On Shabbat - Tu B'Av (the 15th of Av). It is considered a good and special day, to the extent that it is written about it in the Talmud: ”There were no days as good for Israel as the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur." Tu B'Av is actually not a holiday for couples, but a holiday for those seeking love. What made this day the "Jewish holiday of love"? Many things:
1. First of all, during the period of wandering in the desert, in the sin of the spies, the children of Israel cried for nothing, and didn't want to enter the Land of Israel, and were punished. Every year on Tisha B'Av some of those criers died. This continued for 40 years of wandering in the desert. In the fortieth year, on Tu B'Av, the last group that remained alive understood that the decree had ended. That they would remain alive. That they would enter the Land of Israel. Thus Tu B'Av became a day of joy.
2. On Tu B'Av, after entering the land and settling in it, all the tribes began to marry each other. Thus a phenomenon that caused tension and separation between the tribes of Israel was abolished.
3. On Tu B'Av the law that prevented pilgrimage was abolished. During the time of King Yerovam son of Nebat, the kingdom in Israel was split in two. Yerovam prevented residents of the Kingdom of Israel from making pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which was in the Kingdom of Judah. But again, on this special day, Tu B'Av, this law was abolished. From now on, the people of the split kingdom could celebrate together again in Jerusalem.
4. Tu B'Av is described in the Gemara as a day when the daughters of Jerusalem would go out to the vineyards dressed in white, in borrowed clothes, so there would be no class distinctions and jealousy, in order to find their life partner. Nowadays it is customary to use this day for prayers and personal requests of anyone still searching for their other half.
5. Tu B'Av is marked in Kabbalah books as the day of the beginning of the days of repentance, half a month before Elul. Some have the custom to already begin wishing from now “”Ketiva VeChatima Tova” (a good writing and sealing- for the upcoming new year).
So what is the common denominator? For thousands of years this has been a day of connection, reconciliation and love. May we feel this today as well. Shabbat Shalom and Happy Tu B'Av!
