What is the avodah of Tishah B’Av? It’s the ability to understand that the world of exile in which we are living is not really living
Our generation’s observance of the mourning of the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash has drastically changed from what it once was. Tishah B’Av has transformed from a canceled date on the summer vacation calendar into a day of serious mourning.
We greatly benefit from the scholarship of marvelously elucidated and translated Kinnos and grow from their meaningful explanatory presentations on Tishah B’Av morning. We gain from watching inspirational videos on Tishah B’Av afternoon and are uplifted by listening to around-the-clock speeches throughout the entire day. There is no doubt that we are a generation that is taking the words of the Talmud (Taanis 30b) quite seriously: “Whoever mourns for Jerusalem will merit and see her future joy, and whoever does not mourn for Jerusalem will not see her future joy.”
On Tishah B’Av, we are encouraged to place another brick in the wall by taking on a new mitzvah with vigor: to stop speaking lashon hara; to create more ahavas chinam; to not hold a grudge against a neighbor; and to forgive the family member who insulted us. But we are still left wondering: What is the essence of what we are mourning?
Let us attempt to understand what is at the heart of the avodah of Tishah B’Av by considering life from the viewpoint of an adolescent man and an adolescent woman. Both live happy, fulfilling, and satisfying lives. They relish their freedom, take advantage of the plethora of opportunities they have been granted, and enjoy the benefits of their formative years. The adolescent is living the words of Shlomo Hamelech (Koheles 11:9): “Youth, enjoy yourself while you are young. Let your heart lead you to enjoyment in the days of your youth. Follow the desires of your heart and the glances of your eyes.”
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