Hayom Yom 15 Menachem Av - The 15th of Av is superior to the 15th of other months

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן

Tachanun is omitted on this day.

רוֹשֵׁם אַאַמוּ"ר

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab] once wrote the following

מַעֲלַת ט"ו בְּאָב עַל כָּל ט"ו בַּחֹדֶשׁ

about the superiority of the Fifteenth of Av over the fifteenth of other months:

שֶׁזֶּהוּ רַק הַשְּׁלֵמוּת בְּהַגִּלּוּי

Although the fifteenth of any month represents the completeness [of the moon] in a revealed way,

אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם הִיא רַק בְּחִינַת מְקַבֵּל

the moon in those months is still only a passive recipient [of light from the sun].

אֲבָל בט"ו בְּאָב הָאוֹר בָּהּ בִּקְבִיעוּת

On the Fifteenth of Av, by contrast, its light is more lasting,

לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲלִיָּה הִיא לְפִי עֶרֶךְ עוֹצֶם הַיְרִידָה דְּתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב

for its ascent [which is indicated by its waxing] is proportionate to the [preceding] drastic descent of Tishah BeAv[…].

וְזֶהוּ תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל חַמָּה

This is the meaning of [the Talmudic statement that from the Fifteenth of Av], “the sun’s power is weakened.”

עוֹבְדֵי כוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת מוֹנִים לְחַמָּה בִּישָׁא

The “idolaters reckon time according to the sun,” [which in this context serves as a Kabbalistic allusion to the level of evil personified by the sun],

וּבְט"ו תָּשַׁשׁ כו

whose power is weakened on the Fifteenth [of Av].

בְּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מִזְּמַן הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיוּ נִכְנָעִים לִשְׁלֹמֹה

If this applied in the era of the Beis HaMikdash, when [the idolaters] were subservient to King Shlomo,

כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לֶעָתִיד

how much more certainly will it apply to the future generation

וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו, בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל לְגַמְרֵי

when “nations will stream” [to the Beis HaMikdash] in a state of utter self-effacement.

וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר כו

For concerning that era there is a Divine promise that “I will banish the spirit of impurity from the world.”

וּמֵעֵין זֶה בט"ו בְּאָב תָּשַׁשׁ כו

A foretaste of this occurs on the Fifteenth of Av, when the sun’s power is weakened.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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