תשעה באב
Dedicate a Shiur in Tisha B'Av
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
6 shiurim for Tisha B'Av
Why were Jerusalem and other Jewish centers destroyed despite their righteousness? The Talmud's explanation about not being "ro'eh es hanolad" reveals a profound moral principle: even when making correct decisions, we must consider and mitigate negative consequences for others.
Why is sinas chinam (baseless hatred) worse than murder? The shiur argues that sinas chinam stems from treating love relationships as business obligations. When we convert our unconditional giving into expectations of what we're "owed," we create anger and hatred - not from real violations, but from misunderstanding love's true nature.
Why do we mourn for seven weeks before beginning teshuvah on Tisha B'Av when we know the sin was sinas chinam? The Churban wasn't punishment for specific aveiros but the loss of our emotional relationship with Hashem. Mechanical mitzvah observance without rachmana liba ba'i led to the destruction, requiring us to first feel what we've lost before attempting repair.
Why does the Rambam say punishment obligates teshuvah, yet we spend weeks mourning and comforting ourselves after Tisha B'Av before beginning teshuvah? The tragedy of sin isn't decreased quality of life but complete disconnection from existence itself. Without connection to Hashem, we literally don't exist — making mourning and comfort necessary before meaningful teshuvah can begin.
Why does Hashem punish crying specifically after the spies' sin, rather than focusing on their Lashon Hara? The shiur develops that speech has two sources - intellectual thought versus visceral reaction from the body - and crying represents pure visceral response without intellectual control, which was the core problem with accepting the evil report.
Why does the holiday celebrating freedom center on matzah, the bread of affliction that symbolizes slavery? The shiur develops a yesod that speaking about trauma transforms the victim into master of the experience. When we can proudly tell our children how slavery made us stronger, we achieve complete mastery over suffering and recognize divine providence.
