The
Medresh, Yalkut Shimoni
, states that after the
meraglim
returned from their reconnaissance mission to
Eretz Yisroel
, they burst out into bitter crying throughout the entire night. That evening, on the ninth day of the month of
Av,
The
Eibershter
proclaimed, “Since you cried needlessly, I will give you serious cause to cry for a long time. At that moment the decree was sealed that both
Batei Mikdosh
would be destroyed on the ninth day of
Av.
This decree was accompanied by an ironclad oath that the decree could not be rescinded.
What is the great sin of crying for naught? There is no specific prohibition in the
Torah
forbidding senseless crying! Why such a severe punishment?
When somebody is gifted a magnanimous present and then complains and rejects it, understandably, he forfeits his rights to that gift. If in addition he chooses to cry over the receipt of this magnificent present, he provokes unforgiving feelings in the generous donor. By rejecting
Eretz Yisroel,
they were punished to remain and perish in the
midbar
. When their needless crying added insult, this night became etched into the future as a night of tragedy for
Klal Yisroel.
The
Gemorah
in
Mesechta Nedarim
depicts the difficulty that the sages, prophets and even the angels had in deciphering the cause of the destruction of the
Bais Hamikdosh.
It seems that the reason for the destruction was so subtle, that only
Hashem
was privy to it. The conclusion was that it was their failure to recite
Bircas HaTorah
prior to studying
Torah.
If indeed they failed to make the requisite
brocha
before
Torah
learning, why was this not apparent to the
Chachomim
and
neviim
and
malachim
? The
Maharal
explains that indeed they recited the mandated
brocha,
however, it was void of proper intention. The appropriate
kavanah
while reciting this
brocha
must include unfettered feelings of love and attachment to
Hashem
. One must be overcome with the desire to express the love and appreciation that we are afforded this treasure- the Torah. One should be overwhelmed with heartfelt emotion and unlimited thankfulness. This
brochah
must incorporate feelings that there could be no greater favor that the
Eibershter
could possibly bestow upon us. Failure to convey these feelings of gratefulness is indicative of the absence of appreciation that we were selected from amongst all other peoples to receive this priceless treasure.
Chazal
are divulging to us that they miserably failed to properly estimate the value of the
Torah
. Their verbal pronouncement of the
brochah
was void of any expression of proper esteem for the
Torah.
The
churban
of both
Batei Mikdash
was a result of the lack of appreciation of them and their role. The ultimate
tachlis
of the
Bais Hamikdosh
was to facilitate, perpetuate and proliferate Torah in its purest form. In
Eichah
we read that the tragedy of being cast into
galus
was “
Malka visareha bagoyim
ein Torah
”-
the loss of
Torah
. The fundamental pain that
Hashem
endured (
kivayachol)
as a result of the
churban
was the
bitul Torah
that ensued.
Bais Hamikdosh
belongs when there is proper estimation and appreciation of its function. The lack of proper
kavanah
by their
bircas haTorah
evidenced this woeful lack of regard for the significance of the institution of
Bais Hamikdosh
.
The return of the
Bais Hamikdosh
hinges on our understanding that
Torah
, the
Yidden
and
Hashem
are one and intertwined.
