A mere 40 days after Shavuos, Moshe was given the tablets
bearing the Ten Commandments. He proceeded down the mountain
only to find, to his shock and horror, that the people's
spiritual level had deteriorated so far during the
intervening 40 days that they had made a golden calf.
As a result death, sickness, and troubles of all sorts were
brought back to the Jewish people. They had the opportunity
to be immortal, as well as free of illness and the
difficulties of this world, but they let themselves slide.
How far will we slide by the 17th of Tammuz?
Hashem will remove the 17th of Tammuz as a day of mourning
when we have fixed the underlying problem that caused it. We
have just been elevated to stratospheric heights by Shavuos.
What can we do to stop the slide into the 17th of Tammuz?
Hashem wants to give us the best. He does not want to punish
us, nor to educate us in a harsh manner. If we can learn the
lesson that necessitated the 17th of Tammuz, then Hashem will
free us from death and suffering. Hashem does not ask for the
impossible from us.
HaRav Isbee from Yerushalayim suggested that we strengthen
our Torah learning during these 40 days. He explained that a
kinyan is made over 40 days — hence the custom
to go to the Kosel for 40 days, for example.
Let us all try to strengthen ourselves during these 40 days
in all areas. A little more learning, a little more effort to
fulfill halachos in the optimum manner, to be a little nicer
to those around us, a little more awareness that only by
asking Hashem to run the world "His way" do we have a chance
to end all suffering.
