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Why does the Rambam (רמב"ם) list five separate tragedies for each of these fast days rather than having them occur together? The shiur develops a yesod distinguishing two aspects of our relationship with Hashem (ה׳): King versus Father. Shiva Asar B'Tammuz mourns the loss of divine service, while Tisha B'Av mourns the destruction of our spiritual home and Father-child relationship.
Rabbi Zweig presents an innovative analysis of the differences between Shiva Asar B'Tammuz and Tisha B'Av based on the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s description in Hilchos Taanios. He notes that the Rambam describes five tragedies on each day, but questions why certain events couldn't have occurred on the same day if Hashem (ה׳) controls history. The shiur develops a fundamental thesis: Shiva Asar B'Tammuz represents the loss of our ability to serve God as King, while Tisha B'Av represents the loss of our relationship with God as Father and our spiritual home. The Rabbi analyzes two different biblical sources the Rambam uses for the mitzvah (מצוה) to build the Beis Hamikdash - one emphasizing serving Hashem, the other emphasizing building 'for them' (livnos lohem). This leads to understanding the Mikdash as having two aspects: a place of divine service and a place that serves as our spiritual home. The tragedies of Shiva Asar B'Tammuz (cessation of the Tamid offering, burning of the Torah (תורה), placing an idol in the Heichal) all relate to the destruction of divine service - God as King.
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Is raising your hand against someone (assault) merely a "shem rasha" or is it a Torah prohibition that carries malkus? The shiur analyzes whether the lav applies only when you actually hit (battery) or whether threatening counts as the beginning of the prohibited act. Targum Yonasan ben Uziel's reading of "arba'im yakenu"—that the fortieth malkah is lifting the hand without striking—suggests that the gesture itself constitutes a hakah and triggers the lav.
Why does the Rambam define the mitzvah of teshuva as vidui (confession) rather than internal repentance? The shiur argues that genuine teshuva requires focusing on the victim—God or others—rather than self-improvement. Teshuva means "return" to closeness with Hashem, not merely fixing past mistakes.
Hilchos Taanios, Perek 5, Halachah 2
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