No Torah on Tisha B’Av

One of the prohibitions of Tisha B’Av, is the study of Torah. The reason for this Halacha was that this day was designated as a day of mourning, and Torah study brings one joy. The same law applies to one who is sitting Shiva, that he is not allowed to learn Torah.

This is based on the Pasuk from תהילים that says, פקודי ה׳ ישרים משמחי לב, that the teachings of Hashem are upright, and they gladden the heart.

Unfortunately, many people do not really understand this particular law. It does not necessarily seem like so much will be lost by not having one day of Torah study. This is especially true for one who does not study much, anyways.

It could be that the Daf Yomi people feel this the most because they need to maneuver their schedules so that they could do their Daf before or after the fast.

The people who understand and feel the loss of not being able to learn Torah, applies to those who are immersed in it. Because of their dedication and countless hours of study, they have reached the level of experiencing the absolute bliss that comes with trying to unlock the word of Hashem, by joining with our great sages in this holy endeavor.

When one loves learning, he feels elevated and content in making this connection. He also learns how to make a proper disconnection from the עולם הגשמי, the material world.

He is never bored, because the treasures of Torah are so vast, that there is always something worthy of study.

Taking a sincere Torah student away from his studies, certainly contributes to the sadness of the day. It forces us to focus on the great loss of losing our holy Temples, and the tragedies that followed.

We must remember the teachings of the Rabbis that said, “Those who truly mourn for JerusLem, will merit seeing it rebuilt.”