Weekly Dvar Torah: The Holiday of the 15th of Av

אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל, לא היו ימים טובים לישראל כחמישה עשר באב וכיום הכיפורים

Rabon Shimon the son of Gamliel said; there were no (greater) holidays for the Jewish people like the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur (Talmud Taanis 26,2).

That Yom Kippur is an exceptional holiday, makes perfect sense, G-d forgives all our sins, we make up with G-d after sinning all year, but the 15th of Av, what’s special about that day?

For Jews who follow the lunar calendar, the 15th day of every month is significant, on this day we have a full moon, and a full moon is special.

But every month we have a full moon, so what’s special about the month of Av?

Furthermore, the central holidays of Passover and Succos, are both observed on the 15th day of Nissan and Tishrei respectively, which makes this day in those months very special and central to Judaism, so how could the 15th of Av, an ordinary weekday, be on par with Yom Kippur?

Kabbala explains, that since the entire creation is based on the idea that the descent is for the purpose of ascent, as the saying goes; 1 step backward to leap 2 steps forward, so too in our case, since the month of Av is synonymous with mourning and destruction, highlighted by Tisha B’Av which is all about destruction and exile, our lowest point, so when the full moon comes about on the 15th day of Av, it highlights the ascent, rebuilding and redemption.

Kabbala adds another point, the moon represents the Jewish people, while the sun represents G-d, and like the sun and the moon our relationship is cyclical, we go from a tiny sliver to a full moon, the closest that the Jewish people connect with G-d, is during full moon.

Just like on Yom Kippur G-d shows His love and embraces us and forgive us, similarly on the 15th of Av G-d shows His love and reassures us that He will bring us back to be close to Him, with Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple speedily, Amen.

This year the 15th of Av coincides with Shabbos Nachmu, when we read G-d’s double comforting message, Nachmu, Nachmu, be comforted, be comforted, this is G-d’s double portion to make up for the terrible exile that we have been experiencing.

And then like the prophet Isaiah prophesizes: “And you will say on that day; I thank You G-d, for being angry with me (and punishing me)”, because on that day we will see the benefit of the ultimate ascent which came about only as a result of the original descent.

In plain English, it will be so good that we will thank G-d for the long bitter exile, because we will then understand that there was no way to enjoy this pleasure if not for the preceding awful pain.

It is hard to imagine exactly what this will be like, but this is the message of the 15th of Av and Shabbos Nachmu, G-d promised and G-d will deliver.

And this is the great Holiday of the 15th of Av.

Have an imaginative pleasurable Shabbos,

Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Yosef Katzman