By Rabbi Levi Simon, Chabad of Greater Dayton

On July 30, corresponding to the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av, is a special day known as Tisha B’Av. It is the culmination of a three-week period of mourning, beginning with the fast of the 17th of Tammuz.

Rabbi Levi Simon

During this three-week period, weddings and other parties are not permitted, and people refrain from cutting their hair.

From the first to the ninth of Av, it is customary to refrain from eating meat or drinking wine (except on Shabbat) and from wearing new clothing.

Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning and a fast day, primarily commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Holy Temples, among other tragic events in our history.

While we fast and mourn to remember what we have lost, the most important part of remembering these tragic events is to know that it is in our power to transform our past into a bright future through a meaningful present.

Where do we get the power to invigorate ourselves to accomplish a mission so great as this?

The great Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev teaches that on Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision, which precedes Tisha B’Av, every Jew is shown a vision of the future Holy Temple.

He explains this phenomenon through a parable of a father who hires the finest tailor to sew an exquisite garment for his son. His son, however, is not careful with it and shreds it to pieces.

So the father commissions a second suit but the child ruins it as well. The father then has yet a third suit sewn for him.

This time, however, he does not give it to his son to wear. Rather, on rare occasions, he takes out the suit and allows his son to look at it, telling him that when he behaves properly, he will allow him to wear it.

In this way, the father trains his son to act in the proper way until it becomes his second nature.

At this point the father presents his son with the garment and permits him to wear it.
This is the vision of the Shabbat of Vision.

But why do we not remember experiencing such visions? It is because even though this vision is shown to each and every one of us, it is of such intensity that we may not perceive it, just as when if we look right into the sun, we are blinded and see nothing.

Nonetheless, the revelation is experienced by the soul and has a profound effect on us. It is internalized and effects a change in our behavior for the better.

Our Sages teach that the First Temple was destroyed because of the lack of respect for the Torah and the Second Temple was destroyed because of the baseless hatred the Jews displayed to one another.

To correct these past sins, we must make an increased effort to love our fellow, especially in a way that would bring our fellow to love as well, so strengthening the Torah and Judaism.

Then, God promises that He will give us the third garment, the rebuilding of the Third and everlasting Temple, heralded by the righteous Moshiach (Messiah) who will arrive, establishing an era of peace in this world for all mankind.