Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser Addresses Kinus on Shivah Asar B’Tammuz

On Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, Sunday, July 20, an inspiring kinus hisorerus took place at Khal Bais Yitzchok in Brooklyn, focusing on churban haBayis and related themes. The mara d’asra, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, shlita, addressed the crowd.

In his drashah, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser cited the well-known statement of the Yerushalmi (Yoma, first perek) “Kol dor she’eino nivneh Beis Hamikdash b’yamav ma’alin alav k’ilu hecherivo — Every generation in which the Beis Hamikdash is not rebuilt is considered as if that generation had destroyed it.”

This statement warrants elaboration. After the churban, there were many generations in which exemplary tzaddikim and kedoshim surely did their part to contribute to the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash. Why would the churban be attributed to the people of a particular dor simply because it wasn’t rebuilt in their time?

The Sfas Emes explains that one cannot realistically expect that any given generation, as extraordinary as it might be, would have sufficient merit to bring the geulah sheleimah. Rather, each generation has contributions to make, through the avodas hakodesh of its members, that will collectively lead to the geulah. This truth is alluded to in Birkas Hamazon, in which we say, “Uvenei Yerushalayim ir hakodesh bimheirah v’yameinu,” asking Hashem to rebuild Yerushalayim in our days, on which one of the meforshim comments that v’yameinu also means “with our days,” implying that spending our days serving Hashem with mitzvos and maasim tovim will bring the geulah.

Redemption is an ongoing process, and every generation has its responsibility to add another brick, as it were, to the edifice in Shamayim that represents the structure of the Beis Hamikdash.

Therefore, the intent of Chazal is that if, in any given generation, no “construction” takes place, meaning no deeds are done to bring the geulah, the geulah is then pushed off, chas v’shalom, and that dor, in effect, causes the churban of the Beis Hamikdash.

To underscore how important it is for each individual to feel responsibility for the klal, the Rabbi Goldwasser quoted Hagaon Harav Aharon Steinman, shlita, who cited the Gemara (Gittin 57a) which relates that in the city of Tur Malka, 300,000 soldiers went around killing for three days and three nights, while on the other side of the city a festive party was taking place. The people on each side knew nothing of what was transpiring on the other side.

There is an important lesson for our times in this incident. We are confronted with numerous tzaros today — the precarious situation in Eretz Yisrael, the recent tragedies that took place there, the long list of cholim, the deteriorating economic situation that makes it hard for many to find parnassah … the list goes on and on. A person living in America who hears of a tragedy in Eretz Yisrael or an unfortunate occurrence in Paris is liable to feel complacent because he is far away, not linked to these events.

Such an attitude is inappropriate, he said. A Yid must react to such news by feeling a sense of achrayus to take action that has the potential to arouse rachmei Shamayim and cause gezeiros ra’os to be annulled, as well as contribute to the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash.

To demonstrate the imperative of doing peulos (acts) to deal with the challenges of our times, Harav Steinman said that involvements such as limud haTorah, hachzakas haTorah, and chessed are akin to making efforts to extinguish a great conflagration.

The period of Bein Hametzarim is a zeman that is mesugal for cheshbon hanefesh, a time to reflect upon which aspects of one’s ruchniyus need rectification. Harav Goldwasser pointed out that an essential part of that agenda is to make kabbalos to improve in specific areas. Some suggestions included expanding one’s learning commitments, being more sensitive in our interactions with others, working to combat undesirable middos such as envy, making a concerted effort to increase our acts of chessed for acheinu Bnei Yisrael — such as involving ourselves in hachnasas orchim, bikur cholim, and shidduchim — and working to be mekarev others l’Avinu shebaShamayim.

As is well known, the Gemara tells us (Yoma 9b) that the First Beis Hamikdash was destroyed because of the aveiros of gilui arayos, shefichas damim, and avodah zarah, while the churban of the Second Beis Hamikdash was brought about by sinas chinam. Harav Goldwasser cited Harav Nosson Wachtfogel, zt”l, the longtime Mashgiach of Beis Medrash Govoha, who noted that the galus following churban Bayis Rishon, which was caused by the three cardinal sins, lasted only seventy years, while the exile after churban Bayis Sheini, which was due to baseless hatred, has already lasted for thousands of years. This, he said, emphasizes the severity of the sin of sinas chinam.

Our avodah today is to be mesaken this major shortcoming by increasing our ahavas Yisrael.

One way to work on this objective is by being vigilant in shemiras halashon. Harav Goldwasser suggested learning two halachos of shemiras halashon each day, according to the seder halimud instituted by Harav Yehudah Zev Segal, zt”l, the Manchester Rosh Yeshivah. He also suggested participating in mishmeres campaigns to generate zechuyos for cholim and others in need.

A weighty matter upon which to reflect during these weeks, said the Rav, is that the single greatest mitzvah one can perform in this world is kiddush Hashem, while the single greatest aveirah is chillul Hashem. Accordingly, we must ask ourselves: Have we done our share to create a kiddush Hashem in the world, and have we distanced ourselves from that which could possibly be a chillul Hashem?

By utilizing this zeman to ponder this question and strengthen ourselves in Torah, tikkun hamiddos, and chessed, we will surely find opportunities for kiddush Hashem, wherein we can glorify Hashem’s Name in the world.