi Akiva. What is there to be happy about? We’ll get back to Rabbi Akiva in a moment.

Have you noticed the mixed signals of Tish’a b’Av as it ends? Since noontime, some relatively minor restrictions ease. Not the major ones. But the day takes an upswing from depression and despair to the “normal” seriousness of a fast day. We get up from the floor and sit on normal chairs. Parochet and Shulchan cover in shul is returned and lighting goes back to normal. Talit & T’filin go back on for Mincha. Birchat Kohanim. Regular Torah reading and uplifting Haftara at Mincha. We’re still fasting. Full restrictions remain in the bathing, cosmetics, leather shoes, marital relations, Torah learning areas. But the edge is definitely taken off the despair that Tish’a b’Av can bring about.

And right after the fast. Continue the mournful practices of the Nine Days. Break your fast, but no meat or wine. Sorry, no joyous music yet. Need a shave. Wait until noon tomorrow. Wake up the next morning and you still cannot wear freshly laundered clothes.

What’s going on? Tish’a b’Av lightens a bit, but it keeps on going.
Put your mind, heart, and soul (and voice) into Yom Kippur, and you walk home from shul after Ne’ilah, Shofar, and Maariv elated and raring to get your Sukka up. Some actually see Motza’ei Yom Kippur as a Yom Tov.

Not so, Tish’a b’Av. Put every emotion and thought into mourning the Churban and resolving to do your part in bringing about the Geula, but after Tish’a b’Av is the 10th of Av. The Beit HaMikdash is still burning. Foxes still roam its ruins.

But you see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, don’t you? Do you have the insight to mourn the Churban AND rejoice at G-d’s promise for a better future? Can you see signs of Geula even among the rubble of the Mikdash? When a cabinet minister walks 7 miles on a Shabbat to join the U.S. Vice President for a kosher lunch, do you see the half-fullness of the cup, or is it still too empty for you to be hopeful? Yes, lament the many cars that one sees on Shabbat, but realize how many Jews keep Shabbat and honor it. NACHAMU, comfort, be comforted, says G-d. Why twice, NACHAMU, NACHAMU? Maybe because it is hard to be comforted in our current situation and G-d has to coax us. Anytime there is a double term, there is a connotation of an imperative. G-d is commanding us (so to speak) to be comforted, because it is necessary for the Geula process.

Comfort (perhaps) doesn’t only come with the Geula, but needs to be a component of our emotional make up to help us towards the Geula. It is the vaccination against despair. Despair is counter-productive. There is too much we have to do of our share in the bringing and hastening of the Geula to allow us to over-mourn. To allow us to become depressed. Sad — okay.

There’s a difference. But not desperation or depression. Those are paralyzing emotions. Maybe that’s why Rabbi Akiva laughed. Remember, we have a lot of work to do in bringing the Geula closer. May we soon rejoice in the Geula Sh’leima,BIMHEIRA V'YAMEINU, AMEN.