Chazal note that the first day of Pesach and Tisha B’Av always fall on the same day of the week in any given year. The Jewish calendar is teaching us that redemption (Pesach) and tragedy (Tisha B’Av) are interlinked – HaShem does not make us suffer for no reason.
Tragedy, suffering, and galus, are means of purifying us and pushing us to seek HaShem in a world which looks like it is devoid of His Presence.
Thus, galus and tragedy are ultimately steps in bringing about our redemption. Indeed, this explains the fact that the Beis Hamikdash burnt in the afternoon of Tisha B’Av, yet that is the time when we lighten our mourning – we move to sit on normal chairs and put on Tallis and Tefillin. Surely the mourning should be increased in the afternoon if that’s when the Temple burnt?
The answer is that because the destruction of the Temple was necessary to ultimately cleanse us, ensure our survival, and pave the way for a lasting redemption, at the time when the Mikdash was burning we lighten the mourning –
thus recognising the ultimate good behind even the greatest tragedy. This is the real nechama that exists on Tisha B’Av.
