Ep. 601: What Should Be Our Focus During These Days Following Tisha B’Av?

Rabbi Jacobson will discuss the following topics: What should be our focus during these days following Tisha B'Av?  15 Av What is the relevance of this day? Why is it considered the greatest holiday together with Yom Kippur? Why did they break the axe after finishing the yearly wood chopping quota instead of keeping it for next year? Will this day still be celebrated after Moshiach comes? Or will the transformed 9th of Av supplant this day? What maamar or sicha do you suggest we learn explaining this day? What lessons do we learn from living with the times, with this week’s Torah parsha? How does Eikev allude to ikvasa d’meshicha, the heel/footsteps of Moshiach?  What is the meaning of ikvasa d’meshicha – why is it called “heel”? What is its significance? What's the difference between the footsteps of Moshiach, the days of Moshiach, and the era of Moshiach? And which stage are we in today? Why is Eikev the gematria of the 172 words of the Ten Commandments? Are the seven species that with which Israel is blessed (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates) healthier for us? Why is the second set of tablets greater than the first? If we are comforted by being shown the third temple on Shabbos Chazon, why do we additionally need Shabbos Nachamu? Why is there a double expression of consolation – Nachamu Nachamu stated twice? Can we say that the first half of summer is sadder due to The Three Weeks, and the second half is happier due to the Seven Weeks of Comfort? What can one do if they don't feel consoled on this Shabbos due to the active problems that exist in the world? Why was Moshe told to stop praying to enter Israel when we are taught that prayer has the power to change G-d's will? Was Moshe praying or asking for a gift? Is it risky to ask G-d for a favor? How is it possible that with the great revelations of holiness in the Beis Hamikdash people were able to sin and cause its destruction? Is the Beis Hamikdash an actual physical structure or is it a superconscious collective state of harmony between the spiritual and physical world? Even if we aren’t allowed to rebuild the Beis Hamikdash, can we start collecting money for it?  Is Israel holy because the Beis Hamikdash was there, or was the Beis Hamikdosh there because Israel is holy? When Moshiach comes, will we all feel it? Why does the Torah name some villains and not others? Why did the sages not speak up in defense of Bar Kamtza and why is the name of the host not mentioned – the Chasam Sofer’s explanation? Eikev Nachamu Vaetchanan Rebuilding the Temple Kamtza and Bar Kamtza – follow-up