"נַ חֲ מוּ נַ חֲ מוּ עַ מִִּ י"
Be comforted, be comforted My people (Haftarah of Shabbos Nachamu - Yeshaya 40:1)
The Yalkut Shimoni (Yeshaya 443) relates that the greatest Nevi’im attempted to console Klal Yisrael after the churban, as did the Avos and Moshe Rabbeinu, to no avail. Only once Hashem joined personally in comforting them were they comforted. נחמוה נחמוה עמי - Comfort them together with Me.
Surely, the nation was trusting of the words of the great Nevi’im; why then was it necessary for Hashem personally to comfort them?
Rav Yeruchem Olshin shlit”a quotes the Maharal (Netzach Yisrael 9) that explains that the churban and resulting exile are a result of the breakdown in the relationship between Hashem and his chosen nation. The various sins only resulted in galus once it reached a point where the covenant and connection were considered broken. According to this approach, Rav Shneur Kotler zt”l explains that in essence, the devastation of galus felt by the nation was the separation from the Almighty. Therefore, for the words of consolation to be truly felt, they needed to hear from Hashem himself that the relationship and closeness will be reattained once again.
