 The following ma’amar will go deeper than perhaps most people care to go. However it gives us an insight into Tu B’Av which usually leaves us with nothing except not having said Tachanun.
“There never were Yomim Tovim (good-joyful days) for Yisroel like Tu B’Av# and Yom Kippur. On these two days the daughters of Yerushalayim# would go out in white, borrowed clothing, in order not to embarrass those that did not have white (evidently fancy) clothing, and dance. Whoever needed a wife would go there and choose# … I understand Yom Kippur# # (being a Yom Tov) … ela Tu B’Av, mai hi (but what is the significance of Tu B’Av)?”
What follows is a number of different answers given by different Amora’im (Talmudic sages). (I will not give all the background information on all cases as that would overly extend the ma’amar.)
The Shevatim
It was the day that the shevatim (tribes) were allowed to intermarry.# #
Shevet Binyomin
It was the day that they allowed Shevet Binyomin to marry into the other tribes.#
The Termination of Death
It was the day that those destined to die in the desert finished dying.# Also, Hashem did not speak to Moshe in the customary way during all those years but now, again, He did.
Hoshea Ben Elah
It was the day that Hoshea ben Elah# removed the sentries# that Yeravam ben Nevot had placed on the roads to stop Yisroel from going to the Bais Hamikdash on the Yomim Tovim.#
Beitar
It was the day that the slain Jews of Beitar were given burial after seven years.# On the day that they were buried the Sages in Yavneh# instituted the fourth brachah in Birchas Hamazon (Grace after meals), Hatov (Who is good)# Vehameitiv (and confers good).#
The Decline of the Sun
The day that they stopped cutting trees for the fire on the mizbei’ach (altar).# # #
The Rashbam
See the Rashbam# that all the above reasons do not disagree. They all happened on this day. If so we need to know what is it about this day that caused all these things to happen? Just as Tisha B’Av caused many things to happen, so Tu B’Av must have a quality that caused all these happy things to happen.
The Key
The answer is a rather surprising one. The key is in the last answer – the weakening of the sun.
Actuality and Nullification
See the Maharal,# “Daytime connotes actuality and night non-existence … all actualities fade. Only Hashem lasts … (going on the Korban Pesach – the bringing of the Pascal lamb) when the sun starts to set (immediately after mid-day)# starts the time to sacrifice the Pesach which teaches the oneness of Hashem when everything else starts# towards fading into death and darkness.# This is why we say on Shabbos at Mincha, ‘You are One and Your Name is One.’ Mincha is the time of Oneness when everything else fades.”
Each Year
This is true not only each day as the sun begins to set but also every year as the sun begins to weaken (Tu B’Av).# “…Chag (holiday) of Succos is the end of the year (which started on Pesach). Winter is not part of the time because of its absence of plants …” The main part of the year is in the days of the sun and therefore only then you find all the chagim and times of kedushah (holiness). However, in winter everything is dead. See the Nesivos (Maharal) beginning of chp 4. “The main existence is in the day when there is light but at night it is dark and everything is meaningless.”
One – Nothing Else
The main point of the Maharal is that the reason why all beings become nullified is because Hashem is One. “One” means that there ultimately is nothing else. Therefore, Yisroel also, since they are created, they would also be nullified. However, since they are misdabek (cleave) to Hashem they are also one, as it were, with Hashem.# That is why at Mincha (afternoon services) which is the time of becoming nullified, as before, it says it is an ais rotzon (a time of pleasing).# How much more so on Shabbos which is the peak time of oneness with Hashem when we say (as before), “You are One and Your Name is One,” which is the nullification of the actuality. It is specifically then that we accentuate “and who is like Your nation Yisroel, one nation in the world.”# #
The Simcha of Tu B’Av
We brought earlier that the beginning of the time of the weakening of the sun is the time of the beginning of the nullification of existence and points to the oneness of Hashem and eternity of Hashem. Therefore, specifically on this day of Tu B’Av which on one hand attests to the nullification of existence since the sun begins to weaken, nevertheless specifically it, at the same time, attests to the eternity of Yisroel because of their oneness, as it were, to Hashem, and therefore, attests to the durability and even restoration to life from previous nullification,# due to their oneness with Hashem. See Rav Tzodok,# “Therefore, Yisroel count according to the lunar calendar because precisely at the time of the moon’s nullification from the previous month is exactly the time of the beginning of the new month.”
Yom Kippur
Therefore, it has a connection to Yom Kippur which itself is a techiyas hameisim (a return from the dead).# This is more explicitly shown at the time when the rest of existence is fading away. Specifically, then, is the time of the happenings mentioned earlier and of simcha.
Yitzchok Avinu
Therefore, it is specifically Yitzchok who is the essence of the afternoon# who established the Mincha tefillah (prayer), was a korban (sacrifice) and who brought the actuality of techiyas hameisim into the world.# #
Rejuvenation of Yisroel
Therefore, specifically on this day of the weakening of the sun, which represents the nullification of existence, as before, on this very day is the rejuvenation of Yisroel through their attachment and oneness with Hashem. Therefore, on this day the ones who were to die in the desert stopped dying and Hashem’s prophecy returned to Moshe. Because in the desert, due to the episode of the meraglim (spies), there was a nullification of Yisroel both physically (death) and spiritually (prophecy).
However, this was not an eternal lacking which would entail a lessening of Yisroel’s status. The strength of Yisroel always goes from fall to growth.#
Hoshea ben Elah
That which Hoshea ben Elah removed the sentries was also on this day. See there the Maharsha who asks why is this considered a simcha since on account of it the ten tribes were punished and went into exile.# If I were not afraid it might be possible to answer that indeed, if the simcha would have been on account of this it would be a difficult question. However, the simcha is for the day of Tu B’av, as before, which is a day of solidarity and oneness and actuality, which is a cause for simcha. Separateness and bitul is cause for sorrow.# Therefore, the removal of the sentries was in and of itself a simcha and occurred on that day. That which Yisroel did not take advantage of the situation and were therefore punished is a side issue.
The Shevotim and Binyomin
This is also why that which the shevotim and Binyomin could again intermarry happened on this day – intrinsic oneness.
Beitar
In this way we can also understand the dead of Beitar. We need to first understand why specifically the dead of Beitar were not allowed to be buried. Also why, afterwards, did Chazal establish the brachah of “hatov vehameitiv” and what does this brachah have to do with bentching.
Malchus
The city of Beitar had specific meaning. See the Maharsha# who brings the Yerushalmi that when Beitar was destroyed the “Keren” (horn) Yisroel was uprooted and it will not return until Moshiach comes. That is why they established it next to the brachah of “Bonei (Who rebuilds) Yerushalayim.” See the Maharsha# that “keren” refers to malchus (kingship).# See the Maharal# that keren means power which is the same thing. If so, Beitar signified the concept of malchus by Yisroel. Therefore, their death seemed to signify the end of malchus in Yisroel.
Kevurah
This was all the more significant in the fact that they were not buried. Non-burial signifies non-importance, of no value and nullification. Their bodies were left for the birds and animals. This is the ultimate debasement of the concept of malchus. Kevurah (burial) on the other hand, signifies hatmonoh (storage) like a treasure to be used again in the future. See Maharal# “…kevurah signifies hatmonoh for the future … for techiyas hameisim (life after death)…”
Non Decay
However, when their bodies did not decay after seven years and were buried, this proved the very opposite. True, malchus had been disrupted but the concept was still alive.
Keren
“Keren” is specifically used regarding malchus. “I will cause the Keren of Beis Yisroel to sprout.”# “I will cause the Keren of Dovid to sprout”# “and his (Dovid’s) Keren raise through Your salvation”# “and the sprouting of the Keren of Your servant Dovid.”#
Specifically Then
Therefore, when “He cut down in burning anger all keren in Yisroel”# especially at the time of its nullification,# specifically then, there was a manifestation of a miraculous nature that there would yet be a future time for the return of the malchus.#
Hatov Vehameitiv
Therefore, Chazal instituted the brachah of “Hatov vehameitiv” in bentching next to the brachah of “Uv’nei Yerushalayim (Build Jerusalem)” which is a tefillah that the malchus should be restored and “Hatov vehameitiv” is a sign and havtachah to us that indeed it will be.
The Maharal
I later found the following in the Maharal,# “That which they instituted ‘Hatov vehameitiv’ on the dead of Beitar … because after Beitar was destroyed and midas hadin was on Yisroel because of their sins, despite all this, Hashem was then good to them. This is greater than all regular goodness because Hashem did goodness in the midst of din which reveals a greater aspect of His goodness.# This is ‘Hatov vehameitiv.’”
There are reasons also why this brachah was specifically put into bentching (grace after meals) but again the hour is late.
Shidduchim
Therefore, the daughters of Yerushalayim would go out dancing in the fields because on a complete actuality there is simcha.# They made shidduchim then which is an aspect of completion of a new actuality. They all wore borrowed clothing not to shame anyone because from shame comes jealousy which separates, which works against a day of oneness.# #
White
There’s more but this is more than enough. I’ll just add one more thought. The Maharal# and others state that whiteness is a symbol of purity, forgiveness and new beginnings. Perhaps this is why they wore white clothing, to have in mind that the purpose of the dancing was an act of purity.#
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