Shabbat Chazon. Three prophets prophesied with the word Eikha: Moshe — "How can I bear it alone," Yeshayahu — "How has she become a harlot," and Yirmiyahu — "How does she sit solitary." The matron was seen in her tranquility, in her folly, and in her degradation.
Rashi on "your trouble, your burden and your strife" — three faults: they were litigious, skeptics who suspected Moshe, and grumblers.
The chiddush: "alone" — until now there was Aharon. Aharon died on Rosh Chodesh Av; he was the one who loved peace and pursued peace. Now Moshe asks: how can I make peace alone? The answer — "Bring for yourselves wise men."
From "Ayeka" (God's question to Adam) to "Eikha" — the very same letters. When a person loses his place and his light — the churban follows. The remedy: ahavat chinam, love without cause.
We are inside the Three Weeks, approaching Parashat Devarim and Shabbat Chazon — named for the haftara "The vision of Yeshayahu son of Amotz," whose every theme touches the churban.
Moshe delivers his farewell address from Rosh Chodesh Shevat until the 7th of Adar — 36 days. A hint: "Eleh" ("these") equals 36 in gematria. Rebukes, a review of the Torah, and guidance for entering the Land — all according to the word of the Holy One.
Midrash Eikha: "Three prophesied with the word Eikha — Moshe, Yeshayahu and Yirmiyahu."
"Your trouble" — they were litigious: the one who lost a case would not accept it — "I have more witnesses, more proofs, I demand another hearing" — unwilling to yield.
"Your burden" — they were skeptics: if they saw Moshe leave his tent early, they said "what did the son of Amram see — surely he is at ease in his home"; if he was late — "he sits and plots schemes against you." They always suspected him.
"Your strife" — they were grumblers: constant claims, anger and complaints.
"Alone" implies that until now I was not alone. With whom? With Aharon. Moshe is speaking on Rosh Chodesh Av — and Aharon died on Rosh Chodesh Av (we read this in Parashat Massei, the previous portion).
The answer: appoint men who will take on the trait that Aharon and I possessed — and make peace in the camp in our place.
Had they made peace and grasped the rebuke — they would not have spiraled into churban. The ruin of "How does she sit solitary" begins from the absence of peace, from baseless hatred. This is why, precisely during Bein HaMetzarim, the Torah revealed Aharon's passing in Parashat Massei — to remind us that the key to redemption is peace.
The very same letters! "Ayeka" — the Holy One's question to Adam. Did He not know where Adam was? Rather, not "where are you" geographically — "where is your light? where is your wholeness?"
This is the key during Bein HaMetzarim: the Temple was destroyed through baseless hatred — so let us increase ahavat chinam, love without cause, between one another and toward the Holy One, and merit the complete redemption, soon. Amen.
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