Mitzvos should always be performed with simcha.  It’s hard to imagine making Tisha B’av with simcha; Tisha B’av is the saddest day of the year.  Yet, all mitzvos should be done with simcha.  Even on Tishah B’av, we say the verse, “Serve Hashem with joy,” and the many verses of happiness that we say every day.  This reminds us that although Tisha B’av is a sad day — we must refrain from external joy and pleasure — but internally, we must serve Hashem with joy.  This is what He told us to do.

In Parshas Va’eschanon, Moshe tells the new generation that they will conquer the land, but there will be a time when they will be exiled.  Nonetheless, when they turn back to Hashem He will remember them, and eventually there will be a Geula.  So this is Tisha B’av.  Although we have turned away from Hashem and suffered the consequences, everything is as He predicted.  We are also told to love Hashem with all our heart, soul and might.

Rav Avigdor Miller said that the day shouldn’t be wasted: take time and think of one thing you can do to improve.  The purpose of ta’anos is not the fasting itself, but the teshuva we can accomplish.  This again, is a mitzva which should be done with simcha. (1)

Maybe you can recall a time when someone shamed you, or hurt you in any way.  See if you can forgive that person!  Perhaps you can remember a time when you’ve acted in the same manner as the one who hurt you…

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The Second Bais Hamikdash was destroyed due to sinas chinom — baseless hatred.

Kol Yisrael have a portion in Olam Haba, as it says, Ameich Kolum Tzadikim, etc. Your people are all tzadikim (Mishna, Sanhedrin, traditionally read at the beginning of Avos).

Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin writes (at the end of Teshuvos):

1.The Mishnah says, “Judge everyone favorably.”  What if we can’t find a way to give someone the benefit of the doubt?  Perhaps you‘ll say judging favorably is a mitzva, but does that entail lying to ourselves?

2.Shame is a key to mitzvos; even if the shame is a natural feeling.  Without a feeling of shame, people wouldn’t do the most basic mitzvos.  (Chovos Halevavos, Sha’ar Habechina, perek 5)

3.[Likewise, insolence is the basis of aveiros.]  The Talmud says that the Az Panim — the insolent one — will end up stumbling in sin.  This is because he can’t be a perfect tzadik since he has not followed the midos of the Chachomim.  Even if he is a benoni, in the end he will stumble.

Mashal

4.Let’s say there are ten Jews in a city.  If one of them becomes insolent and does aveiros, a second one may follow.  The second one is not going to be judged like the first, and surely the third and fourth — they’re only following the example already set.  The fifth one isn’t even insolent (except that he’s thrown off the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven).

This is why Chilul Hashem is so grave.  When a person does an aveira in public, others, having seen the example, may follow suit.   The ones who sin are machtim es harabim — causing others to sin.

5.The Rabbonon gave us advice: don’t look at the bad crumbs in each person — for our own good, so that we don’t break the barrier of shame!  Implant in our hearts that they’re all tzadikim.  If one focuses on another’s insolence, it may affect the onlooker himself.  It is likely that he himself will stumble, since there is nothing to control his own spirit. [Chazal said: “B’mumo pagom“ — one is really seeing his own weaknesses in others.]

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So, to sum up.  How do you judge someone favorably, when he’s apparently guilty?  The answer is that although he may not be a complete tzadik, we should look past his failings.  We are instructed to see the righteousness of each person.  He probably acquired this undesirable trait from others.

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(1) Of course, we are referring to an internal simcha.  I recall that Rav Yitzchak Hutner said that even when one has to say the brocha of ‘Dayan Ha’emes’ (when a relative has passed away) even though he’s crying, internally he should try to be b’simcha.