LEAD TIDBIT
More Important than Medicine
You've got a serious condition, the doctor told his patient. You are alive, B"H, but your condition is serious. You must take the medicine I've prescribed. It might seem excessive to you, it might restrict your regular activities, but you must follow my instructions completely.

But there is something vastly more important than the medicine. And that is a change in your lifestyle. You must exercise more. You must change your diet and eat things that are good for you. You must avoid stressful situations.

Remember, the medications are a "holding pattern". They are necessary until your condition improves, but they will not make you better. It is the other things mentioned that can make you better. Do those right and you will live to see the day when the medicines will no longer be necessary. Again: Medicines - required. Exercise, diet, slower-paced, less stressful life - essential, literally vital.

The medicine is the body of halacha, minhag, practice of the Nine Days, of Tish'a b'Av. Must we follow the mournful practices and restrictions of these days? Definitely. But they are a "holding pattern", not a cure.

The cure, as we've written about frequently and as recently as last week, is a change in lifestyle. More exercise and better diet. Exercise of mitzvot and diet of Torah. We, the people of Israel, have suffered a major trauma that indicates serious problems in the national condition. The trauma is Churban Beit HaMikdash. Some of our problems include insufficient commitment to Torah and Mitzvot. Lack of love and concern for our fellow Jews. Lack of commitment to Eretz Yisrael. Some Jews say (or act as if) they have Torah and Mitzvot, what do they need Israel for.

Others say (or act as if) they've got Israel, who needs Torah. Both are wrong. Exercise alone is not going to help our patient. Neither is diet alone.

Parshat D'varim always is the Shabbat before Tish'a b'Av. See its prescription for good (national) health and long life. Moshe told the people all that G-d commanded... he reviewed with them (us) the Torah, content and understanding.

So the first proactive task for us is more Torah learning, better quality of Torah learning, teaching others Torah, explaining Torah to others, including committed Jews and not-yet committed Jews.

Second, an increase awareness and practice of mitzvot - positive and prohibitions, between the Jew and G-d, interpersonal mitzvot.

Third message of the pre-Tish'a b'Av sedra is: "Behold, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land..." (D'varim 1:8). In contrast to the intent of that directive, Moshe tells in full detail of the Sin of the Spies. That sin set the tone for the black nature of Tish'a b'Av. And that also sets an additional task for us towards our Refu'a Sh'leima in the analogy, and the Geula Sh'leima in the NIMSHAL.

In addition to the practices and customs of Aveilut that we must follow during the Nine Days and on Tish'a b'Av, we also must rededicate ourselves to that which will turn Tish'a b'Av into a Yom Tov. May HaShem help us greatly to this goal.

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