A delegation from Babylonia put forth a query to the prophet Zechariah, asking whether the fast of the Ninth of Av was still in effect, now that the Second Temple had been built. In response, Zechariah transmitted G‑d’s message that it was not fasting that was most important, but to uphold justice, truth, kindness and compassion.
Zechariah also foretold what will occur to the fast days in the Messianic era: “So says the L‑rd of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month [the seventeenth of Tammuz], the fast of the fifth month [the ninth of Av], the fast of the seventh month [the third of Tishrei], and the fast of the tenth month [the tenth of Teves] will be to the House of Judah for rejoicing, happiness, and festivals.” (Zechariah 7–8)
After a three-month-long unsuccessful battle and siege waged by Suleiman Pasha, governor of Damascus, against the sheikh of Tiberias, the governor finally left the city. To mark their salvation and the numerous miracles that had occurred throughout the siege, the Jews of Tiberias, led by the venerable R. Chaim Abulafia (1660–1744), established this date as a yearly festival of rejoicing and praise to G‑d. (Yalkut Me’am Lo’ez, Esther 9:28)
We all suffer a maddening delusion of being something separate from G‑d. The delusion of “I.”
We cannot heal it, because yes, we exist, for He created us.
We cannot live with it, because this chilling notion of otherness is a denial of the truth.
But we can resolve it in the act of learning Torah. In learning Torah, He speaks with us. If there were no other, with whom would He speak?
We can resolve it in prayer. In prayer, we speak with Him. If there were no other, who would speak with Him?
We can resolve it in every mitzvah. Through every mitzvah, we become one with Him. If there were no other, two would not become one.
Now the reality of our otherness is no longer simply a delusion, but a treasured artifact of a divine desire: that two should become one.
As Adam, the primal human, said, “This ‘I’ was created to serve its Creator.”