Tu b'Av Shalom Bayit Special Edition

On the 9th of Av, God decreed that all adults who left Egypt would die in the desert before entering the Holy Land. Consequently, on each subsequent 9th of Av, 15,000 people would go to sleep, not expecting to wake up. In the final year, on the 9th of Av, the last 15,000 lay down but did not die. Believing they had miscalculated the date, they continued to do so until the 15th of Av. On that day, a full moon revealed they had not miscalculated; rather, God had lifted the decree. This is why the 15th of Av is commemorated today.

Why do we commemorate it on the 15th of Av and not the 9th? The answer lies in the idea that we truly appreciate something when we recognize its significance. Often, people only realize the value of what they have after it is gone. Similarly, in Parshat Va'etchanan, God commands us to love Him. Our sages teach that we can cultivate this love by recognizing all the good He has given us. Appreciate what you have now—a smiling, caring...