פרשת דברים is always read on the שבת before תשע באב, and there is a well-established מנהג to chant the verse:
אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טָרְחֲכֶם וּמַשָּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם
Eichah essa levadi torchachem u-masa’achem v’rivchem
How can I alone bear your troubles, your burdens, and your disputes?
— דברים א:יב
This פסוק is read to the mournful tune of מגילת איכה, evoking national mourning and deep reflection.
At first glance, it’s puzzling. Why is משה רבינו‘s complaint considered negative? Aren’t we meant to bring our issues to a רב, a דיין, or a בית דין? Isn’t that the right thing?
The Insight of the ספורנו
The ספורנו explains that the problem wasn’t bringing disputes to Moshe. It was the constant stream of complaints and the trivial nature of those complaints. Their preoccupation with petty matters reflected a distorted outlook. Rather than preparing spiritually to enter ארץ ישראל, they fixated on their discomforts in the מדבר.
Instead of focusing on their miraculous journey and the upcoming entry into the Land, they lost themselves in negativity. משה רבינו felt overwhelmed — not because of the workload, but because of their lack of spiritual perspective and the burden of their small-mindedness.
A Message for בין המצרים
As we live through the שלושת השבועות — the Three Weeks of בין המצרים — we are reminded of the same root issue: pettiness, distraction, and losing sight of the bigger goal.
The רמח”ל, in the opening of מסילת ישרים, writes that our entire purpose in this world is to earn our share in the עולם הבא. With that perspective, we must reconsider what truly matters and where our efforts belong.
In these days of בין המצרים, we must recognize that no matter how much we possess, we are still in גלות. We are without the בית המקדש, without clarity, and too often without unity.
Staying Focused on Redemption
Let us not fall into the same trap as that generation in the מדבר. Let us not become consumed by personal grievances or entitlements. Let us refocus on the mission of גאולה — spiritual refinement, national unity, and rebuilding our relationship with השם.
Our goal is not comfort, ego, or worldly success. Our goal is the גאולה שלמה and the rebuilding of the בית המקדש השלישי.
May we be זוכים to transition from אֵיכָה — the cry of “how could this be?” — to כה — the presence and word of השם, as the מדרש says: when we merit, אֵיכָה will be transformed into כה.
Small tidbits and Sparks of wisdom 
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