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We are about to enter the month of Av, the month of Leo, which is ruled by the Sun. When the kabbalists teach that a planet controls a month it means that its entire essence and energy– its total spiritual and physical Light – is revealed in that month. Therefore, this month being ruled by the Sun, which shines more brightly than all the other planets, we can either have destruction or we can have the full power of the Light.
The kabbalists teach that because of the darkness that can be revealed during this time, the destruction of the first and second Temples occurred in the month of Av, on the 9th of Av. And the Zohar tells us something interesting. It says that the destruction was brought about because the Israelites were completely ignoring the aspect of “love your neighbor as yourself.” Nothing else, it says, impacted the destruction as much as the fact that one Israelite could not be sensitive to or tolerate another. That was the singular reason for the destruction of the two temples: everyone was out for themselves. There was no consideration of another human being.
Therefore, having human dignity and “loving your neighbor” is more important in this month than any other. And it will be difficult, but it is the choice that we make. If we allow ourselves to slide into intolerance, lack of human dignity, or hatred, we reveal the history and darkness of this month. But as we know, when you have darkness, you also have the potential for Light, and so just as we see that this month has been able to reveal tremendous darkness, we can begin to understand that it can also have the potential to reveal the greatest Light. That is why the Rav has explained that it is in this month of Av, and specifically on the 9th of Av, that we can bring the Final Redemption.
So if we push ourselves to love our neighbors, and push aside intolerance and lack of human dignity, we have the potential to reveal for ourselves - and the world - the great gift of this month, the Light of the Final Redemption, the removal of pain and suffering from our world.
The challenge the month of Av presents is clear. Each of us can step up our efforts in our own way by treating people with human dignity, resisting looking down on others, or lashing out in anger. Every day, find one way to be nicer, more forgiving, more tolerant, more loving. I know it seems like an old message, but it is tremendously important to find a way to make it new this month.