Tisha B’Av

The Gemara brings: the first Beis HaMikdash had five attributes over the second Beis HaMikdash. The first Beis HaMikdash had the Aron, Kapores, and Keruvim, which are counted as one, the fire, the Shechina, ruach haKodesh, and the Urim V’tumim. The second Beis HaMikdash was missing these things, since they were not effective. The Breysa brings: the fire on the arrangement of wood on the Mizbeyach would crouch as a lion. The Gemara is bothered: Rabi Chanina S’gan HaKohanim said “I saw the fire and it was like a dog”? The Gemara answers it depends, by the first Beis HaMikdash the fire was like a lion who crouches, whereas by the second Beis HaMikdash it was like a dog who crouches.

Why were there these five attributes by the first Beis HaMikdash and missing by the second Beis HaMikdash? And in what way is the first Beis HaMikdash compared to a lion crouching and the second to a dog crouching?

The Maharal explains that a lion that crouches represents strength and a firm connection to its place, whereas a dog that crouches represents a lesser amount of strength and less connection to its place. The first Beis HaMikdash had the Shechina firmly connected with us below, and it did not move away from the Beis HaMikdash at all. Therefore the fire crouched as a lion which reflected a strong and complete connection with Hashem. It had the Aron, Keruvim, and Kapores which reflected the love of Hashem and Yisrael, by the Keruvim facing each other. There was ruach HaKodesh from Hashem, and the Urim V’tumim relayed Hashem’s messages and decisions to us. However, the fire in the second Beis HaMikdash crouched like a dog, reflecting an incomplete connection with Hashem.

The Gemara brings: the first Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of the three cardinal sins. The second Beis HaMikdash was destroyed for sinas chinum, hating one another for no good reason. The Maharal explains, since the first Beis HaMikdash had such a strong connection and closeness with Hashem, therefore the Kedusha was not removed until Bnei Yisrael transgressed many stringent aveiros. However, by the second Beis HaMikdash, the Kedusha was removed with less aveiros, mainly sinas chinum, because it was not as firmly connected.

The Gemara brings that sinas chinam and the three cardinal sins were equal. HaRav Hutner explains that the three cardinal sins are indeed more stringent, as their punishment is missas beis din and kareis, whereas sinas chinam is a lo saseh. The Gemara means that they were both equal causes for the Batei Mikdash to be destroyed.

May Hashem bring back the deep closeness and connection which we had with Him, and rebuild the third Beis HaMikdash speedily in our days.