RABBI WEIN ON MENACHEM AV

(PLEASE LEARN THIS FOR THE REFUA SHELAMA OF Rav Shteinman - Aaron Yehuda Leib ben Gitel Feiga, Rav Weiss - Yitzchak Tuvia ben Rikal, Rav Belsky - NAME ADDDED Chaim Yisroel ben Chana Tzirtel, Rav Yosef - Yaakov Chai ben Margalit Harav Shlomo Leib Ben Miriam - HaRav Shlomo Brevda Harav Yeshaya Yaakov Ben Raizel - HaRav Yeshaya Yaakov Portugal Harav Meshulem Fish Ben Tziril - The Toshe Rebbe Rav Yerachmiel Shlomo Hakohen ben Raizel. -Rav Yerachmiel Shlomo Rothenberg, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Mountaindale Rav Shaul ben Pasha-Gavaad Zurich, Switzerland and rav of Beis Medrash Agudas Achim for a refuah shleima b’soch kol cholei am Yisrael.)(AND L"N RAV YOSEF SHALOM BEN RAV AVRAHAM(RAV ELYASHIV ZT"L)This week marks the beginning of the month of Av. And though we remember the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people this month - the destruction of both Holy Temples in Jerusalem primarily – the month has an additional name attached to it, ‘Menachem’ meaning a source of comfort. This word ‘menachem’ referring to comfort and consolation, is phrased in the present tense and not in its future tense, implying that the advent of this seemingly sad month in the Jewish calendar somehow also contains within it the seeds of restoration. Judaism is a very realistic and pragmatic faith. It does not guarantee fantastic rewards in this world or in the next. It is cautious in its commitments and sparse in its language and principles. Thus the question as to why this month of Av should also be the month of consolation is compounded and intensified. Yet the name ‘Menachem’ coincides nicely with the rabbinic idea that the day of Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of Av itself – the saddest day on the Jewish calendar – will yet be a holiday.