Embracing Cherubs

There is an interesting Midrash that says that when the Babylonians came into the Holy of Holies when they were destroying our Temple, they saw an amazing sight. The כרובים, Cherubs, that were affixed on the Holy Ark, were seen embracing one another. This was puzzling because the כרובים would not face one another when the people were not fulfilling the will of G-d. If we were now going into Exile, it was obvious that we were not doing G-d’s will. The Netivot Shalom explains this strange phenomenon in that it was to be viewed as a sign that despite our going into Exile, His love for us would not falter. One of the messages of Tisha B’Av is the realization of Hashem’s abundant kindness. Our survival these past 1950 years, is nothing short of miraculous. There were those who said that a greater miracle than the splitting of the Red Sea, was our survival. We are now more ready than ever for Mashiach and the Third Temple, when Tisha B’Av will become a festival. Meanwhile, fast begins at 7:40 p.m. and ends Thursday at 8:00. צום קל