So Tuesday is Tisha B’Av. 

If the truth be told, we – as a People – are good and tired of Tisha B’Av. 

Every year, when we break the fast after Tisha B’Av we sincerely hope that we and this day of national sadness shall not meet again. 

Maybe it is because we are tired of mourning. Maybe it is because we enjoy celebrating more than lamenting. 

But maybe simply because enough is enough. It’s just enough already. 

*** 

In the Shul of R’ Yisroel of Ruzhin the Chassidim, like many communities in those days, featured a group of youths who practiced shtick on Tisha B’Av to ward off any serious bouts of depression amongst the mourners. One year, they rigged a pulley system and began hoisting surprised men into the balcony above the Shul. But one of the men they hoisted turned out to be the Rebbe, R’ Yisroel himself. The Chassidim were mortified and quickly lowered him down to the Shul. 

To their horror, he strode over to the Aron Kodesh – the Ark, where the Torah Scrolls are kept – pulled aside the curtain, opened the doors, exposing the sacred space of the Aron Kodesh. The Chassidim couldn’t believe it. What was he doing? Was their Rebbe “telling on them” to G-d? 

Sure enough the Rebbe lifted his voice and cried out to Heaven: “Dear G-d, did you see that? Did you see how your children treat your special day of sadness? Dear G-d, they know not how to keep this holiday – take it away from them!” 

*** 

That’s the general attitude toward Tisha B’Av, now, after almost 2,000 years (!). 

Dear G-d, enough! Dayenu! Take it away from us. Bring Moshiach, take sickness, poverty, tears and sadness and banish them from Your world. Rebuild Your city and Your home and bring peace and unity back to our shattered world. 

Come out from wherever You have been hiding Yourself. Like a child playing hide and seek, in the very best hiding place, and his friends give up looking for him and go eat lunch – don’t push it! Many have given up looking for You, Your hiding place is too good. 

If the goal was to bring light out of the darkness, mission accomplished. If the goal was for goodness to prevail even under the most difficult circumstances, mission accomplished. Whatever the goal was, mission accomplished. 

Let’s go home. Let Tisha B’Av become the happiest day of the year, when concealed good becomes revealed good, and all suffering changes instantaneously to joy. Confusion becomes understanding, pain becomes enjoyment, frustration becomes contentment, aggravation becomes Nachas, meaningless contention becomes togetherness, and distance becomes closeness. 

It is time. We don’t even need one more Tisha B’Av. We’re not good at it anyway. Bring Moshiach now!

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Eli Friedman 
Chabad of Calabasas