The Great Tikkun of the Month of Menachem Av

 

When you look at these three elements together — the portion of Matot, the portion of Masei and the new month of Menachem Av — a precise roadmap for the soul is revealed:
1. The Victory over Strife: The Power of Moses
In the portion of Matot we read about the war against Midian. The masters of Chassidut and Kabbalah — the Torah's inner teachings — point out that "Midian" (Midyan) echoes madon, the Hebrew word for strife: that harsh energy of discord, division and judgment that drives us apart.
How is strife defeated? The Torah shows us that it happens only through the power of Moses. Moses, of whom the Torah says he was "very humble, more than any man on the face of the earth," embodies humility and utter self-nullification before God. Only when we lay aside the ego and the ceaseless need to "be right," and take on a little of the humility of the tzaddik — the truly righteous — can we put out the fire of strife.
2. The Road to Humility Runs through an Inner "Masei"
How do we reach that place of self-nullification and humility? Here the second portion, Masei — "Journeys" — comes in. To touch that deep place, we must set out on a journey. It is not only a physical journey; above all, it is a journey into ourselves.
Along this inner journey we are called, on the one hand, to recognize the greatness of God — and on the other, to look inward honestly, to identify the places that call for repair and to acknowledge our need to grow. It is the inner journey that peels away our layers of pride and allows us to truly meet ourselves.
3. The Month of Menachem Av and the Days of Repair: The Legacy of Aaron the High Priest
All of this connects perfectly with Rosh Chodesh Av — the start of the new month — which we bless this Shabbat. Av is the month of the Three Weeks of mourning and of Tisha B'Av, the fast for the destruction of the Temple. Our Sages teach that the Temple was destroyed through baseless hatred — and that the only tikkun, the only repair, for that destruction is baseless love, the love of every Jew.
Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av is also the day of the passing of Aaron the High Priest — the figure who embodies this idea more than anyone. Aaron is the very model of one who "loves peace and pursues peace, loves people and draws them near to the Torah." He made peace between one person and another, and between husband and wife, because his pure gaze found the good in everyone.