בס׳ד

"Where does it say that you have a contract with G-d to have an easy life?"

the Lubavitcher Rebbe



"Failure is not the enemy of success; it is its prerequisite."

Rabbi Nosson Scherman



26 Jul 2010

Tu B'Av - Is he a mentsch?

Tu b’Av (named for the date in the Hebrew calendar, the 15th (Tet = 9, Vav = 6; 9+6=15) of the Hebrew month of Av) is one of the lesser known holidays in the Jewish calendar...
...The first mention of Tu b’Av is in the Mishna (Taanit), where it says (attributed to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel), “There were no better days for the people of Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, since on these days the daughters of Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards. What they were saying: Young man, consider who you choose (to be your wife).” (Taanit 4:8).

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/tubav.html

A relative told me that she had heard a speaker on an Israeli radio station discussing the difference between Tisha B'av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, and Tu b'Av, a joyous holiday. Tisha B'av, (tet Av) and Tu B'av are separated by six days. The difference between the two is the letter vav. That letter is used in the Hebrew language to connect two items. If the letter is placed in front of the second of two items, vav is then translated as "and." It is known as vav hachibur - the vav of connection.
The speaker concluded that if we are connected with one another, then we can change the saddest day of the year to a joyous one. The Second Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred. If we feel a deep connection with one another, we will treat each other in the way we wish to be treated and will merit that Tisha B'av will become a holiday of happy celebration.
This week, Hamodia published an article about Harav Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, seventy years after his passing. It was related how the Rav had written a letter to his kallah's grandfather, Rav Yisrael Salanter, with his chiddushei Torah. Rav Yisrael then wrote a letter to "his son-in-law, congratulating him on finding a genuine Torah scholar for his daughter. "However," he added typically, "I hope that he is a mentsch besides."
On this day of Tu B'Av, when we focus on making the right matches, let's concentrate on what is really important when we look for a prospective mate. Is he a mentsch?

1 comment:

  1. I think that Moshiach may Come on Tu B' Av-instaed of Rosh Ha Shanah-as most think because...."He changes the Times & the Seasons"
    It is the Holiday about AHAVA & finding your Bereshit & the Shira Shareem.
    The BRIDEGROOM comes in the Ruach on the TIME of His Wedding Feast!
    What do you think????

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