This is a famous saying of our sages: ”When Av enters, we diminish joy.” During these days leading up to the Ninth of Av, days of mourning over the destruction of the Temple, we refrain from many joyful things, but what do we do instead?
Here's a lovely idea that Racheli Peretz sent me: "Until the Ninth of Av, there are many prohibitions, and we need to diminish joy. We don't get married, don't buy new clothes, most communities don't eat meat... but that doesn't mean there's no joy. This is the time for joy that is permitted according to Jewish law, and it is true joy, which will also build the Temple:
When you know you've helped someone – you leave with a much better feeling than from an expensive meat meal at a restaurant. When you do a true act of kindness, when you know you restrained yourself from yelling at the children, when you didn't 'fall' and succeeded in setting boundaries for yourself – this is true joy, and usually it doesn't even cost money...
The days before the Ninth of Av are the days to add this kind of joy, which doesn't depend on shopping or something external and doesn't fade away after a moment. Pure joy that fills the soul more than the body. Joy of a mitzvah, which builds us internally, and builds the Temple.
Our enemies tried to turn our Simchat Torah holiday into a Ninth of Av for us. With God's help, may we merit that the Ninth of Av – will become Simchat Torah for us!"
Amen.
