Crying on Tish'a Be'av

This Tish'a Be'av, it won't be hard to cry.

Normally, crying on Tish'a Be'av doesn't come easily for me. I am usually too busy praying, watching videos, and thinking about how many hours it will be until I can eat.

Not this year.

This year, I can't help but think about how different things would be in Israel if we only had a Beit Hamikdash - if we only had a Melech Hamashiah instead of a Malchut Harish'a. I can't help but think about how when we were exiled from Jerusalem, our "cousins", who tricked us into thinking it was water, actually gave us bags of air which blew up in our stomachs. I can't help but think about how these "cousins" want to take over the very communities from which Jews are being exiled. I can't help but think that, barring a miracle, I will see for the first time in my lifetime the full meaning of Galut. I can't help but think how these "cousins" are still not satisfied and want to exile us from Jerusalem yet again.

So, unless the ultimate miracle - the Geula - starts, I will very likely be crying this Tish'a Be'av.

Whoever mourns for Yerushalayim merits and sees its rebuilding. (Taanit 30b)

Let us pray that this happens Bimhera Veyamenu.