The month of Av is upon us, bringing with it the weight of history and the shadows of the “Three Weeks.” We are told to decrease our joy and focus on the destruction of the Temple. But in the latest episode of the Shuva Israel Podcast, Mori V’Rabbi Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, Shlita, explains that our mourning is not about stone and wood—it is about the loss of our internal clarity.
The Consolation of the Living
The Rabbi poses a classic question: Why did our forefather Jacob refuse to be comforted for twenty-two years when he thought Yosef was dead? Rashi answers with a monumental principle: A person cannot accept consolation for someone who is still alive.
This is the secret of the Jewish people. We have been in mourning for 2,000 years because, deep in our souls, we know the Divine Presence and the Temple are not dead. They are merely hidden. Because the “Central Lamp” of our nation still burns, we cannot be fully comforted until we see it rebuilt before our eyes.
The Root of Destruction: Lack of Da’at
The Gemara in Berakhot teaches that “Exile only comes because of a lack of understanding (Da’at).” Rabbi Pinto explains that destruction doesn’t happen in a single moment. The Temple was physically burned by the Romans, but the L-rd told them: “You burned a building that was already burned.”
When a person begins to rot from within through sin, theft, or immorality, their “Temple” is already ground to dust, even if they still appear successful on the outside. Rebuilding the Temple means reclaiming our Da’at—realizing that everything, from our health to our bank account, depends solely on our relationship with the Almighty.
The True Definition of Baseless Hatred
We often think “Baseless Hatred” means hating someone for no reason. But the Rabbi brings a piercing insight from the Ramban: It is the act of harboring a grievance in your heart without speaking it out.
The Torah commands: “Do not hate your brother in your heart… surely rebuke your fellow.” When you hold onto resentment instead of communicating, you create a “poisoned air” in your home and community. True peace is only possible when we have the courage to be honest and the humility to forgive.
The Sinkhole of Boredom
Finally, the Rabbi addresses a modern plague: Boredom. The Sages teach that “boredom leads to danger.” When a person has nothing to do, they look for drama, they make phone calls for no reason, and they fall into the “Sinkhole of life.”
“If you are bored, go study,” the Rabbi urges. Every moment of boredom is a moment where the Yetzer Hara can plant an “Idol in your Sanctuary.”
This month, let us guard our hearts and sharpen our minds. Let us find the “Understanding” that makes us worthy of the Third Temple—not one built of stone, but one built of a pure and united Jewish soul.
🎧 Listen to the full masterclass on the Shuva Israel Podcast: https://shorturl.at/Zkgbv
Stay connected. Stay holy. Shuva Israel.
