Daf Ditty Taanis 31: Hadran-Dancing with the Zaddikim

1
It is Rabba and Rav Yosef who both say: The fifteenth of Av was the day on which they stopped
chopping down trees for the arrangement of wood that burned on the altar, as it is taught in a
baraita that Rabbi Eliezer the Great says: From the fifteenth of Av onward, the strength of
the sun grows weaker, and from this date they would not cut additional wood for the
arrangement, as they would not be properly dry, and they would therefore be unfit for use in the
Temple.

2
Rav Menashya said: And they called the fifteenth of Av the day of the breaking of the scythe,
as from this date onward no more trees were cut down, and therefore it was a celebration for the
trees. The Gemara adds: From the fifteenth of Av onward, when the days begin to shorten, one
who adds to his nightly Torah study will add years to his life, and he who does not add [mosif ]
will be gathered [ye’asef ]. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: He will be
gathered? Rav Yosef said: It means that his mother will bury him, as he will be gathered to his
grave (see Genesis 49:33).

3
§ The mishna taught: As on them the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in white clothes, and
on the fifteenth of Av they would go out to the vineyards and dance. The Sages taught this
tradition in greater detail: The daughter of the king borrows white garments from the daughter
of the High Priest; the daughter of the High Priest borrows from the daughter of the deputy
High Priest; the daughter of the deputy High Priest borrows from the daughter of the priest
anointed for war, i.e., the priest who would read verses of Torah and address the army as they
prepared for battle; the daughter of the priest anointed for war borrows from the daughter of
a common priest; and all the Jewish people borrow from each other. Why would they all
borrow garments? They did this so as not to embarrass one who did not have her own white
garments.

4
The mishna also stated that the daughters of the Jewish people would go out and dance in the
vineyards. A tanna taught: One who did not have a wife would turn to there to find one.

It is taught that those women of distinguished lineage among them would say: Young man,
please lift up your eyes and see what you choose for a wife. The Sages taught this practice in
greater detail in a baraita: What would the beautiful women among them say? Set your eyes
toward beauty, as a wife is only for her beauty. What would those of distinguished lineage
among them say? Set your eyes toward family, as a wife is only for children, and the children
of a wife from a distinguished family will inherit her lineage. What would the ugly ones among
them say? Acquire your purchase for the sake of Heaven, provided that you adorn us with
golden jewelry after our marriage to beautify us.

5
The tractate concludes with a statement related to the topic of dancing. Ulla of the city of Bira’a
said that Rabbi Elazar said: In the future, in the end of days, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will
arrange a dance of the righteous, and He will be sitting among them in the Garden of Eden,
and each and every one of the righteous will point to God with his finger, as it is stated: “And
it shall be said on that day: Behold, this is our God, for whom we waited, that He might save
us. This is the Lord; for whom we waited. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah
25:9). God will be revealed, so that every righteous individual will be able to say: This is our God,
as though they were pointing at Him with a finger.

Jastrow

6
7
Summary

Reasons for Mourning; Reasons for Celebration

Most of our daf details the 9th of Av. We learn what we are permitted to do - and what is
prohibited. Many different calamities are commemorated on the 9th of Av, and we learn about
these as well. At the end of today's daf, we completely shift gears. The 15th of Av is a day of
celebration. We learn what miracles and relationships are commemorated on that day. As well,
we learn some of the customs of celebration.

Like many of the dapim of Masechet Ta'anit, we learn about how the rabbis make connections
between their ritual practice and their reading of Torah. Some of their connections seem logical;
for example, we are told to lessen our pleasure on the eve of the 9th of Av, leading up to the
fast. This is interpreted as halving our portions of cooked food and wine, among other things. We
are told that this is not Torah law; it was taken from a baraita. But we have none of those
documents, nor do we have a direct quote. So even the seemingly 'logical' interpretations are based
on questionable evidence.

I don't want to forget a couple of the stories shared in our daf. First, there is a midrash that teaches
us that the first generation of Israelites in the desert were instructed to dig their own graves on the
for the 9th of Av. They would then sleep in those graves. Some people would die every year. On
the year that ended that first generation's sojourn, no one died on the 9th of Av. The Israelites
found this strange, and they continued sleeping in those graves for a week. They assumed that
they had gotten the date wrong, and the 9th of Av was still to come. On the 15th of Av, however,
they could tell by the New Moon that they were 'off the hook'. They rejoiced.

Another story tells us about the celebrations on the 15th of Av. We learn in the Torah that the
daughters of Zepholehad were told that they could inherit their father's land (even though they
were his daughters and not his sons) but they had to marry within their tribe. We learn that the
rabbis interpret this limitation as lasting only one year. From the following year, on the 15th of
Av, Israelites were allowed to marry across tribes. This is true cause for celebration.

I am continually struck by the creative interpretation, beauty, meaning, and seemingly random
proofs that our rabbis have recorded in the Talmud.

8
 CELEBRATING THE DAY WHEN NO MORE WOOD IS CUT

Rav Mordechai Kornfeld writes:1

Rabah and Rav Yosef say that the reason why the Fifteenth of Av was made into a festive day is
because the cutting of the wood used for fuel on the Mizbe'ach ended on that day. Since the sun
was no longer strong enough to keep the wood dry, they stopped cutting the wood for the
Mizbe'ach.

What is so special about the day on which they stopped cutting wood? Why does that event warrant
celebration?

RABEINU GERSHOM in Bava Basra (121b) explains that since they no longer needed to cut
wood, they had much more time to learn Torah. Having more time to learn Torah was the cause
for celebration.

According to Rabeinu Gershom, Rabah and Rav Yosef's reason is related to the following
statement in the Gemara that from the Fifteenth of Av and onward the days begin to get shorter
and the nights longer, and this extra time must be used to learn Torah. Accordingly, the cause for
celebration on the Fifteenth of Av is the increased time for Torah learning.

YOM KIPPUR AND THE FIFTEENTH OF AV -- JOYOUS DAYS FOR

The Gemara discusses the joyous days of Yom Kippur and the Fifteenth of Av. Why does the
Mishnah and Gemara discuss this topic at the end of Maseches Ta'anis? How is it related to the
topics of the rest of the Maseches?

(a) The most basic answer is that since the rest of the Maseches discusses topics of inauspicious
times -- such as the fast days for troubles that befall the Jewish people and the fast days observed
in mourning for the Beis ha'Mikdash -- the Chachamim wanted to conclude the Maseches on a
positive note. Therefore, the final Sugya discusses days of joy and celebration, Yom Kippur, and
the Fifteenth of Av.

There is, however, a deeper reason for why the Mishnah and Gemara discuss joyous days at the
end of Maseches Ta'anis.

(b) The first part of the Mishnah (26b) discusses the fast days of the Seventeenth of Tamuz and
the Ninth of Av. On the Seventeenth of Tamuz, Moshe Rabeinu descended the mountain and found
that the people had built the Golden Calf. He cast down the Luchos and shattered them. On the

1
https://dafyomi.co.il/taanis/insites/tn-dt-031.htm

9
Ninth of Av, Hash-m decreed that the Jewish people who were guilty of the sin of the Meraglim
would not enter Eretz Yisrael.

The last part of the Mishnah discusses positive things specifically related to those tragic events.
The Mishnah relates how Hash-m gave to the Jewish people what they had lost on the tragic
occasions of the Seventeenth of Tamuz and Tish'ah b'Av. On Yom Kippur, Hash-m granted
atonement to the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf and gave them the second set of
Luchos. On the Fifteenth of Av, Hash-m annulled the decree of death for the Jews in the Midbar
and permitted the Jewish people to enter Eretz Yisrael. (See following Insight.)

"ON THE DAY OF THE JOY OF HIS HEART"

The Mishnah (26b) states that "there were no Yamim Tovim for the Jewish people like the
Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur... and so it says (Shir ha'Shirim 3:11), 'Daughters of
Yerushalayim, go out and see Shlomo in the crown with which his mother crowned him on his
wedding day' -- this refers to the day of the giving of the Torah, 'And on the day of the joy of his
heart' -- this refers to the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash that will be rebuilt speedily in our days."
What is the connection between the statement that there were no Yamim Tovim like the Fifteenth
of Av and Yom Kippur and the verse in Shir ha'Shirim? This question is especially difficult in
light of the fact that the Mishnah introduces the verse with the words "and so it says," which clearly
imply that the verse proves that the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur were days of joy.

RASHI (26b, DH Zeh Matan Torah) explains that "the day of the giving of the Torah" mentioned
in the Mishnah refers to Yom Kippur, when Hash-m gave the second set of Luchos to Moshe
Rabeinu after He forgave the people for the sin of the Golden Calf which occurred on the
Seventeenth of Tamuz. (See previous Insight.)

How, though, are we to understand the reference to "the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash that will
be rebuilt speedily in our days"? In what way is the Beis ha'Mikdash related directly to the Fifteenth
of Av or to Yom Kippur? (See Bartenura.)

Perhaps the Mishnah understands that the verse refers not to the building of the first Beis
ha'Mikdash, but rather, as the Mishnah itself says, to "the Beis ha'Mikdash that will be rebuilt
speedily in our days" -- the third Beis ha'Mikdash. When Mashi'ach comes and the third Beis
ha'Mikdash is built, the sin which brought about the destruction of the Beis ha'Mikdash on Tish'ah
b'Av will have been rectified and the Jewish people will be completely righteous in the eyes of
Hash-m. Hence, the happiness of "the day of the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash" refers to the
rejoicing in the complete forgiveness of the sins of Tish'ah b'Av which precipitated the destruction
of the Beis ha'Mikdash.

The Jewish people received a taste of that complete forgiveness, on a limited scale, on the Fifteenth
of Av over three millennia ago as they traveled to Eretz Yisrael in the Midbar. On that day, Hash-
m allowed the sinners who were still alive to enter Eretz Yisrael (see Insights to Ta'anis 30:1). On
the same date the Jewish people can anticipate with eagerness the "day of the joy of his heart," the
long-awaited moment of the restoration of the Beis ha'Mikdash. Accordingly, the Mishnah indeed
cites a source for the celebrations of the Fifteenth of Av and for the rejoicing of Yom Kippur.

10
These days were proclaimed to be days of joy and celebration in the hope that the fast days of the
Seventeenth of Tamuz and the Ninth of Av themselves will be transformed into days of joy and
celebration, as the prophet said: "The fast of the fourth [month] (17 Tamuz), the fast of the fifth (9
Av), the fast of the seventh (3 Tishrei), and the fast of the tenth (10 Teves) will be for the house of
Yehudah for joy and happiness, and for days of festivity" (Zecharyah 8:19). May this prophecy be
fulfilled speedily in our days. (M. Kornfeld)

THE DANCE OF THE TZADIKIM

The Mishnah (26b) describes how the young women danced in the vineyards on the Fifteenth of
Av and on Yom Kippur. The Gemara here concludes the Maseches by saying that in the future,
Hash-m will make a circle of Tzadikim. The Shechinah will sit inside the circle, and the Tzadikim
will point towards the center of the circle and declare, "This is my G-d, we will rejoice in His
salvation."

What is the meaning of this circle of Tzadikim?

The Gemara's description of the circle of Tzadikim as they point to the Shechinah in the center
teaches that every Tzadik has his own unique approach to Avodas Hash-m which differs from the
approach of the other Tzadik (and sometimes even appears to be the exact opposite). All of the
Tzadikim together comprise the full circle. Each successive Tzadik around the circle faces a
slightly different direction, such that those at opposite sides face opposite directions. Nevertheless,
they are all equidistant from the center. This alludes to the fact that all of their different approaches
to serving Hash-m are acceptable, as long as their primary goal is Kidush Shem Shamayim. In the
future, Hash-m will reveal that the approaches of all of the Tzadikim in the world were l'Shem
Shamayim, and that even though they followed different approaches, they all strove to fulfill the
will of Hash-m. (RAV LEIBELE EIGER in TORAS CHESED, in the name of his
grandfather, REBBI AKIVA EIGER)

(In KOVETZ ES HE'ASEF, Rav Yaakov D. Homnick adds that not only are all of the unique
Derachim of the Tzadikim acceptable, but they are necessary, because if any single Tzadik does
not fulfill his particular form of service of Hash-m, the "circle" around Hash-m is incomplete.)

The connection between the description of the future dance of the Tzadikim and the previous
Sugya which discusses the Fifteenth of Av is that the celebration of the Fifteenth of Av represents
the Simchah that the Jewish people will experience when the final redemption arrives and the third
Beis ha'Mikdash is built. (See previous Insight.) This redemption will come about through the
Achdus, unity, of the Jewish people, as the Midrash explains on the verse, "va'Yehi b'Yeshurun
Melech b'Hisasef Roshei Am, Yachad Shivtei Yisrael" -- "He is King in Yeshurun when the
leaders of the people gather themselves together, when the tribes of Yisrael are united" (Devarim
33:5). The events which the Fifteenth of Av celebrates are events which brought about Achdus
among the people (for example, the tribes became permitted to marry into one another, and the
tribe of Binyamin was allowed back into the nation), and that is why the Mishnah says that "anyone
who does not know his tribe (that is, the day on which he is supposed to bring the wood for the

11
Mizbe'ach)" brings the wood on the Fifteenth of Av. That is also why that day was designated for
making Shiduchim.

This also explains why, on the Fifteenth of Av, the young women lent each other their garments,
thereby creating a tremendous atmosphere of Achdus, despite the fact that the Gemara (Megilah
13a) says that the nature of a woman is to feel jealous of the beauty of another woman.

(Rav Homnick demonstrates that the declarations of the young women during their dance reflected
their Achdus as well. When each individual recognizes her own unique strengths and approach to
serving Hash-m, and all serve Hash-m together in their unique ways, they create Achdus, as the
circle of the Tzadikim demonstrates.)

For this reason, Maseches Ta’anis concludes with a description of the circle of the Tzadikim. The
Gemara concludes its discussion of the days of mourning for the destruction of Yerushalayim and
the Beis ha’Mikdash by showing how to unite the nation and to merit the final redemption and the
rebuilding of Yerushalayim and the Beis ha’Mikdash, may we merit to witness it speedily in our
days.

Steinzaltz (OBM) writes:2

Masechet Ta’anit closes with a discussion of one of the happiest days on the Jewish calendar – T”u
be-Av, the 15th of Av. This is the day on which the daughters of Jerusalem would go out to the
dance in the vineyards in borrowed white clothing (so that girls who were poor would not be
embarrassed), calling out to the young men suggesting that they choose wives from among them.

The Ge’onim explain that this tradition is an outgrowth of the story at the end
of Sefer Shoftim (see Chapter 21) where wives were found for the remnants of the tribe
of Binyamin, which had almost been wiped out. The commentaries explain that this custom was
instituted specifically for young women who were having trouble finding a suitable match, and
through this system, young men would choose to meet and marry them.

As a segue from the story of the young women dancing in the vineyards, the Masechet closes with
a description of the righteous individuals who, at the end of days, will dance in a circle around
God and point at Him, fulfilling the passage in Sefer Yeshayahu (25:9) “And it shall be said in that
day: ‘Lo, this is our God, for whom we waited, that He might save us; this is the Lord, for whom
we waited, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’”

This event is understood by the commentaries as referring to a mystical event rather than a physical
one. Rabbenu Bahye understands the circle of dancing as symbolizing something with no end, i.e.
the abundance of goodness that the righteous will enjoy in the World-to-Come. The Alshich writes
that, in the future, all will be on a level of prophesy, as indicated by the ability to perceive and
“point” at God, which is, in essence, a deeper knowledge and understanding of the secrets of

2
https://www.ou.org/life/torah/masechet_taanit2531/

12
the Torah. Furthermore, this idea is hinted to in a passage in Sefer Yirmiyahu (31:13) that connects
the dance of young women to that of the elders.

The Chofetz Chaim noted that our Gemara (Taanis 31a) says that in the future Hashem will
celebrate with the tzaddikim by having them dance in a circle with His presence in the middle of
the circle.3

He explained that this indicates that although different tzaddikim have different approaches in the
service of Hashem, as long as they are directed towards the honor of Hashem, they are all deserving
of reward. During one of his visits to his doctor, the Chofetz Chaim was asked by the doctor how
he, being a simple person, would merit the World-to-Come.

The Chofetz Chaim answered that the Torah relates that Adam and Chava were initially placed
into Gan Eden where the Tree of Life was—exactly in the middle. “And the Tree of Life in the
midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad.” (Bereshis 2:9) Targum Unkelos
highlights that the Tree of Life was situated in the middle of the garden. What difference does it
make whether the Tree of Life is in the middle or at the edge?

The Chofetz Chaim explained that concerning something which is centrally located, all approaches
to it are equal in length. Every person, through his own route of serving Hashem, has the
opportunity to reach the Tree of Life. The Chofetz Chaim then illustrated his point with another
example of this, specifically in terms of a doctor. The Gemara (Taanis 22b) tells the story of Abba
Umana, a doctor, who received greetings from the Heavenly Academy every day. In his practice
he was very careful concerning the needs of each patient. He was meticulous regarding the modesty
of each patient and kept a box in a hidden place where each person could privately deposit what
he could afford to pay, so that no one would be embarrassed.

When it came to Torah scholars, who were often very poor, not only did he take no fee, but even
gave them money to help in their support. Due to his sensitivity and concern, this doctor merited
to receive greetings from the Heavenly Academy every day, something that even Abaye and Rava
did not enjoy.

From here [the fifteenth of Av] and onwards one who adds [more time to Torah study at night]
will add [to his life], and one who does not add [more time to Torah study at night] shall be
gathered. Rav Moshe Isserles (1), the Rema, cites this Gemara as halacha.

3
https://www.dafdigest.org/masechtos/Taanis%20031.pdf

13
Shulchan Aruch (2) makes a more general statement with regards to Torah study at night. Shulchan
Aruch writes that one who wishes to merit the crown of Torah should be careful not to waste even
one night by sleeping, eating, drinking, or participating in idle chatter. Rather, one should be
involved with conversations of wisdom and Torah study.

Rav Yehoshua Falk Katz (3), the Perisha, explains that one is obligated to study Torah at night
even during the short summer nights. Although the Gemara in Eruvin (4) states that night was
created for sleeping, nonetheless, the Gemara does not mean that nighttime is not a time to study
Torah. Rather, it means that during the summer although most of the night is spent sleeping, one
is certainly obligated to make time to study Torah as well. Shulchan Aruch (5) also writes that one
should be more careful with regards to learning at night than one is with regards to learning during
the day. Mishnah Berurah (6) cites a number of statements of Chazal that emphasize the
importance of studying Torah at night. For example, the Gemara in Menachos (7) states that
scholars who engage in Torah study at night are considered as if they are involved in the offering
of korbonos. Similarly, the Gemara in Tamid8 writes that the Divine Presence stands opposite
those who study Torah at night. Rav Yeshayah HaLevi Horowitz (9), the Shelah, notes that the
Torah one studies at night will endure longer than Torah studied during the day since at night a
person is free from the burdens of the day. Rav Yaakov Chaim Sofer (10), the Kaf HaChaim adds
that one hour studied before morning is worth many hours of Torah study during the day.

14
Rav Leible Eiger, zt”l, once asked his grandfather, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, zt”l, to explain the Gemara
on the last daf in Taanis. It recounts that in the ultimate future, HaKadosh Boruch Hu will form a
circle of the righteous with Himself at the center, so to speak. Each tzaddik will point to Him and
say, “This is Hashem for whom we hoped and yearned. Rav Leibele asked, “What is the meaning
of this image of the tzaddikim in a circle with Hashem in the middle being pointed at, as it were?”
Rabbi Akiva Eiger answered, “In this world, each tzaddik serves Hashem differently via his own
unique path to holiness. In the ultimate future, however, it will be revealed that all of these
seemingly diverse paths really lead to the same destination, connecting to Hashem.

This is the meaning of this image of a circle. It does not mean that they will actually stand in a
circle pointing toward Hashem in the middle, but that it will be revealed to all just who was truly
righteous, and that each of their apparently disparate paths were really one at the center—they
were each motivated by the selfsame hope: to come close to Hashem in accordance with each of
their unique natures.”

Someone from Lithuanian stock was approached about a match for his daughter with a young man
who was a chossid. Although this bothered the prospective father-in-law, the young man in
question happened to be an exceptional scholar and was known to possess profound ‫ שמי יראת‬.The
girl’s father decided to speak the matter over with the Brisker Rov, zt”l.

After hearing about the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the young man, the Brisker
Rov said, ”Nowadays, what is the real difference between a chossid and a misnaged anyway? Is it
just that the chossid makes a l’chayim after the fish at the Shabbos meal? Is that really such a
terrible thing? Such an insignificant detail should not concern you in the least!”

Rachel Scheinerman writes:4

Tractate Taanit has been a whirlwind tour of the ancient Jewish response to communal disaster .
We’ve contemplated some of the worst tragedies that can befall a people — starvation, devastating
illness, slaughter. And yet, surprisingly, the tractate has not felt especially morose, perhaps because
it is packed with stories, many of them with a folklorish quality, detailing amazing miracles
wrought by wonder-workers who averted unspeakable disaster at the eleventh hour. As we have
encountered elsewhere, the rabbis display a remarkable ability to speak frankly about difficult
topics with a trademark mix of poignancy and buoyancy, anxiety and hope, grim realism and
unlikely faith.

So perhaps it is fitting that in the final sugya of this tractate , which began on the bottom of
yesterday’s page, we turn from fixed days that commemorate tragedy to one that is celebratory: Tu

4
Myjewishlearning.com

15
B’Av (literally: the 15th of Av), which has come to be known as Jewish Valentine’s Day. As
Rabban Gamliel teaches in a mishnah:

There were no days as happy for the Jewish people as the 15th of Av and as Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur was a day of joy because it afforded the entire nation a clean slate for the coming
year (and, as the Gemara adds, because it was the day that Moses received the second pair of tablets
after he hurled the first pair into the Golden Calf). But what made Tu B’Av so joyful?

The rabbis attach several happy historical events to this date. First, it was the day the tribes were
allowed to intermarry with one another after an initial ban designed to protect tribal integrity.
Second, it was the day on which the tribe of Benjamin was readmitted into the fold after
committing a crime so heinous it caused a war between the tribes. (The Gemara doesn’t spell it
out explicitly, but we will: The Benjaminites threatened to gang rape a traveling Levite and he
offered up his concubine in his stead for the brutal attack, which she does not survive. To warn the
other tribes, the Levite then dismembers the concubine and sends pieces of her body to each and
every tribe. See Judges 19–20.)

According to the Gemara, Tu B’Av also celebrates the end of the prolonged period during during
which the first generation of the Exodus died off in the wilderness, King Hoshea’s removal of the
evil king Jeroboam’s guards from the road to Jerusalem (allowing pilgrims through), the laying to
rest of those massacred at Beitar during the Bar Kochba Revolt, and more. These joyful
remembrances all have a dark side, recalling a time when a heavy societal burden was lifted.

Perhaps, though, there is no feeling more ecstatic than relief from a heavy burden. The buoyancy
of Tu B’Av is best expressed by the ritual observed on that day. Unmarried women would don
white clothes (all borrowed, so it would not be obvious if anyone did not own a white garment)
and dance in the orchards. Young men would come out, looking for a marital match. The Gemara
tells us that on that day all of the women — the beautiful, the well-connected and even the homely
— were considered desirable.

It wasn’t just a holiday for the women, either. Tu B’Av, it turns out, was also a holiday for the
trees. Exactly six months after Tu Bishvat (which Tractate Rosh Hashanah designated as the new
year for trees) the trees also celebrated an end to a persecution of sorts because this was the date
on which the season of chopping them down to secure fuel for the altar ceased. For fall and winter,
the trees were safe from the axe, and therefore this was a day of rejoicing for them as well.

The Gemara leaves us with one more incredible image. We move from happy trees and whirling
women to finish out the tractate with a cosmic dance party to take place at the end of days, hosted
by none other than God:

Ulla of Bira’a said that Rabbi Elazar said: In the future, in the end of days, the Holy One,
Blessed be He, will arrange a dance of the righteous, and God will be sitting among them in the
Garden of Eden, and each and every one of the righteous will point to God with his finger, as it
is stated: And it shall be said on that day: Behold, this is our God, for whom we waited, that

16
He might save us. This is the Lord; for whom we waited. We will be glad and rejoice in His
salvation. ( Isaiah 25:9)

In this way, the tractate counterbalances the deep dive into communal tragedy by leaving us with
an image of ultimate relief — basking in the Garden of Eden and dancing with God, who has been
finally revealed and made accessible, allowing us to imagine, just for a moment, what it might feel
like to know permanent security and joy.

Rabbi Johnny Solomon writes:5

Today we finish our study of Massechet Ta’anit, and given this, I’d like to explore the meaning of
the final cryptic lines of the Gemara (Ta’anit 31a) which state:

‘Ulla Biraah said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: In the future, the Holy One, Blessed is He, will
make a circle of all the righteous people. And He (God) will dwell among them in Gan Eden.
And each individual will then point with their finger - as it says, ‘He shall say on that day:
“Behold! This is our God. We hoped for Him, and He saved us. This is God for whom we hoped.
Let us exult and be glad in His salvation”’ (Isaiah 25:9).’

Clearly, this image, which comes at the end of a Massechet that is primarily dedicated to describing
various ceremonies when communities came together to pray and plead from God for salvation, is
deeply significant. In particular, our Gemara seems to depict a time when people gather not for the
purpose of crying out to God who feel His absence and who are anguished by His apparent lack
of provision, but rather, for the purpose of recognising and celebrating God whose presence they
feel and whose salvation is appreciated. But this then leads us to consider two questions. Firstly,
why a circle? And secondly, why is it just the righteous who are sitting in the circle?

I’d like to suggest an answer - which is somewhat inspired by an insight offered by the Ktav Sofer
on this passage – that the circle, established by God, means that each participant can see others in
front of them. Given this, it represents the importance of people recognizing that it is only when
we work with others and together as a community that we can find solutions to the kinds of
problems that prompt a community to fast and cry out to God. At the same time, as the Gemara
also notes, God dwells in the circle – which reminds us that salvation, though often instigated by
human endeavor, ultimately comes through the assistance of God.

But if this is the case, why it is that just the righteous are sitting in the circle? My answer to this
question is that any person who voluntarily invests time and effort to support their community -
especially during times of great difficulty and hardship - is a righteous person because they are
driven by a higher calling to give. As Rabbi Sacks explains: ‘volunteering is rarely glamourous
and never easy, especially for those with many other pressures on their time. But few things
count more when it comes to looking back on a life than being able to say, ‘I made a

5
The Power of Ideas Hodder and Stoughton 2021 p. 79

17
difference.’ Beneath the clamor of self-interest, a quieter voice within us whispers the deeper
truth, that the greatest gift is to be able to give.’6

With this in mind, and as many communities continue to grapple with the challenges brought about
by COVID, now is an opportune time to praise the many men and women who continue to work
tirelessly for the sake of their communities. While too many of them are unfortunately
underappreciated, each should know that they have made a difference through their giving, and by
doing so, that they are members of the circle of the righteous who, please God in the very near
future, can call out: “This is our God. We hoped for Him, and He saved us. This is God for whom
we hoped. Let us exult and be glad in His salvation”.:

Rav Tzvi Sinensky writes:7

6
Hodder & Stoughton 20

7
https://etzion.org.il/en/halakha/studies-halakha/philosophy-halakha/ideal-times-talmud-torah-1-0

18
While last week we focused on the calendar of talmud Torah, we now turn to the clock, the

question of day versus night. Is one or the other preferred in regard to Torah study? Interestingly,

the Gemara (Eruvin 65a) grapples with this question [as explained by Rashi ad loc.]:

This Gemara is fascinating on numerous levels. It appears that the central question of the

discussion concerns the balance between quality and quantity in one’s learning. On the one hand,

the Gemara suggests, one’s learning is clearer during the daytime. Thus, Rabbi Zeira’s success is

due to his having studied intensively during the daytime hours. However, Rav Chisda points out

that, at least at the time of the Gemara, in practice the nighttime leaves far more time free for study.

Indeed, Tosafot ad loc. (s.v. Ela) limit Rav Yehuda’s statement about night being only for sleep to

the short nights of the summer. This brings these views in line with another Gemara (Ta’anit 31a),

which is quite chilling:

19
Indeed, Reish Lakish’s declaration, “The moon was created only for Torah study,” is an approach

he champions elsewhere.

In fact, the Midrash (Shir Ha-shirim Rabba 5:11) tells that Reish Lakish was convinced of this by

his brother-in-law and colleague, Rabbi Yochanan, who bases his view on two verses: “She rises

while it still night” (Mishlei 31:15) and “Rise, chant at night” “(Eikha 2:19).

Moreover, Pesiketa Rabbati (11:5) teaches that:

20
This view is echoed in Rambam’s classic paean to nighttime study:

Even though it is a mitzva to study during the day and at night, it is only at night that a person

acquires most of one’s wisdom. Therefore, a person who desires to merit the crown of Torah should

be careful with all nights, not giving up even one to sleep, eating, drinking, talk, or the like. Rather,

[they should be devoted to] the study of Torah and the words of wisdom.

Rambam intensifies this in his Introduction to the Mishna:

Because [the Sages] knew the truth of their words, they spent all of their lives in this occupation,

and they commanded one to engage in it diligently all night and part of the day, making it the

quintessence of wisdom. And so it is.

At first glance, the Mishna in Avot 3:4 might seem to challenges this view:

However, both Rabbeinu Yona and Tashbetz (ad loc.) reinterpret this. The former writes:

Because these are favorable hours, one should focus only on those things which find favor before

the Omnipresent, Blessed be He. These are words of Torah, and those hours are important and

21
appropriate for focusing on Torah, as one does not have work to do and does not hear the sounds

of human activity.

Rabbeinu Yona gives a practical reason; for Rambam, however, it appears to be more than merely

a matter of convenience. If his paean is read in the larger context of Rambam’s discussion

in Hilkhot Talmud Torah, it becomes clear that we are intended to read this halakha in the context

of Rambam’s wider advocacy for a mild asceticism.[2] One might be exhausted at the end of a hard

day at work; nonetheless, one must push oneself to the limit in order to achieve mastery of Torah.

Along these lines, Dr. Norman Lamm cites a classic Chasidic witticism in the name of Rabbi

Pinchas Horowitz (author of Hafla’a), who refers to Rava’s classic question (Shabbat 31a),

“Kavata itim la-Torah?” Taken simply, this teaching urges one to establish fixed times for

learning, lest one come to neglect one’s studies. The Chasidic interpretation, however, notes that

in Tanakh, the root keva refers to theft. Thus, Malakhi scolds the people (3:8-9),

Thus, the rabbinical dictum may also be taken to mean that must “steal time for Torah.” Often, we

find unexpected gaps in our schedules. One who designates that time for study demonstrates true

commitment to learning.

22
Perhaps, though, we might make another suggestion. Torah study at night might be taken as

representative of a different mode of study. Learning at night, particularly beyond the parameters

of one’s prescribed schedule, creates an opportunity for creativity in one’s learning that is often

lacking during fixed times of study. Perhaps it is also on this basis that Reish Lakish and his camp

underscore the importance of nighttime Torah study.

Different Stages of Life

Finally, in considering the larger question of what time is most conducive to talmud Torah, it is

important to note that there is room to distinguish between different stages in one’s life.

In a wide-ranging essay, HaRav Lichtenstein suggests that in practice, we may discern various

levels in one’s development. He cites a comment of Rabbi Chayim Or Zarua (Responsa 183), who

asserts that so long as one “sits before his teacher,” one is not obligated to perform other

commandments due to the precept of osek be-mitzva patur min ha-mitzva.

While in practice we do not adopt this radical position, the conceptual thrust is clear: there is room

to place a greater, more exclusive emphasis on Torah study at certain stages in one’s life. Indeed,

such a perspective is consistent with Hillel’s directive, “Do not say ‘I shall study whenever I

become free,’ lest you never become free” (Avot 2:4). It is also consistent with the Gemara’s

ruling, analyzed earlier in our series, that one may delay marriage for the sake of study. One should

never take for granted the opportunity for relatively uninterrupted study.

23
In summation, while Torah study is important at all times, many prominent thinkers point to

particularly propitious times for talmud Torah: Shabbat and festivals, nighttime, and the years

within the walls of the yeshiva.

[1]
In a fascinating comment, Tiferet Yisrael (Yachin 83) points to Rambam’s classic admonition to sleep eight hours a night and

cites a contemporary medical authority who maintains that for adults, just five to six hours of sleep suffice.
[2]
See shiur #9 in this series regarding Rambam’s view on the importance of humility in Torah study. In his Guide of the Perplexed,

Rambam, following Aristotle, argues even more strongly in favor of asceticism, going so far as to describe the sense of touch as a

“disgrace.” See Guide 2:36, 2:40, and 3:8.

A Hidden Secret in Tu B’Av

There is a hidden secret in the day of Tu B’Av – a day that comes six days after Tisha b’Av. Not
too many people know what the essence of the day is all about. Even fewer people know its hidden
secret.

8
http://www.5tjt.com/a-hidden-secret-in-tu-bav/

24
WHAT OCCURRED?

Traditionally, it was a day when single young ladies would wear special gowns of white in order
to woo a groom. The white indicated that they were free from sin. The Braisah in Taanis
(31a) states that the custom was for everyone to borrow white clothing from others so that the
poorer girls who, in truth, lacked the financial means to clothe themselves properly, would not be
embarrassed that they did not have something to wear. Indeed, even the king’s daughter and the
Kohain Gadol’s daughter exchanged clothing.

So now we know what occurred on this day. But why was it established initially, and what is its
hidden secret?

THE REASONS

The Gemorah in Bava Basra (121a,b) provides a number of different reasons for it:

1. Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel: A law existed while we were in the desert on
account of the Bnos Tzlafchad. This law banned the Shvatim from marrying one another
where it would cause changes in an inheritance. This law was rescinded in the 40th year
on the 15th of Av. The joy inherent in rescinding this law caused the day to become
very special and joyous.

2. Rabba Bar Bar Chana in the name of Rav Yochanan: The Tribe of Binyomin was
allowed to remarry into K’hal Yisroel after the incident of Pilegesh B’Givah
(see Shoftim 19-21). This occurred on the 15th and signified once again the unity of
Israel.

3. Rav Dimi Bar Yosef in the name of Rav Nachman: The people in the Midbar stopped
dying on this day.

25
 4. Ullah: It was the day that Hoshea Ben Ellah undid the orchards that Yeravam placed to
block passage of those who wished to visit the Beis HaMikdash. Yeravam had blocked
them because he was concerned that seeing the real kings of Israel would undermine
his legitimacy. Undoing the blockage contributed to Jewish unity.

5. Rav Masna: It was the day that the Romans allowed the victims of Beitar to be buried
and it was revealed that their bodies had miraculously shown no de-composure.

6. It was the day that the cutting of the wood for the main altar in the Bais HaMikdash was
finished because sunset was now earlier, and the woods could no longer dry– so we
celebrated the fact that this day now allowed them to learn.

QUESTION ON FIFTH REASON

There is a serious historical question, however, with reason number five – proposed by Rav Masna.

The sources quoted in the Gemorah indicate that Tu B’Av was observed during the time of the
Bais HaMikdash. This is borne out from the Braisah having mentioned above that the king’s
daughter and the Kohain Gadol’s daughter also partook in the exchange of clothing.

But Beitar only fell after the Hadrian came to power!

This was many years after the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed. Hadrian was emperor from 117 CE
to 138 CE. The Bais HaMikdash was destroyed in 70 CE. How could Rav Masna explain the
reason for its establishment after it was observed?

TWO POSSIBLE ANSWERS

One possible answer may be that each of these opinions listed subscribes to a multiplicity of
reasons why Tu B’Av was actually observed. Perhaps they actually do not argue with each other,

26
and all these reasons existed. Indeed, this is what the Rashbam on 121a (“Yom Shehutar”) seems
to imply.

Another possible response to this problem is found in the Gvuras Ari (Taanis 31a). He seems to
disagree with the aforementioned Rashbam and writes that the Braisah in Taanis only actually
refers to Yom Kippur and not to Tu B’Av [See statement of Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel in the
Mishna in Taanis (26b): Israel never had grander days than Yom Kippur and Tu B’Av.]

There are difficulties, however, with both answers. Rav Masna seems to say that the reason it was
established was because of his reason – while he may agree that the other things happened on that
day – that was not the reason it was established in his view. The Rashbam’s answer would thus
require some further understanding.

The Gvuras Ari’s response is difficult to say as well because the authorial intent of the Braisah in
Taanis seems to be applying the idea to Tu B’Av as well. While one could say that it is lav davka,
that it does not mean what the words imply – this is difficult to propose. There is no symmetry that
is generally associated with an answer of lav davka.

NEW POSSIBLE RESOLUTION

Perhaps a different answer might be that the Simcha – the joy of Tu B’Av was initiated in two
separate stages. Stage one was prior to the destruction of Beitar. Tu B’Av was instituted during
the time of the Bais HaMikdash as a special day of Chesed for Shidduchim. It did not have a
particularly joyous significance – rather – it was a propitious time to get people married. This
“Shidduch Day” was replete with Chessed. But its primary purpose was not to commemorate any
of the other incidents.

Much later, it also happened to be that on this day, the fallen of Beitar were allowed to be buried.

27
Coincidence?

No, not at all. There is no coincidence from the Torah’s perspective. According to Rav Masna, the
Rabbis re-evaluated the days mentioned in Megilas Taanis, and knew that something extraordinary
happened here.

The special Chessed of that day – allowed for and enabled another chessed – that the fallen of
Beitar could be buried, and to the delight of their brethren – their bodies did not decompose. A
recognition of this chessed caused a renewal in the 15th of Av.

It would be filled with renewed purpose.

This was stage two of Tu B’Av.

When did this happen chronologically? The Yerushalmi (Taanis 4:5) states that 52 years after the
destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, Beitar was destroyed.

The Gemorah in Gittin 57a gives us the background. The people of Beitar had the custom of
planting a tree upon the birth of each child. Upon the engagement of two Beitar children, they
would cut down the trees that were planted and would build a Chupah. One time the Roman
emperor’s daughter passed by Beitar, and her chariot broke down. Her servants cut down a tree
that a Beitar resident had planted for his son’s wedding.

The people of Beiter beat up the emperor’s daughter’s servants. The emperor was furious and
commanded that they be wiped out. The Yerushalmi indicates that it ended when the next Emperor
took over. It is not clear, however, whether the Bavli agrees to the dates of the Yerushalmi.

But getting back to this new approach in understanding Rav Masna – that Tu B’Av had two stages:
the first a “Chessed Day” during the time of the Bais HaMikdash and the second stage – a time

28
when this day was enacted by later Chazal as a remarkable Yom Tov- is there a lesson that can be
learned?

It would seem that when Chessed is done on a particular day, it creates Kochos and forces within
the day itself that will have positive repercussions on that day ever onward. We find this idea in
the Michtav M’Eliyahu as well, that time travels in a circle and not straight down. The chessed
and Mitzvos imbued on a particular day, change that day forever afterward. Let us keep this in
mind for Yahrtzeits, Yomim Tovim, etc. The chessed done on that day has ramifications for that
day – forever onward.

We find a similar notion in the end of Parshas Dvarim. The posuk says that Moshe was afraid of
Og. Why was Moshe afraid of him?

Rashi explains, in fact, that he wasn’t. Rather, Moshe was concerned that the merit that Og had in
assisting Avrohom may have created a significant zchus for Og in battle. This is strange because
Og assisted Avrohom in telling him that his nephew Lot was taken captive. Og did so because he
wanted Avrohom killed so that he could take his wife Sara after Avrohom Avinu’s demise.

What kind of zchus would such a lowly Mitzvah possibly have?

We see from here the incredible potency of the Mitzvah of Chessed. Even if done with rotten
intentions – it has remarkable zchusim. How much more so – when done with proper intentions.
We should learn from here never to avoid doing a Chessed for others. You never know, where it
can assist you.

THE HIDDEN MESSAGE

Okay, but what is the hidden message of Tu B’Av?

29
It is found in that very first Braisah cited in Taanis 31a. Now that we have established the fact that
Tu B’Av was a day of chessed in and of itself – there is a very valuable lesson in
Chessed. Whenever you are about to embark upon a chessed – you should have one very important
Go To Question.

Will perfrming this chessed possibly embarrass someone – particularly a recipient? If so, then
retool it. Figure out a way in which this chessed can be performed without embarrassing that
person. This is the hidden message of Tu B’Av. Tisha B’AV happened because we were not
concerned about each other. Tu B’Av embodies the very opposite ideas – a day of Chessed, but
so that the Chessed would not be a selfish act – we have that very very important element of
making sure that it doesn’t embarrass anyone.

Dancing in the Streets

30
Rabbi Ari Kahn writes:9

On the 15th of Av, a holiday of unclear significance is commemorated – Tu b'Av. Let’s us see if
we can uncover its meaning within Parshat Ekev.

One of the major lessons in Parshat Ekev is the lesson of mutual responsibility. This, along with
the idea of reward and punishment, is the message of the second chapter of the Shema, which is
taught this week and has been institutionalized in our daily prayers.

Unlike the first chapter of the Shema, here the ideas are written in the plural. Clearly, rainfall is a
national, or at least a communal, occurrence and not merely a localized, personal phenomenon.

It is this issue of national responsibility which may be the idea behind the connection with Tu b'Av.

Like Yom Kippur

The Mishna's description of the import of the day contains a surprising analogy. Tu b'Av is
compared with Yom Kippur, arguably the holiest day of the year:1

There never were in Israel greater days of joy than the 15th of Av and the Day of Atonement. On
these days the daughters of Jerusalem used to walk out in white garments which they borrowed in
order not to put to shame anyone who had none... The daughters of Jerusalem came out and danced
in the vineyards exclaiming at the same time, "Young man, lift up your eyes and see what you
choose for yourself. Do not set your eyes on beauty but set your eyes on [good] family."

9
https://www.aish.com/tp/i/moha/48908722.html

31
This Mishna is the concluding Mishna of the tractate of Ta'anit, which deals with fast days and the
laws of fasting. The previous Mishna had taught the laws of the 9th of Av – Tisha b'Av. Now the
Mishna continues to the next day of importance in Av – Tu b'Av. Ostensibly the intent of the
Mishna is to end on a positive note, especially after all the tragedies which had been previously
enumerated. Indeed, the Mishna concludes with the building of the Temple, clearly a cause for
monumental joy.

The Mishna describes a scene of dancing and celebration.

A scene of dancing and celebration is described, raising two questions: This description seems
dissonant with our understanding of Yom Kippur. And secondly, what is the significance of Tu
b'Av, whereby it would deserve the same celebration as Yom Kippur?

The Talmud explains the joy of Yom Kippur while posing the question about Tu b'Av:

A Time Of Celebration

The ecstatic joy, which is absent from the contemporary experience of Yom Kippur, is taken for
granted in the Talmud. The experience of Yom Kippur was palatably different in Temple times.
We are told that the red string in the Temple turned white, serving as a veritable spiritual barometer
of God's forgiveness of man. When the people were shown this tangible sign of forgiveness,
celebration erupted.

This type of joy was spontaneous, even though it was a yearly occurrence on Yom Kippur. Singing,
dancing and celebration broke out all over. The women of Jerusalem would dance in the vineyards.
Marriage was on their minds. Perhaps this is the reference at the end of the Mishna:

The Talmud had described Yom Kippur as a day of "forgiveness and pardon and on it the second
Tablets of the Law were given." Yom Kippur is viewed as a day which encapsulates the
commitment between the Jewish People and God. It is the day that the Jews finally took their vows
and were forgiven for the indiscretion involving the Golden Calf.

32
The 17th of Tammuz, the day Moses came down with the tablets in hand, should have been the day
when the Jews solidified their commitment with God. Instead it became a day of infamy. The fate
of the entire community was held in abeyance in the following weeks until Moses was invited once
again to ascend the mount on the 1st day of Elul.

Forty days later, on the 10th of Tishrei, the day celebrated henceforth as Yom Kippur, Moses
descended with the second tablets as well as God's message that He had forgiven the Jewish
Nation. This is what the Mishna describes as "the day of his espousals."

One's wedding day is a day of personal forgiveness, and has a cathartic, "Yom
Kippur-like" element.

This idea dovetails with the teaching that one's wedding day is a day of personal forgiveness, and
has a cathartic, "Yom Kippur-like" element.2 This may also explain the practice of reading the
section of the Torah which enumerates forbidden relations on Yom Kippur afternoon. The
backdrop of celebration in the streets explains this choice of Torah selection, both as a warning
against unmitigated, excessive frivolity, and as a demarcation of forbidden relations.

Joy Of Tu B'Av

While the celebratory aspect of Yom Kippur has been identified, the 15th of Av remains elusive.
The Talmud offers numerous explanations for the joy on that day:

33
While the Talmud offers six different reasons for celebration on Tu b'Av, many of these reasons
seem insufficient to elicit the type of celebration described. Many commentaries agree upon the
primary cause of celebration, citing the others listed above as additional events that transpired on
that day.

First Tu B'Av

The Midrash describes the first Tu b'Av ever celebrated:

This description is certainly morbid, yet it succeeds in capturing the pathos of the yearly 9th of
b'Av commemoration. On a conceptual level, the 15th marks the end of the 9th of Av.

The crying in the desert at the report of the spies created a negative paradigm for the rejection of
the Land of Israel and its holiness, and even more, the rejection of God. This potential was
unleashed in future generations when Jews rejected sacred ideas. The 15th of Av marked the end
of the death sentence for the sin of the spies. This alone would be sufficient rationale for the Mishna
to conclude with a teaching about Tu b'Av.

During First Temple times the people certainly did not fast on the 9th of Av, but they may have
celebrated the 15th of Av.

Strange Choice

But what of the other explanations offered by the Talmud? Arguably the strangest choice relates
to King Hoshea the son of Elah.3

Hoshea did not lead people toward Jerusalem, toward the service of God; rather he displayed
remarkably liberal thinking and was not particular whether his constituents served God in the
Temple or foreign deities! Why would this be a cause for celebration? Because Hoshea's decree
reversed the nefarious deeds of his predecessor on the throne, Jeroboam.

34
Hoshea's decree reversed the nefarious deeds of his predecessor on the throne,
Jeroboam.

Yet even this reversal seems insufficient cause for celebration: Hoshea merely removed the guards
charged with preventing pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Furthermore, during Hoshea's reign the Ten
Tribes were carried into captivity.

In order to understand the significance of Hoshea's decree, we must first understand the
implications of Jeroboam's actions.

Due to the spiritual failings of King Solomon, God wrested part of the monarchy from the Davidic
family.

Jeroboam ignored God's plan and built an alternative place of worship in an attempt to deter the
people from Jerusalem, and, perhaps, allegiance to the House of David. Motivated by jealousy,
totally misdirected and self-centered, Jeroboam did the unthinkable: he built places of worship
replete with golden calves:

Now we gain some insight into the actions of Hoshea. Unlike Jeroboam, Hoshea was not afraid or
jealous of Jerusalem or David's family. He may have been an idolater, but he was not filled with
spiritually self-destructive venom and hatred. Thus, his removal of the guards stationed by
Jeroboam, indicated healing from the hatred and jealousy and a possibility for reconciliation.

The root of human hatred harks back to the fratricide perpetrated by Cain. In the Jewish
community, the core is the hatred of the sons of Leah toward the sons of Rachel. Jeroboam's
scheme proved that a descendant of a son of Rachel could be just as bad, if not worse than the sons
of Leah.

35
Unity Of Israel

The idea of a Temple was a manifestation of the unity of Israel. Within the community there were
diverse spiritual potentials. The primary tribes were Judah (the son of Leah who would be king),
and the tribe of Joseph, (the favorite son, the first son of Rachel). It may be argued that had the
sons of Jacob all been united, the Temple would have stood in the portion of Joseph (Jerusalem)
and kingship would have been the realm of Judah. With the sons of Rachel and Leah united, this
Temple would never have fallen.

Unfortunately, the brothers were never able to resolve their differences with Joseph. The son of
Rachel who became the unifying symbol of the people was Benjamin, and the Temple stood in his
portion. This explains the tears of Joseph and Benjamin at the moment when Joseph reveals himself
to his brothers:

Rabbi Eleazar said: "He wept for the two Temples which were destined to be in the territory of
Benjamin and to be destroyed... he wept for the Tabernacle of Shiloh which was destined to be in
the territory of Joseph and to be destroyed. (Megila 16b – see Rashi Genesis 45:14)

The hatred of the brothers created the spiritual power for the hatred which would one day destroy
the Temple. Furthermore, this simmering conflict caused the Temple to be built in the portion of
Benjamin and not in the portion of Joseph.

This is the same hatred that poisoned Jeroboam and motivated him to place guards in the path of
would-be pilgrims to Jerusalem. On Tu b'Av, when Hoshea rescinds the evil edict of Jeroboam,
the division and hatred cease.4

Theme Of Division

This theme of division and reunion may be the key to some of the other reasons offered by the
Talmud. Significantly, the prohibition of inter-tribal marriage began with the daughters of
Zelofchad, who were from the tribe of Joseph. Surely, this law, which maintained each tribe as
insulated and separate, also had a negative impact on interpersonal relationships between Jews.

Likewise, the isolation of the members of the tribe of Benjamin (second son of Rachel) is now
seen in a different light. Their role in the episode of the concubine of Givah was certainly an
outrage (see Judges, Chapters 19-21), but the isolation of an entire tribe was even more significant
in light of the ongoing division between the sons of Rachel and the sons of Leah.

Tu b'Av marks reunifications with the sons of Rachel who had become
estranged from the community.

36
Tu b'Av, in all three of these episodes, marks reunifications with the sons of Rachel who had
become estranged from the community.

Tu b'Av, then, is a day which has the potential to rebuild the Temple. Unity of the community is a
prerequisite for building the Temple. This is the intention of the last phrase in the Mishna which
we saw at the outset:

After describing the unique celebration of Yom Kippur and Tu B'Av, the Mishna intertwines the
giving of the law and building of the Temple. As we have seen, the giving of the law refers to Yom
Kippur. Now we understand why the reference to the building of the Temple refers to Tu b'Av.

Silk Garments

On this day the daughters of Jerusalem would share their clothes and dance merrily in the streets,
united. The Zohar identifies the type of material the garments are made from:

The significance of silk is not immediately apparent.

This may be a mystical message: Silk is not like wool or linen.

The Vilna Gaon points out that the prohibition of mixing wool and linen emanates from the hatred
between Cain and Abel. On these glorious days the daughters of Jerusalem freely share their
clothing, with no hatred or jealousy in their hearts.

Perhaps this served as a type of a healing for the hatred, which was directed toward Joseph,
symbolized by his coat of many colors. This may also be the significance of the Talmud's
description of God attempt to lure Jeroboam back into the fold:

After this thing Jeroboam turned not from his evil way. What is meant by, after this thing?

God grabbed him by his clothing to break his jealousy; alas, Jeroboam could only join if he was
given center stage and the leading role. Ultimately, he was unable to control his self-centeredness.

37
The Secret of Tu B'Av

This is the secret of Tu b'Av and the reason that marriages abound on this day. The ability for a
couple to marry is based on each one controlling innate egoism and narcissism. Marriage is the
most basic of relationships. The rebuilding of the Temple is dependent on the community being
able to unite in a similar manner.

Tu b'Av is a day which commemorates healing behavior. The Talmud therefore associates the
commandment of bringing joy to the newly married couple with building Jerusalem:

And if he does gladden him (i.e. the groom) what is his reward? ... Rabbi Nahman ben Isaac says:
"It is as if he had restored one of the ruins of Jerusalem." (Brachot 6b)

We are taught that in the future the fast days marking the Temple's destruction will be transformed
into days of celebration:

Rav Zadok Hakohen from Lublin taught that the 9th of Av will indeed become a holiday - a seven-
day festival.

The first day (9th of Av) will commemorate the coming of the Messiah. Then there will be Chol
HaMoed, and on the seventh day (Tu B'Av) the Temple will be rebuilt.

The day when Jews came out of their graves years ago will mark the spiritual rebirth of the entire
nation, symbolized by the building of the Temple. This will be followed by the ultimate
Resurrection of the Dead. Once again the people will climb out from their graves, as the world
reaches its perfection and completion. On that day the joy in the streets will be echoed in the
vineyards surrounding Jerusalem and will reverberate throughout the entire world.

NOTES
o Rav Menachem Azarya Defano, and Rav Zadok Hakohen (Yisrael Kedoshim section 5) both point at the power
of custom at the core of this day. We know of Torah festivals, and Rabbinic festivals; Tu B'Av has its unique
charisma as an expression of the power of custom. (return to text)
o This idea may be found in the Jerusalem Talmud. (return to text)
o For more on this king see 2 Kings 15:30. "And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the
son of Remaliah, and struck him, and killed him, and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Yotham the
son of Uzziah." (return to text)
o On the 9th of Av the tribes of Joseph and Judah were united: When the spies returned only Joshua and Caleb,
from the tribes of Joseph and Judah respectively, remained steadfast in their desire to enter Israel. They serve

38
 as the prototypes for the Messiah from Joseph, and the Messiah from David (Judah), who usher in the Messianic
Era. See Sukka 52a (return to text)

Dancing in the Moonlight

Yehoshua Metzinger writes:10

In the Talmud, we find the verse, "There was never as good a day (Yom Tov) for the Jewish
nation as Tu B'Av and Yom Kippur". The words "Yom Tov" are used in relation to Tu B'Av,
comparing it with all holy days (Yomim Tovim), especially Yom Kippur. It is easy to understand
why Yom Kippur would be considered as the greatest day for the Jewish nation, since it is the day
that the second tablets were given and the Jewish people were forgiven, as we are forgiven every
year on Yom Kippur. On Tu B'Av, the tribes were permitted to marry members of other tribes,
which, of course, was beneficial, but can it be compared to the importance of Yom Kippur? The
verse also implies that Tu B'Av, in some way, is greater than other holidays.

10
From the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/379571/jewish/Dancing-in-
the-Moonlight.htm

39
The full moon of Tu B'Av depends on the darkness which precedes it…
Chasidut explains that the benefit of Tu B'Av comes as a result of blessing the moon, which is
done close to the middle of the month, the time when the moon is completely full. There are other
holidays (i.e. Pesach, Sukkot), which occur in the middle of the month, when the moon is full, but
the full moon of Tu B'Av depends on the darkness which precedes it. The Beit Hamikdash was
destroyed in the month of Av, a month associated with an extreme descent. The fullness of the
moon on Tu B'Av is great in relation to the descent that precedes it; the greater the descent, the
greater the ascent. The other holidays that also occur when the moon is full are not preceded by an
extreme descent. When the Jewish nation was taken out of Egypt, we were on the level of tzadikim.
On Sukkot, we enjoy the benefits from the favorable outcome of Yom Kippur. Neither of these
holidays is preceded by a steep decline; Tu B'Av is, therefore, on a high level because one arrives
there from a lower place.

What difference does it make, on a spiritual level, whether the moon is full or barely visible? We
can understand this difference by looking at two verses which discuss the spiritual significance of
a field versus that of ordinary land. One verse reads, "The advantage of the land is everything (in
Hebrew, 'kol')", and the other, "The King is in the field".

The land represents the physical world and the field, Gan Eden. The land is associated with the
formation of the world through G-d's speech coming from the level of malchut. Gan Eden, or the
field, is on the level of chochma, bina and daat which are internal and intellectual, rather than
physical. The influence of these intellectual levels in Gan Eden reaches the world from the 50
gates of bina through the aspect of yesod.

Why 50 gates? Because the letters of the Hebrew word for "everything" ("kol") in the above verse
"the advantage of the land is everything" is the same numerical value as the letter nun, which is
50. What draws this down? The advantage of the land is "kol", the mitzvot performed in the world
and the understanding of Torah, which brings the intellectual aspect of G-dliness into the world.

40
To make room for Creation, G-d had to move the light to one side…
Above the level of Gan Eden is supernal keter, which is unlimited. When keter is illuminated
within malchut, the moon is full. The service of angels in Gan Eden and
the Torah and mitzvot performed in the world can bring this illumination
of keter through malchut. This, however, is a revelation only of the physical aspect; the intellectual
aspect is revealed directly only on the level of Gan Eden. Then it is as if the moon is not full, like
when one looks at the concept that the highest intellectual aspects cannot be completely revealed
in the world of action.

Also, the ten utterances which continually create the world are associated with the moon when it
is not full. To make room for Creation, G-d had to move the light to one side, which, like the
incomplete moon, is on the level of malchut, which does not receive light from the highest worlds
as completely as other levels.

What makes the moon full? The moon is full when the King (associated with keter) is in the field
(Gan Eden) and is brought down through the service of mitzvot and the study of Torah. This
service repairs the missing aspect that causes the moon not to be full. The truly full moon can exist
only when the completeness is total and from a level beyond creation. Even the light from Gan
Eden can be somewhat blemished because it is associated with creation. The Torah and mitzvot
we perform in the world repair the blemish and bring the fullest light.

Infinite light shines even in the time of exile…

In parashat Toldot, Isaac smells the clothing of Jacob and compares the fragrance to that of a field
blessed by G-d. Rashi compares this field to Gan Eden, and Yonaton Ben Uziel compares it to
the Beit Hamikdash. Both interpretations can be reconciled in the sense that the holiness of both
places is due to their essence and to the service associated with them: in Gan Eden the service is
performed by angels and souls, and in the Beit Hamikdash the service comes through bringing
sacrifices. If the sacrifices were brought correctly and with holy intentions, then the light

41
descended from infinite levels. Similarly, if our own everyday service is correct and well-focused,
light from the aspect of the full moon can also be drawn from infinite levels.

There is a further similarity between the moon and the Beit Hamikdash. The revelation in the Beit
Hamikdash only could occur while it was standing. The difference between the eras of the Beit
Hamikdash and the era of Exile is like the difference between the time when the moon is full and
when it is not full. The light in the Beit Hamikdash was limited in the sense that it depended on
the existence of the Beit Hamikdash. The infinite light shines even in the time of exile, but because
of the relatively low level that exists in exile, we are not able to see it clearly. Similarly, a full
moon depends upon the right time and circumstances for its illumination, but the light continues
even when the moon is not full, even when we cannot perceive the light.

The Sages have noted that Av, symbolized by the constellation of the lion is the time
when Ariel (the house of G-d) was destroyed. In addition, it is predicted that Ariel will be rebuilt
in the constellation of the lion. Clearly, the full moon of Tu B'Av is unlike other full moons; Tu
B'Av is a time when we can appreciate the greatness of redemption, starting from the lowest depths
and reaching the supreme heights.

“They shall build houses and dwell in them; they shall plant vineyards and
enjoy their fruits…and like the days of a tree shall be the days of my

42
 people…”

Isaiah 65:21-22

The Fruit of Tu B’Av: explanation and ritual for the 15th of Av

The Month of Av

Element: Gateway from Water into Earth

Tu B’Av, the fifteenth of the month of Av, comes in July or August, at a time when the air is
sweltering, the sun is ever-present, and the green plant life is wilting. In Israel, Av is a month of
extreme heat when nothing grows. It comes just six days after the 9th of Av, Tishah b’Av, the
holiday of mourning, when the Temple is destroyed, when the Shekhinah grieves like a widow
who has lost her mate. The first of Tammuz, when we recognize our exile and mortality, lingers
in the heat of the air. Yet Tu B’Av is a holiday of dancing and choosing lovers, a holiday of life.
It is a turning around of time. It is the moment when the fallen fruit breaks open to reveal the new
seed.

According to the Talmud, Tu B’Av was a day when women went out in borrowed white clothing
to dance in the field and choose spouses from among the men who came to dance with them. They
wore borrowed clothing so as not to shame any woman who did not have fine white clothing to
wear. They would sing to their potential lovers, telling them to choose goodness and integrity
rather than good looks.[1] The Talmud tells that “Israel had no more joyful holidays than Yom
Kippur and Tu B’Av.” In rabbinic tradition, Tu B’Av also marks a number of miraculous events
relating to marriage, union, and rebirth—particularly, that this was the day on which the Israelites
were redeemed from wandering in the wilderness and allowed to enter the land of Israel.

11
http://www.telshemesh.org/av/

43
Tu B’Av is an unlikely day of joy, coming as it does in a season of sadness. In its essence, Tu
B’Av is a hinge between the time of mourning and the time of gladness, between the pathos of
reaping and the celebration of harvest. It is a door opening from death back into life. Tu B’Av is a
day of rebirth when the cut-down stem yields the ripe, sweet fruit.

The Story of the Season

Tu B’Av begins the entry into the season of earth, and much about it is earthy—not only the
sexuality and fecundity of the young women who went out to dance. Tu B’Av was once the time
of the grape harvest.[2] Residents of Israel would go to cut down grapes for wine at this season. So
Tu B’Av is related to the Ḳiddush, the prayer over wine that sanctifies holy time among Jews. In
Temple times. Tu B’Av was the last day to harvest wood for the sacred temple fires and was called
the Day of the Breaking of the Axe.[3]. After this date, the sun grew weaker, and any wood
harvested would be too wet to burn. Therefore human beings were to turn to introspection and
Torah study rather than physical labor in the fields. So Tu B’Av represents three hinges in holy
time: the harvesting of grapes to make wine for the Shabbat and festivals, the last moment to feed
the eternal Temple fires with fresh wood, and the last moment of outward focus on the harvest
before one begins the introspection necessary for the renewal of the new year and the quiet of the
winter season.

Legend also connects Tu B’Av to another kind of harvest. Tu B’Av always comes at the full moon
of the month of Av. According to rabbinic legend, when the Israelites were wandering in the
wilderness, the former slaves were doomed by God to die before reaching the land of Israel. Every
year on the ninth of Av, the Israelites would dig graves, lie down in them, and spend the night. In
the morning, the people would arise and count themselves to see who had died that year. This
weird ritual seems to represent the randomness and scariness of mortality. The story encourages
us to meditate on our own death, just as if we were lying in our own grave.

44
The story goes that in the fortieth year of wandering, the ritual was enacted, but no one died.
Thinking they had miscalculated the calendar, the people slept in their graves a second night, then
a third, then a fourth. On the seventh night, Tu B’Av, when the full moon came out, the people
knew the decree had ended. They understood that all of them would be able to enter the Promised
Land. The time of death and stagnation was over, and the time of life had begun.[4] It was truly a
Day of the Breaking of the Axe—a day when mortality no longer held sway.

The Zohar relates that in paradise where the ancestors dwell, this burial and rising happens every
day as a daily spiritual ritual.[5] This passage suggests that we too, like the Israelites, have moments
when we are lying in our graves, unable to sprout into new being. When the full moon rises over
us, when new light becomes apparent to us, we realize that we have the opportunity to go on living.
Just as the buried fruit gives forth new seed, the human soul has the potential for growth.

In fact, the time of Tu B’Av lets us know that it is a day of new conceptions. Tu B’av falls forty
days before the 25th of the month of Elul, the day, according to the Talmud, on which the world
was created. The Talmud also tells us that forty days before a child is born, God decrees who will
be that child’s mate.[6] A Chassidic thinker, Rabbi Tzvi Elimelekh Shapira of Dinov, (known as
the B’nei Yissachar) teaches that Tu B’Av is a holiday of weddings and dances because it
celebrates the moment when the Divine is paired a human mate—in Israel’s sacred story, that mate
is Israel.[7] Rabbi Arthur Waskow expands this idea and say that forty days before the 25th of Elul,
God plans to become the spouse, the eternal companion, of the world that will be born.[8] This
moment of destiny pushes the year toward its beginning: in Tishrei, the world will be born again,
with the Shekhinah bound up in it.[9] Tu B’Av is the moment after the nation’s, and the earth’s,
symbolic death, the moment after the betrayal caused by the Temple’s destruction, when both the
Divine and human partners prepare to love again.

45
It is fitting that this day be a day of mythic healing and perfection. Rabbi Zadok haKohen of Lublin
tells us that the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence, will descend on Tu B’Av to reside in the Third
Temple, the house of the Divine where all people will be free to worship.[10] In this telling, Tu
B’Av is the day when the world will be made whole. As we move through the cycle of seasons,
Tu B’Av is a day of human and Divine rebirth after loss, just as the harvest is a time when we cut
everything down to produce the food and seed that allows us to grow again. On Tu B’Av, we can
imagine the Shekhinah dancing among her maidens in borrowed white clothing—clothing that
represents loss and poverty even as it represents joy and abundance.

The last half of Av and the month of Elul comprise the days when God is preparing to give birth
to the world. They are a pregnancy of sorts, marked by deep feelings, careful planning, quiet
listening, and a great love of new life. The seed of life has not yet been rooted in the world, but it
soon will be. During this time of pregnancy, we too are pregnant with the seed of our new selves.

Other Paths

Tu B’Av tends to fall near the Celtic and modern Wiccan holiday of Lammas, a late summer
harvest holiday of rejoicing in plenty while recognizing that death is inherent in the
harvest.[11] Lammas celebrates the Goddess as harvester , and in Scotland the first cut of the harvest
was made on Lammas. Interestingly, like Tu B’Av, Lammas was a holiday of weddings—
according to some accounts, in Ireland and Britain, “handfastings” or weddings that were binding
for a year and a day took place at “Lammas Fairs” each year. Christian harvest holiday as well,
celebrating the offering of new loaves of bread from harvested grain on the church altar. Around
the world, near this time are both a Japanese festival of the dead and a Japanese festival of harvest,
as well as a Chinese harvest festival of the full moon (the same full moon as Tu B’Av). So too,
through Tu B’Av, we re-enact the cycle of death and rebirth, as the grain and vegetation around
us is beginning to die in order to be reborn in spring. We honor the harvest of our hearts: the gifts
of love we have been given, and our will to share them with others.12

Tu B’Av at a Retreat Center in Upstate New York

We slip down the path in the grass

12
[For another Tu B’Av ritual, see the “Ritual for Tu B’Av 5764” at Tel Shemesh]

46
leaves of a tree with two trunks
fly like flags above us.
The moon burns like a frame drum
struck by fire. We two
put bellies together as if we could conceive
each from the other.
Lying down in white garments,
we borrow each other’s hair.

Notes

1 Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 26b, 31a.

2 Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 26b

3 Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 31a

4 Lamentations Rabbah, Prologue 33; Numbers Rabbah 16:20.

5 Zohar III, 162a-b.

6 Babylonian Talmud, Moed Katan 18b.

7 B’nei Yissachar, p. 112d.

8 http://shalomctr.org/index.cfm/action/read/section/tuav/article/seas24.html.

9 The B’nei Yissachar also notes that Tu BiShvat, the new year for trees, is forty days before the 1st of Nisan, which in rabbinic literature
between the solstices and equinoxes (what in some pagan calendars would be called the cross-quarter days) can be regarded as gateways t

10 Chaim Press’ The Future Festival (New York: Targum Press, 1996), p.156-159.

11 Starhawk, The Spiral Dance (Harper SanFrancisco, 1999).

12 In Journey, Spring 2002. “From Mourning to Love,” Melila Hellner Eshed, p. 30-33, and “A Tu B’Av Ritual,” Tamara Cohen and Jill Ha

13 The Ritual for the Grape Harvest was first published at Tel Shemesh, http://telshemesh.org/av/ritual_for_the_grape_harvest.html

47
 Tu B'Av and the Question of Gendered Rituals

Leora Jackson writes:13

Yesterday marked Tu B’Av, the 15th day of the month of Av, a minor Jewish holiday
that Wikipedia tells me has become a Jewish equivalent to Valentine’s Day, in that it is an
auspicious day for holding weddings and perhaps meeting a romantic partner. The part about
weddings makes sense: Tu B’Av comes only 6 after the fast day of Tisha B’Av, and many Jews
avoid holding weddings during either the three weeks or the nine days leading up to the fast, since
they are considered mournful times. So, we’ve had a dearth of weddings in our community, Tisha
B’Av passes, and after so much sadness, a wedding is something to look forward to. But meeting
a partner on Tu B’Av? Where is the logic in that?

The Talmud tells us that on the 15th of Av, the young women of Israel would go out dressed in
borrowed white dresses and dance in the vineyards. There is meaning in the borrowed dresses: we
are told that the women borrowed from one another so as not to embarrass those who did not have

13
https://jwa.org/blog/tu-bav-gendered-rituals

48
a dress. The unmarried men would go to the fields and gaze at them, ostensibly to choose a woman
to marry.

Today, nobody dresses in white and goes out to the fields to dance on Tu B’Av – although the
ritual is eerily reminiscent of novels I used to read about London debutantes making their entrance
into society in the Victorian era. Secular communities in Israel are the ones most likely to celebrate
the day, and present-day religious practices specific to Tu B’Av are limited to minor liturgical
changes. However, the premise of beautiful women presented to men to be chosen as matches still
holds in Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

Farideh Goldin tells a story in her memoir, Wedding Song, about how the older women in the
Jewish community of Shiraz tried to ensure that young women were properly seated in the
women’s section of the synagogue so as to afford single men the best view. Jewish online dating
sites, like JDate allow us to build profiles that show off our best qualities (although JDate is
arguably more egalitarian and less heteronormative than a lot of non-digital matchmaking). And,
on a more secular note, North American women on average tend to spend more time and feel more
pressure to ‘look good’ for those around us, which usually means dressing attractively according
to male heterosexual preferences.

So is Tu B’Av bad for women, given the cultural scripts it reinforces? I’m not willing to write it
off quite yet: I like the ancient ritual’s attempt to diminish the importance of material wealth
through borrowed dresses. Another JWA blogger has also noted the potential for a day like Tu
B’Av to be used to promote sex-positive aspects of Judaism. Finally, dressing up to feel good
about oneself and one’s body isn’t an inherently bad thing.

But I think I feel the same kind of ambivalence towards Tu B’Av as I do towards many gendered
Jewish rituals: I wish they were feminist all on their own, instead of being things that women had
to reclaim or re-read for feminist meaning. On the other hand, I’m glad that there is a vibrant
Jewish community willing to participate in such reclamations and re-readings.

49