אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן.

Tachanun is omitted on this day.1

רוֹשֵׁם אַאַמוּ"ר: מַעֲלַת ט"ו בְּאָב עַל כָּל ט"ו בַּחֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁזֶּהוּ רַק הַשְּׁלֵמוּת בְּהַגִּלּוּי, אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם הִיא רַק בְּחִינַת מְקַבֵּל, אֲבָל בט"ו בְּאָב הָאוֹר בָּהּ בִּקְבִיעוּת, לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲלִיָּה הִיא לְפִי עֶרֶךְ עוֹצֶם הַיְרִידָה דְּתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב... וְזֶהוּ תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל חַמָּה. עוֹבְדֵי כוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת מוֹנִים לְחַמָּה בִּישָׁא, וּבְט"ו תָּשַׁשׁ כו' בְּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מִזְּמַן הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיוּ נִכְנָעִים לִשְׁלֹמֹה, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לֶעָתִיד, וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו, בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל לְגַמְרֵי, וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר כו', וּמֵעֵין זֶה בט"ו בְּאָב תָּשַׁשׁ כו'.

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab] once wrote the following2 about the superiority of the Fifteenth of Av3 over the fifteenth of other months: Although the fifteenth of any month represents the completeness [of the moon] in a revealed way,4 the moon in those months is still only a passive recipient [of light from the sun]. On the Fifteenth of Av, by contrast, its light is more lasting, for its ascent [which is indicated by its waxing] is proportionate to the [preceding] drastic descent of Tishah BeAv[…].

This is the meaning of [the Talmudic statement that from the Fifteenth of Av], “the sun’s power is weakened.”5 The “idolaters reckon time according to the sun,”6 [which in this context serves as a Kabbalistic allusion to the level of evil personified by the sun7 ], whose power is weakened on the Fifteenth [of Av]. If this applied in the era of the Beis HaMikdash,when [the idolaters] were subservient to King Shlomo,8 how much more certainly will it apply to the future generation when “nations will stream” [to the Beis HaMikdash]9 in a state of utter self-effacement.10 For concerning that era there is a Divine promise that “I will banish the spirit of impurity from the world.”11 A foretaste of this occurs on the Fifteenth of Av, when the sun’s power is weakened.

Peering Over the Horizon

The waxing and waning of the moon, from a mere sliver of light at the beginning of the month to its fullness on the fifteenth, and then back again, parallels the rhythm of every individual’s life, and the descents we must go through in order to ascend.

Since the spiritual descent that begins on 17 Tammuz and ends on Tishah BeAvis much harsher than the descent that occurs in other months, the ascent that follows it is also greater. Hence the great rejoicing on the Fifteenth of Av.

When the light and power of the Jewish people (represented by the moon) ascends, the negative influence of the idolatrous nations (represented by the sun) weakens. However, as the above teaching implies, the sun’s light will never be extinguished. Rather, in the Ultimate Future, the gentile nations will accept the leadership of Mashiach and their influence in the world will be positive.