"There were no better days for Israel, than the fifteenth of Av etc."
(Taanis 26b)
This can be explained based on the verse in Shemos 17:8 "And Amalek came and
attacked Yisroel." At first it says (Shemos 17:7) "is there a G-d among us
or not?" This can be undestood by the parable: A son was riding on his
father's shoulders, and his father sicked the dog at him.1
We see that the father frighten his son in order to remind him that he has a
father who can save him from that frightening dog. Once he realizes and
remembers that he has a father, his father draws him close and endears him
in many ways.
This is why this month is called Av - the father, and why on this month our
holy bais hamikdash was destroyed, in order to remind us that we have a
father. Once we internalize this concept then HaKadosh baruch Hu will
rebuild the bais hamikdash.
The Gemarra (ibid) explains regarding [the joy of] Tu B'Av, that that is
"the day the tribes were permitted to intermarry with each other, another
reason is that, on that day the desert generation ceased to die, and another
reason is that is the day they broke the ax." Study it at length.
Generally we explain that Hashem is known by the letter Yud2, since He has
no form. As it says in Yishaya 10:19 "A small lad shall write them." (See
Sanhedrin 95b; Tosfos Menachos 29a Kotzo) Once we begin to draw more, the
letter becomes Hay, and when Bnei Yisrael are united together with Hashem
then we have both letters Yud and Hay, drawing hay and Yud to each other.
This has the numerical value or gematria of fifteen (15th of the month of
Av - Tu b'Av). Hay drawn to Yud.
Each and every one of the tribes has its won special attribute3, and down
here below each color of each tribe is inscribed on the precious stones of
the Choshen - the breastplate of the Kohen Gadol, as is known that each
color represents the level of each tribe.4
When all the tribes are attached to the level of nothingness known as Ayin -
then all the colors are mixed and incorporated together, and when all of
Bnei Yisroel realized and understand that we all have One Father which we
share this is the meaning of "the tribes were allowed to intermarry with
each other."
And when Bnei Yisroel are all attached together to the level of nothingness
or Ayin, they have attained the attribute of fear and awe, which is
associated with wisdom as it says "He said to man, fear of G-d is wisdom"
(Iyov 28:28). Wisdom is life as it says "And wisdom shall give life to its
owner," (Koheles 7:12) and this hints at "the day the generation of the
desert ceased to die," as we explained (that it gives life).
It is explained in the name of the AriZal (Tikkunei Zohar #56; Shaar
HaPesukim Bereshis and Shemos) regarding the verse in Yishaya (45:7) "who
fashions light and creates darkness," that when a person gazes at the
Creator all he sees is darkness, since cannot grasp nor fathom Him. This is
the meaning of the verse in Tehillim (139:12) "Night shall shine as day." Tu
B'Av - the 15th day of the month of Av, alludes to the time when all of Bnei
Yisroel finally come to the realization and understanding that they have an
Av - a father, and this occurs when they are all attached to the level of
nothingness known as Ayin which hints as the aforementioned darkness. This
is the meaning of the Gemarra which we quoted previously, "the day they
broke the ax,"5 since the seasons begin to change; sun is weaker and the
nights grow longer, which further hints at what we said and this alludes to
the attachment and dveykus of Bnei Yisrael to the Ayin which symbolizes the
aspects of night and darkness as we explained above.
Notes:
1.See Rashi's commentary to Shemos 17:8 "This verse and this parsha follow
one another to teach us that G-d says: I am always among you, ready and
prepared to fulfill all your needs and you say "Is G-d among us or not." ?!
By your word! A dog shall come and bite you and when you cry out to Me then
you shall know where I am! A parable: A father took his son and carried him
on his shoulders, and went out on a journey. Whenever the son say an object
and said "Father, please hand that object to me." his father did so and gave
it to him. This happened a second and third time. They came upon another
traveler, and the son asked him: Have you seen my father? The father said to
his son, Don't you know where I am? He took him down off his shoulders, and
a dog came and bit him." The language used by the Kedushas Levi " his father
sicked the dog at him" comes from the Midrash Pesikta Rabasi Parsha 13.
2.See Zohar I 3a - The letter Yud came before Hashem and asked, Do You wish
to create the world using me? Since I am the servant of Your holy name? He
answered: It suffices that you are engraved in My name and you are inscribed
in My name and My will is attached to You, you should not be detac hed from
My name.
3.See Pri Etz Chaim Shaar Tefillah - My Master (the AriZal) said there are
twelve gates in heaven corresponding to the twelve tribes and each tribe's
prayers enter through a specific gate. These are the gates mentioned at the
end of the book of Yechezkel. He taught that the gates are not equal and
that each gate is unique and different from the other.
4.See Rabeinu Bachaya's commentary to Shemos 28:15 The teachings of Kabbalah
show something wondrous and an awesome wisdom regarding the twelve stones of
the breastplate - Avnei Choshen. Since each and every tribe has a unique
corresponding colored stone it all alludes to their attributes up above.
Reuven whose attribute is judgment has a red stone; the ruby, Shimon whose
attribute is the six directions (Tiferes) has a green stone; the emerald,
Levi alludes to the connections of the three attributes has a diamond whose
light shines and sparkles. Yehuda who alludes to Tohu which has a green line
has a green stone. Zevulun who alludes to mercy has a lustrous white pearl,
Yisaschar has a saphire whose blue alludes to Tiferes, Dan alludes to
judgment like Reuven and has a red stone, the Leshem, and Naftali has a
turquoise which has a male and female type and Yosef alludes to mercy like
Zevulun and his stone contains the letters of G-d's name. Binyamin
incorporates them all and his stone has colors of them all.
Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
www.chassidusonline.com
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