The name of this Shabbos is based on the haftorah. נחמו נחמו עמי is the dictate that Hashem gave the prophets in order to comfort Israel. Of course, the question is, if we didn’t get the Bais Hamikdash back after Shabbos Chazon and Tisha B’Av, why do we seem to jump back to celebration where music and simchos are in abundance?
I think the answer lies in the names of the Shabbosos. Just as last Shabbos, Shabbos Chazon, was named after the haftarah that gave us insight into the main focus of Shabbos, which is chazon, seeing, so too, Shabbos Nachamu gives us the key to understanding the reason for celebration.
Let’s begin with the word chazon, which means vision. We explained last week that the purpose of the Nine Days and Shabbos Chazon is to deepen our understanding of what went wrong. Why did Hashem allow the Shechinah to leave the Bais Hamikdash? We added a fascinating insight from the Chozeh of Lublin that the increase in siyumim during the Nine Days is based on the Gemara that says that the Churban happened because we forsook Hashem’s Torah. So the tikkun is to learn His Torah, in particular to learn it as if every word is really worth all the money in the world.
The Nesivos Shalom in Parshas Devarim discusses the idea that Hashem says, “I knew you throughout the 40 years in the great Midbar.” The word “knew” means much more than just knowing. It means real dveikus. I wanted to add that this was the challenge for us as a nation from that time until today; that is, did we really know Hashem? Did we appreciate all His goodness? Did we reach the level of clarity that Hashem wanted us to reach when we left Egypt, ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם וידעתם כי אני השם? Hashem wanted us to know Him the same way that He knew us. How do we get to know Hashem? The answer is through His Torah.
The word nechamah is explained by Rashi at the beginning of Beraishis. It means to think differently. When one is menachem an avel, he is hopefully giving him a different and more elevated perspective. That’s not easy to do, but that is the goal. The menachem is helping the avel think differently. That can come simply from the fact that he has another friend who is there to help with the pain of a loss. The celebration of this Shabbos is based on our new commitment to learn Hashem’s Torah, to get close to Hashem, to really know Him intimately, so that we can finally reach the point where Hashem will say, “This is what I have been waiting for.” Let’s take it to the highest and complete level of Yemos Hamashiach, about which the navi says ומלאה הארץ דעה את השם וגו׳ the land will be filled with knowledge of Hashem.
May we be zoche bekarov.
RABBI DANIEL COREN
SEMICHAS CHAVER SHIUR in R’ Coren’s office every Wednesday at 9:00 PM
Hachana L'Shabbos Shiur in 20 Upstairs every Tuesday at 9:45 PM
