4 days a year we fast and mourn, commemorating different historical events of the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. The 17th day of Tammuz is one of the 4 days, and it began a 3 week period of limited mourning that climaxes with Tisha B'Av, the day of the destruction of both Temples. Consistent with Judaism's optimism, the Biblical references about these 4 days, including Tisha B'Av, are NOT cited as directives to fast and mourn.

Instead, these days are stated in a positive context, looking to the Messianic future, when these 4 fast days will become days of celebration. "The 4 Fasts will become days of joy and gladness, holidays of redemption, and feasts for the House of Yehuda" (Zecharia 8). Thus, Tisha B'Av was destined to be part of our Halachic tradition, but NOT as a day of eternal mourning. Rather, it is a temporary day of mourning, until it becomes a permanent day of joy in the Messianic Era.

In Megillat Eicha (1:15, 2:22), Tisha B'Av is called a MOED (festival). That is why we don’t say Tachanun and Selichot on Tisha B'Av (Shulchan Aruch 559). What are the signs of the approaching MOED of the Messianic Era? The Talmud states that Jews returning from exile and turning the Land of Israel green is the key sign for the beginning of the Final Redemption. "There is no more clearer sign than when the Land of Israel gives its produce abundantly, then the end of the exile is near" (Sanhedrin 98, Rashi). If Rashi could only see Shuk Machane Yehuda now!

For close to 2,000 years our land rejected all would-be conquerors and remained desolate. The Sifra explains the Torah's curse of the Land during our long exile, "I will make the Land desolate" (Parashat Bechukotai) is actually a blessing in disguise. Because we didn't have to worry when we went into Exile that our enemies would settle our land. Thus, the greening of Israel is a clear signal that G-D's decree of "desolation" for the Land is over and the Redemption is near. The Land of Israel had to go into "hibernation", waiting for us, to return from exile.

The Prophet Yirmiyahu saw the coming Redemption of the Messianic Era and its celebration as being an even greater event than the Exodus from Egypt. "Days are coming, says G-D, when it will no longer be said, as G-D lives Who took Israel out of Egypt, but rather, as G-D lives, Who took Israel out from all the lands that G-D dispersed them" (Yirmiyahu 16).

We are presently in the dawn of the Messianic Era. The Talmud tells us that when the Temple was set on fire on Tisha B'Av, the Kohanim ascended to the roof and taking the keys of the Temple, threw them towards Heaven. They cried, "Oh G-d, we were not worthy of having these keys. You keep them until a generation shall arise that is more worthy to possess them than we are" (Yerushalmi, Shkalim 6).

According to the Rebbe of Chabad ZT"L, we may be that generation, to whom G-D will once again entrust those keys. Let us learn the lesson of Tisha B'Av, by turning SINAT CHINAM into AHAVAT CHINAM, so that the keys of the Temple may be returned to us.