Daniel Eidensohn points out that the Teshuvah element may be stronger than the Aveilus element in the Three Weeks, since Aveilus does not require that we feel sad and yet we find sadness as a running theme in Torah regarding this period.>>
<br><br>I find this statement confusing. The gemara explictly calls tisha ba-av<br>aveilut yeshana and aveilut de-rabim. RYBS says the difference is<br>that during the various parts of the 3 weeks we have the minhagim<br>
of aveilut without the "chalot shem" of aveilim. The reading of the haftorah on Tisha Ba-av is a kiyum in the aveilut.<br><br>In other places RYBS talks about the sadness of an avel as opposed to<br>simchah. He thus explains that a "regel" ends shiva because there is
<br>an inner contradiction between the sadness of an avel and the happiness<br>of a holiday. However. since there is no "din" of "simchah" on shabbat<br>therefore avelut continues on shabbat with no outwards displays of avelut.
<br>However, the inner sadness continues.<br><br>Thus, IMHO other fast days are a mixture of avelut over the bet hamikdash and teshuva while tisha ba-av stresses the avelut=sadness part. Various comentaries talk about the need for crying and sadness on tisha ba-av. At the other extreme Yom Kippur symbolizes teshuva and not sadness.
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Eli Turkel