From: Rachamim Pauli                                                   B"H
Subject: Rav Soloveitchik on Tisha B'Av

Based on a lecture given on the
8th of Menachem Av by HaRav Aaron Adler at the Ramat Modiim "Rav Tachliti
Synagogue" - Chashmonayim. (My thanks to Rabbi Dov Green for his tape
recording - I hope that my translation from Hebrew will be on par with the
intent of the lecture some redundancies I have left out)

"I would like to thank the 'Kahall' on the opportunity to speak this
evening on the timely subject of Tisha B'Av with outlook of the Rav on
the Kinnot of Tisha B'Av. What is a "Talmud Muvhok" of Rav Soloveitchik.
Let me tell you that the Rav was fortunate to raise not one generation,
but two generations of Talmidim. He had thousands of Talmidim but few
can be classified as "Talmud Muvhok" and that is only a handful. One of
which is Moraynu Rabbaynu Rav Aaron Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshiva Alon
Shuvut. Also here and there only a handful of Talmidim at Yeshiva
University. Now many thousands can point to Rav Soloveitchik as Rav
Muvhok but there are only a few whom the Rav would call a Talmud Muvhok.
It is irrelevant to measure (the Talmid) in terms of quantity of Rambam,
Dafei Gemara, etc. but the measurement of Rov Chomato to bring to future
generations. The Talmidim used to come to the Rav on Chol HaMoed. The
problem of the Rav Muvhok was through "Kriat HaBeged" (mourner's rent of
clothing) by the student and when should one rend the garment. There are
many laws dealing with the rending of a garment by a mourner if his
father or mother or other close relative passed away on Chol HaMoed.
Generally after a parent, one rends his garment, but other relatives -
the garment is rent after the Moed. Rav Lichtenstein himself went to Rav
Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, the great Posik in Yerushalayim. He went
personally to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach to inform him of the Rav's
passing and at the same time asked him what to do about rending the
garment. This was Friday Chol HaMoed Pessach. If he rent the garment at
the time he heard the news, (within seconds after getting the news)
there is on whom to rely; but, now that he waited two hours, he should
wait until after the holiday. This is how Rav Lichtenstein did in fact
do. A number of the Talmidim in Yerushalayim rent their garments
immediately and they had on whom to rely.

Tonight we will deal with the "Machshavah" (thought/philosophy) of Rav
Soloveitchik in regards to Tisha B'AV. We have dealt in our Schul with
the difference in actions in the Synagogue on the morning of Tisha B'Av.
I remember in my youth at camp on Tisha B'Av we said Kinnot, but in
Israel and in Galut - the people don't have enough patience (time) to
say all the Kinnot. Most of the people only want to fullfill their
obligations to say the Kinnot (in Yiddish - Yozeh zu sein) and then the
Gabayim have to filter out what is said and what not is said. The
criteria is usually the size of the printed text. That is to say, what
is printed in large letters one says and what is written in small
letters is skipped. The Rav asked what makes the larger printed Kinnot
have extra holiness . Nobody really poskined that the larger printed
Kinnot are holier. The size of the letter is only coincidental. The
thought (of the Gabayim - Kahall) is "Why should we waste two or three
hours on things we don't understand - let us say for half an hour and
finished". This is the custom in most of the Synagogues in the world.
People don't pay much attention to the Kinnot, because the Hebrew is
very difficult. Paytanim that were written in the Middle Ages and a
person has to be knowledgeable in Shass, Midrashim, Tenach, Poskim,
Toladot AM Yisrael, things related to the Churban HaBiet to understand
the hidden meaning behid the Peyout. There are things involved that have
to do with the Bar Kochba revolt, Crusades, other Pogromim and they
don't have a direct relationship to Churban HaBiet. The theme here is
"Bechi L'dorot" crying of Yisrael through their generations. All the
"tzorot" which have happened to Yisrael is the reason for saying Kinnot.
The burning of the Talmud in 1260 plus is the reason for writing Kinnot.

By the Rav Soloveitchek in his Beit Midrash in Boston this was not so.
After the Kiriat HaTorah and Yermiyahu by the RAV they would say Kinnot.
But to say Kinnot were not only words, but also explanations. There
would be explanations - emotional, psychologically, etc. and theis would
not finish until into Mincha Katana which in the States is between 5 and
6 in the evening. He used to say Kinnot 8 or 9 hours even though he said
that the original custom was up until midday (Chatzot HaYom). For Rav
Soloveichek that was simple, but for us that is tremendous. For it is
the custom up until midday to sit on the ground and afternoon on a
chair.  There are many laws which we begin to feel a lightening of the
burden of the fast after midday. There are those who permit smoking
after midday. I am not one of them, because I believe that smoking
should be forbidden all the time. Ashkenazim are premitted to put on a
Tallis and Tephillin and an outside change reflects an inside positive
change. What is the "Ophie" (personality) of Tisha B'Av in the morning
compared to that in the afternoon. I once heard Rav Aaron Soloveitchek
speak in the old city of Yerushalayim in the afternoon of Tisha B'Av. He
was lying on the couch with his head up and when he saw me, he
said:"Shalom Aleichem" and then he hit his head and said "Oh vey it is
Tisha B'Av, but there are some late Poskim that hold that after midday
it is permissible. Rav Soloveichek Zal once said that Tisha B'av suffers
from Schizophrenia Halchatit. Up into the morning, we are on the floor
and when we get up in the afternoon, it is like we are walking towards
Shabbos Nachamu.

One of the elements that is very important on a public fast day is the
addition of pray. There is nothing like Yom Kippur, on the other fast
days Sleichot and Avinu Malkanu (except Tisha B'Av). On Tisha B'Av no
Sleichot, no Tachanum, no Avinu Malkanu. Why is this so? From Eicha -
"Stum Tephillati" (my prayers were cut off). What is the mean - that the
Churban was so great that it disrupted communications between HaSHEM and
the nation of Israel. Because of the lack of communications, on the
morning of Tisha B'Av, we say the minimum of minimum to say what we are
required to say. The reading of the Torah on Tisha B'Av is a big
accusation of idol whorship and what will eventually bring about the
Churban. Yermiyahu for the Haphtorah brings out the women who are saying
Kinnot. Usually after the Haphtorah there is a half kaddish or break and
here not. The Rav says that this is a Halochik continuation of
Yermiyahu. Otherwise is would be forbidden to ask "Eicha". The Rav
states that there is a difference between private and public mourning.
In private mourning there is a order of silence. The mourner must be
silent. The only thing that a mourner can talk about is to praise the
dead. He has to accept Divine justice and it is forbidden to ask a
question against the Holy One Blessed Be He.(HOBBH) In public mourning,
questions and answers are not really permitted against the CREATOR, but
we can ask How did you to this? The one who gave us the permission to
ask is none other than Yermiyahu the prophet in Migillat Eicha. Also in
his Haphtorah when Yermiyahu invites the women who are saying Kinnot, he
gives us permission to ask the above question. That is why Rav Eliezer
Kaliah opened most of his Kinnot with Eicha. It is like he is in the
foot tracks of Yermiyahu. In the afternoon, we use the standard fast
reading with the 13 Middot and Yeshaiyahu with the salvation of HASHEM.
This conveys the idea or repentance in prayer. The RAV said "Do not
think that Shabbot Nachamu starts the consolation, but midday on Tisha
B'Av when we turn around our mourning into the end of mourning and
starting the path for consolation. As you know that a mourner can't get
married during the Shiva and up until the end of the 30th day. Sometimes
Rabbis get questions regarding brides or grooms who have lost a parent
and because the wedding is planned long in advance with loss of money
etc. - how they can get around it and Sheva Berachot and then sit Shiva.
But from the main point of the law, a person who is a mourner during the
shiva or sheloshim should not get engaged or married. Today we do both
under the Chupa with until the reading of the Ketuvah - the Erusin and
afterwards the Kiddushim. The Erusim and Kiddushim are forbidden for
private mourning - as for public mourning during the week of Tisha B'av
Kiddushim it is forbidden for marriages to take place because this is a
simcha, but Erusin (giving of the ring) not only are they permitted
during the 3 weeks and the week of Tisha B'Av but on Tisha B'Av itself.
Why - because somebody else might come and make Erusin to the bride.
Today it sounds funny, Rav says that the mourning on Tisha B'Av is not
like the loss of a close relative. The private mourner's world is
temporarily destroyed and now he can't think of engagement or marriage.
He can't think of the continuation of the family. At present, he has to
think of fixing his "dalet amot" - he can't think at this minute of a
long term future but only for himself.  Churban is not related this way
to marriage. Everytime a Jew marries he helps the Geula of Yerushalayim
"Kol sosson, kol simcha ...etc." If Tisha B'Av has an element of Geula
so the first stage can be brought with.  Therefore Erusim on tisha B'Av
is permitted as it is the first step in rebuilding "Am Yisroel" for the
rebuilding of Yerushalayim and the "Beis HaMikdash" (TEMPLE). That is
the "Raiioyn" (idea) behind Tisha B'Av.

The RAV when he said Kinnot would emphasis "Token" (content/meaning).
Sometimes he would emphasis a line, paragraph or chapter, or a complete
Kinna. I can only demonstrate just the slightest of what the Rav would
do. This will be only a "Taam" (taste of the Rav's explanations). There
is no "Taam" (meaning) but good likeness. For example one of the first
Kinnot that we say: "Abayd Edomim" - one can see the Aleph-Bet here in
the Kinna. Notice that the first row has a lot of Alephs and the second
a lot of Bets (here Rav Adler read in Hebrew). This is how the Paytanim
of the middle ages wrote. Edomim is a code for the Romans (Esav). How
did HOBBH let the Edomim destroy YOUR Nation. What has happened with the
Brit Ben HaBitarim? YOU made a Brit Ben HaBitarim. Has HOBBH forgotten
Parshat Lech Lecha and the Brit that he made with Avraham!  There is a
Gemara in Tractate SHABBOS 55A there is written "Tama schut Avot" (the
merits of our Fathers have ended) Tosavot (Rabbinu Tam) on spot says "It
is true that "Tama schut Avot" but not "Brit Avot"." When Rav
Soloveitchik say this he wanted to know what is the relationship between
"Brit" and "Schut"? Schut Avot is a thing which people hold a lot of
merits. For example in match making people like to know "Who was the
father, grandfather, great-grandfather etc." I travelled to an old grave
site in Warsaw where there are over 500,000 graves. It was interesting
to see the difference in the graves of the Litvoks and the Chassidim. On
the graves of the Litvoks, one could see the standard epitaths which one
sees in Yerushalayim today. "He set asside time for TORAH, gave charity,
did merciful deeds, etc." All this is quite honorable. On the Chassidim
was written "the son of... son of ... son of ... Admor (Chassidic
Rebbe)".  Even to this day at the weddings of honorable Chassidim, one
reads before the Chuppa the "Yechus" (genealogy) of the families.  So by
the Chassidim it is most important "Schut Avot". The Gemara says "Tama
schut Avot".  (finished - you can't hold too much from "Schut Avot")
What is "Schut Avot"? What is "Brit Avot"? The former gives a trait (ie;
Love of G-D /loved by G-D) which is passed on to his child - if the son
has a son then to the grandson. This trait will continue in the family a
number of generations but it is impossible to expect that the trait will
continue on indefinitely. Avraham Avinu had a great love for G-D. (G-D
also loved in turn his servant Avraham - my clarification). He gave
birth to Yitzchak who was very similar to him. Yitzchok had Yaacov.
Yaacov was the grandson of and similar to Avraham Avinu. But after the
tribes and their children and more generations, the quality (my
clarification) of the "Schut" was running out. The original love of G-D
for Avraham Avinu slowly disintergrated until finally "Tama schut Avot".
"Schut Avot" is a function of "Regish" (feeling). How can this feeling
by HOBBH be? = HE gave TORAH in the language of mankind. Brit is a
contract, a matter of negotiation (like business). If family A signed a
contract with family B and there is no reason even after 1000
generations to cancel the contract; then the contract is still inforce.
Here Rabbinu Tam wanted to emphasis that our rights to the land of
Israel is not a matter of feelings but a binding agreement. So the
Paytan cries "How can YOU not remember 'Brit Ben HaBitarim'?" If we are
still in "Galut" after all these years, it is permissible for us on
Tisha B'Av to say the pained feeling "What happened to the Brit?" We
never say that we are free from sin and that HOBBH cancelled one sidedly
the contract. Just the opposite we say "YOU are a righteous G-D". Still
the above saying is in order here.

When we talk about "Churban" we are talking about tremendous number of
sufferings. We often forget the individual. We are used to this concept
with the millions that perished in the holocaust. Now there is a
movement in Yad V'Shem to read individual names. This is important
because millions are already a matter of statistics. However, when we
call name after name, then the matter becomes close to our heart. When
Yermiyahu pines at the death of Yoshiyahu then the paytan Rav Kaliah
writes a Kinna on an individual suffering as the nation goes into Galut.
It is forbidden for us to forget the individuals. Here the RAV spoke of
the four expressions of Galut. Just as there are four expressions of
redemption on the four cups of wine on Pessach so here there are four
expressions of Churban. There are many Churbanim which came about
because of Churban HaBiet so we can reflect on the various aspects of
the Churban. We look at this not only that it was detrimental to "Am
Yisroel". The RAV wanted to emphasis much the hurt of TORAH. Many times
we forget this. Now we can talk about three times: Rabbi Akiva and the
Bar Kochba revolt, the Crusades and the Holocaust. Besides these there
were many other tragedies in the history of our nation. These three are
singled out because of them there was almost a complete loss of TORAH.
This was like the last minute before the TORAH would be lost. TORAH was
almost lost because of the deaths of many Talmiday Chochamim. On Yom
Kippur we read of the 10 Rabbis who were killed by the kingdom. Don't
think that the Bar Kochba revolution left us with only 10 dead Rabbis.
Who were the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died in the plague.
Tractate Yevomot - Rabbi Akiva and Hazal knew that it was impossible to
talk openly in front of the Romans. Also they wanted to speak of the
honor of "Am Yisroel". So they spoke in codes. We are talking about a
generation of Talmidai Chochamim who were supposed to be the continuing
generation. They disappeared in one stroke due to the revolt of Bar
Kochba. It was because of the revolt that it is permissible to write
down TORAH SHEL BAAL PEH. (Oral tradition) Was it a whim of Rebbi Meir
or afterwards Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi to write this down? No, this was
because there was no other solution otherwise there would be a danger of
total loss of TORAH. "A time for doing unto G-D". Just like "Pikuah
Nefesh" can violate the TORAH, so here there was a "Pikuah Nefesh
ruchani". The same thing happened because of the Crusades. At the end of
the 1100's and the beginnings of the 1200's the Reshonim who wrote the
paytanim felt small in relation to the giants who stood before them in
the late 1000's. This comes in the Kinnot where they discuss loss of
TORAH. The third period was the Holocaust. In 1946 C.E., "Am Yisroel"
did not feel the blow of the Holocaust. Only in our days are we
beginning to feel the tragedy of the loss of TORAH some 50 years ago.
There were a few survivors who managed to come to Yisrael or the U.S.A.
After 20 or 25 years, we managed to rehibilitate TORAH. Can anyone say
that there is no TORAH in "Am Yisroel"?  Thank Heaven there is TORAH
even on a high level both B'Aretz and Hootza L'Aretz (Israel and in
Galut). But everyone knows that since the death of Rav Moshe Feinstein,
and other big Rabbis in the U.S.A. (ie; Rav Yaacov Kaminetski, etc.) -
one Rosh Yeshiva after another of the same generation passed away in a
matter of about 4 years. There are younger Rabbis who have filled the
positions of the giants; but they are not the same.  Everybody knows
that. Today, ask somebody in the U.S.A. who is the "Gadol"?  There is no
answer! It is an ophaned generation. There are big Talmidai Chochamim.
However, between a Talmid Chocham and the "Gadol HaDor" (great one of
the generation) there is a tremendous gap. Rav Lichtenstein gave a
Chesped for HaRav Soloveitchik Zal in the Beit Kennesset HaGadol and
somebody asked "Where are the Gadolim"? I answered "Ayn" therefore they
didn't come.

I am holding here a photocopy of a letter from the great yeshiva of
Branovitch written by the hand of Rav Elchanon Wasserman. He was one of
the Talmidim HaMuvhakim of Rab Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk. The letter
is dated 1938 C.E.  Nobody saw the Holocaust as what it was, but there
were signs which worried the people. (Background information) In order
to enter the U.S.A. in those days it was not easy. There were 10 years
of depression since 1929 C.E. and everybody needed a close family to
guarantee his income in order to enter the U.S.A.  The States could not
open up her doors for immigrants - this was an excess burden for her. My
parents were lucky to have relatives who signed for them. My father left
Berlin in '39 and my mother Austria in '39. Here Rav Elchanon Wasser
received requests from two Yeshivot in America. One from HaRav Revel of
Yeshiva College under the name of Rav Yitzchak Elchanon (now Y.U.) and
the other from Chicago - Beit Midrash L'TORAH (now called Skolkie). Y.U.
not only offered to have Rav Elchanon Wasserman come over with his
family, but all his Talmidim and their families. Rav Revel Zal offered
to give him full autonomy (a complete Branovitch with a separate
dormatory wing on the campus in New York). The Yeshiva was willing to
guarantee the income of Rav Elchanon Wasserman, the student of Rav
Chaim. Here is the letter in the holy hand of Rav Elchanon why he
rejects accepting the offer. Why? - because he heard that inspite of the
fact that he has a great "Gashmit" (physical/material) danger, in
America it was very difficult at that time to remain "Shomer Shabbot".
So he writes, I am going from material danger into to "Ruchanit"
(spiritual) danger. Now is that worth it? If Rav Elchanon knew what
would happen to him, his family and all his students; then he would have
been willing to crawl to safety (and certainly would have jumped at such
an opportunity.- my addition). In '41, he and all his family and
students perished by santifying G-D's NAME. There are many stories of
the "Kiddush HASHEM" of Rav Elchanon Wasserman. The same students - I
assume to be a student of Rav Elchanon in Branovitch would have been 22
years old or more - today would be a Gadolim at the age of 70, 75 years
of age. Where are these students today - ashes somewhere in Europe. Not
only these students, but all the students of that generation who did not
succeed in fleeing were lost. Now 50 years later, a whole generation of
leaders- Rav Soloveitchik just one of them leaves us with an ophaned
generation. This was the feeling of the generation after Rabbi Akiva and
the Reshonim felt the same way. Here in the Kinna "Erzay HaLebanon" -
'these are the 10 martyrs of that were killed by the kingdom.  On these
I cry'. Where does the number 10 come from? - In the Mussaf Prayer of
Yom Kippur after the "Avodah". This is between the morning of the
Churban and the confession. HARAV said that when we compare the pray of
Yom Kippur and "Erzat HaLebanon", we are dealing with the loss of TORAH
and the tragedy of the deaths of the wisemen of Yisrael. On Yom Kippur
there is an opening which is a bit strange talking about the sale of
Yosef by his brothers and the wisemen of Yisrael are asked to judge what
punishment is befitting a person who steals an Israelite and sells him
into slavery. Rabbi Yishmael uses the Divine NAME and goes up to heaven
and is told to accept the sentence. What did the paytan want here? The
answer is philosophical in nature. If Rabbi Akiva and his generation
accepted Bar Kochba as "Melech HaMeshiach" then how come it failed?
Because of our sins! What were the sins - eating pork on Yom Kippur! -
That the students of Rabbi Akiva didn't honor one another. We know in
Perkei Avot that it says that if one does say a word in the name of the
original spokesman, it brings redemption into the world. If a person
gives credit to the previous spokesman, it shows humbleness and modesty.
If a person brings a statement from others as if it is his own
(cleverness, "Chiddush") there is no bigger "Gaavah" (proudness) than
this. If a person says that he received his learning from Rabbi so and
so, this is a function of "Ahavat Yisrael". "Gaavah" is just the
opposite. The Talmidim of Rabbi Akiva did not have the foundation of the
honoring of one to another. If the students of Rabbi Akiva acted so, how
much more so the nation. In Tractate Yoma 8 it states that the "Beit
HaMikdash" was destroyed by "Sinat Hinom" (groundless hatred). The
question that should have been asked is: "Is there "Sinat Hinom"?" If
'yes' then forget it. The students of Rabbi Akiva died in the plague of
not giving honor one to another. The paytan of "Elu Aeskaba" of Yom
Kippur uses the example of Parshat "Vayeshev" to indicate "Sinat Hinom"-
Brotherly hatred. The paytan asks the question on Yom Kippur because of
the confession of "Sinat Hinom". We don't have a "Beit HaMikdash" every
year because of the "Sinat Hinom". Why does the reading of Yom Kippur
talk about the death of the sons of Aaron? - Because the death of
Zaddikim compensates for this sin.  The RAV explained this - that Rabbi
Yismael was told from behind the curtain: "Accept the judgement". This
is to be a sacrifice for "Am Yisrael". A sacrifice has to be from
willingness. On Yom Kippur the motif is confession and sacrifice. On
Tisha B'Av the motif is mourning.  Therefore there is no need for the
introduction with the "Sinat Hinom" it is enough to mourn for "Churban
TORAH". There is a section of Kinnot "Heharishi Memeni". Here we can see
the giant mind of HaRav Soloveitchik.  The section ends with the
bewailing.  "Who will take apart "Havayot",who will answer broken
sections (of Gemara), who will remove "Nazirut", who will explain
(understand) "Nedarim"? This means who will give us the solutions to the
above. The RAV says that in most of Shass Babli, we have the Rashi. But
it is the Tractates of Nazir and Nedarim that the students of the
Yeshiva world are afraid of. These Tractates are for students with high
aims. Why? - because there are very few Rishonim on these Tractates.
While the rest of Seder Nashim there are. What happened here? The Rav
figured that the TORAH of the previous generation was lost and the
Chochmei Ashkenaz did not have the tradition on how to solve the
difficult questions that are brought out here. Therefore the paytan
laments on the loss of this knowledge. This is the cry of loss of TORAH.

Other piyoutim of the loss of Chochmei Ashkenaz are "Me Yitain Roshi
Ayin" Here the paytan talks about a pogrom in the town of Spira on the
8th of Iyar. In Magoa on Shabbos Kaddosh ...In Worms 23 Iyar; Rosh
Chodesh Sivan.  From here we see that in France and northern France
there were pogroms between Rosh Chodesh Iyar and Shevouth and this is
the source of the different Minhagim of Aveylut during this period. The
paytan continues about the 3rd of Sivan from "Simcha" to "Yagoan". Thus
what happened in Magencia. "B'seti M'Mitzrayim" "B'seti M'Yerushayim"
ends on a positive note. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi wrote "Tzion don't ask..."
The RAV said here something extraordinary. "Shaalu Shalom Yerushalayim"
- that every Jew any place in the world is required to ask about the
peace in Yerushayim. In Tactate Sukkah Rav Yochanan Ben Zacki asks
"Lulov" the whole seven days?  At home one day and in the Beit HaMikdash
7 days. Now Rabbi Y. Ben Zacki issued a ruling that we should hold 7
days in memory of the Beit HaMikdash. In Sukkah 41 we are asked why -
the Gemara quotes Yermiyahu because nobody today enquires about Tzion.
Tzion sits by herself and nobody asks how she is. Therefore we are
required to ask about the well being of Yerushalayim and Rabbi Y.Ben
Zacki ordered this. The RAV askes "What is the relationship between this
and Tractate Baba Batra where we are required to do certain things in
memory of the TEMPLE. The Gemara brings "If I foret thee O'Yerushayim
then forget my right hand". Since there are two "Psukim" the Briskers
hold two separate laws. The "Din" of Baba Batra is based on mourning for
the past. The "Taam" of Rabbi Y.Ben Zacki is that soon will be built
Beit HaMikdash. We are therefore forbidden to lose the perspective that
soon the Beit HaMikdash will be here. We are continuing the Minhag of
Beit HaMikdash to be used to them when it speedily will be rebuilt. This
foundation of Minhagim will not be strange to us when Beit HaMikdash
will be rebuilt. Yehuda HaLevi talks about the 4 directions (also
psalms) - inviting the Jews to come back via the 4 directions. He wants
to rebuild every place in Israel where there was a meeting between G-D
and the children of Israel. The RAV asked what is the meaning of "Air of
life souls in YOUR land"? - Only in Israel is the air holy. Only
somebody like Yehuda HaLevi in Chotz L'Aretz in such tones could expect
a Beit HaMikdash. Everybody else who says "Let our eyes see your return
to Yerushalayim" is only paying lip service. "Next year in Yerushalayim"
is not just a song. "Shir HaMaalot ...we were like dreamers" You have to
be like Yosef HaZaddik 'Baal HaHalomot' (dreamer of dreams) to come to
Israel. 100yrs ago there was a dream of a Jewish State with a Jewish
fire dept., postal authority - thank G-D we have it. The dream
continues. The next part is the TEMPLE mount, Beit HaMikdash. How can we
sing "Shir HASHEM" in a strange land? But in Boro Park people don't have
trouble. We have to educate the generation. Thus the paytan ends
"B'Seiti M'Mitzrayim" with 'joy and pleasure when I return to
Yerushalayim. In this world there is tension between the people seeking
Emmet and those willing to compromise for Shalom. When Shalom and Emmet
type of people will learn to love and respect one another we can truly
look forward to Beit HaMikdash. 

(I have tried hard to get the general gist - Rachamim Pauli)