It is told about the mighty king Napoleon, who once stumbled into a synagogue on the night of Tisha B’av. When he saw the saying of Kinot, the sitting on the ground, the sorrow and grief and sighing, the mourning customs, he was interested in knowing ‘what happened’.
“The destruction of the temple,” he was answered, “that’s what they mourn for.”
– “When was this temple destructed”?
– “Fifteen hundred years ago”.
– “What? How much?”
– “Your Highness, we mourn the temple that was destroyed fifteen hundred years ago.”
“Like this”?, mighty king wondered in his heart. He must have tried, without success, to recall a leadership similar to that of the nations of the world. To mourn a house that was destroyed more than a thousand years ago?!?
So he spoke out and said, that a nation that can mourn like this on a temple for such a long time – this nation will eventually receive redemption, and it will return and build this house from its ruins.
Indeed, it is true! And these things were said, that the one who mourns for Jerusalem, wins and sees her joy! And I have a big doubt in my heart if that Gentile knew how much he was aiming at the truth in this case.

We chose to bring this instructive story to refine the theme of “Ahavat Chinam”
Our sages, tell us that the Temple was destroyed by a crime of Sinat Chinam!, for some reason we are still based in the mud of exile, for almost two thousand years, and it seems that we haven’t internalized and haven’t done enough to love each other more…
When we talk about Ahavat Chinam, we mean love that has no conditions, love without limits, just like a mother who loves her baby, and does not expect anything in return from him!
This is most appropriate when we talk about “Ceseed Shel Emet”!
When we come to do kindness with one who is not with us, one cannot even thank us for it, it is “Ahavat Chinam” including its beauty and power!

That’s why today, on the fast of Tisha B’Av, when we mourn the house that was destroyed by the crime of Sinat Chinam, let’s harness and increase the “Ahavat Chinam”, we will share in the “Ceseed Shel Emet” with those who were not privileged to leave behind them a seed, and by virtue of this lofty mitzvah we will achieve the salvation!