Tears At Night

At the beginning of Eicha the pasuk says "Bacho tivke ba'laila" - you cry at night. Night, says Rashi, is a time for crying. It's dark and not a little bit depressing. Darkness in Biblical and Rabbinic imagery represents exile and suffering.

The Medrash on the pasuk tells a story. One night a woman was crying over her young son who had died. When Rabban Gamliel heard this he, too, started to cry - over the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash!

Why did her tears remind Rabban Gamliel about the churban???

Rav Gifter ztz"l: What is the source of our suffering in this world? The absence of Hashem's presence. If there would be a Beis Hamikdash bad things wouldn't happen because His presence amongst us would be palpable. Her personal anguish reminded Rabban Gamliel about the source of suffering in the world.

One day soon, Hashem will return to dwell amongst us in a revealed way and all of the tears will be wiped off our face.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!