Even if Shabbat Chazon falls on the eve of Tisha B’Av (Ninth of Av), or if Tisha B’Av itself coincides with Sabbath and the fast is postponed to Sunday, we eat meat, drink wine, and sing Sabbath songs as usual, for mourning is forbidden on the Sabbath.
In this shiur we will explain some of the halachos of Shabbos Chazon, the Seudah HaMafsekes eaten Erev Tisha B’Av, Tisha B’Av itself, and the day after Tisha B’Av.
The Talmud says, “Where it is the custom to do work on the ninth of Av, one may work; where it is the custom not to do work, one may not do work.” However, whoever does work on the Ninth of Av will not see a sign of blessing from that work.
The sages teach: "In the End of Days the Almighty will transform the Ninth of Av into joy and happiness . . . and He will Himself rebuild Jerusalem and gather in the exiles, as it is written, "He builds Jerusalem, gathers in the outcasts of Israel."
When the month of Av arrives, rejoicing should be minimized. A Jew must therefore avoid undertaking construction projects from which pleasure will be derived. Also, transactions should be minimized and one must refrain from consuming meat and wine.
If we all strive to see the positive qualities of the land of Israel and its divine, spiritual value; if we feel happy to live in Israel, we will be able to rectify the Sin of the Spies which delayed our forefathers' entrance into the land.
Why did R' Akiva alone laugh? Certainly he was not the only one of the sages to believe in the future redemption. What's more, when the Temple sits in ruins one must mourn the situation even if something good is bound to come out of it in the future.
For many generations we were unable to take practical steps toward hastening the redemption of Israel. We were in exile and simply could not change our plight. Today, God has removed foreign rule from the land and created a Jewish state in its stead.
The number ten symbolizes the peak of completeness and community, the height of sanctity. The destruction of the Temple began on the ninth, but it was on the tenth of Av that it reached its fiery peak. On that day, the Savior of Israel was born.
If, as we know to be the case, during the period of the Second Commonwealth Jews busied themselves studying Torah, doing Mitzvoth, and performing acts of kindness, why was the Holy Temple destroyed? Answer: Because of groundless hatred.
