In the past three parshiot, the haftorah consisted of warnings on the upcoming destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. Then came the actual destruction. Now we enter a period of 7 weeks of consolation. It’s called the shiva denechamta beginning the Shabbat after the 9th of Av and ending before Rosh Hashana.
The opening statement starts with the words nachamu nachamu ami. The double language indicates that there are two opportunities for nechama. Option #1 is if we merit it, the redemption will come even before its time. Option #2 is even if we don't deserve the redemption, it has a date that it will come regardless.
The haftorah continues, "Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her time of exile has been fulfilled, that her iniquity has been conciliated, for she has received from the hand of Hashem double for all her sins,"
What does “the heart of Jerusalem” mean? Do the stones of Jerusalem feel pain? Isn’t it the millions of men, women and children displaced, starving and dying in foreign lands that need consolation? Hashem should speak to the heart of the people and not to Jerusalem. How does Jerusalem pay double for its sins? And if it does, is that justice? Furthermore, if "her time is fulfilled," why are we not back in Yerushalayim? Why is Jerusalem responsible for anything? It's just a place in which to live?
What is obvious is that Jerusalem is not just an ordinary place but it is dynamic and alive and has a direct effect on the Jewish nation. When I was a teenager, living in Brooklyn, New York, quite often I would see Harav Avigdor Miller, zt”l taking a walk down Kings Highway. I was shy but I wanted to ask the gadol a question. I summoned the guts to approach him one day and ask what is the meaning of the word or the name Yerushalayim. We all know that the name of “something defines its essence. My question actually was, what is the essence of Yerushalayim?”
Rabbi Miller stopped and gave me all the time in the world. He explained that Yerushalayim is a combination of two words. Yeru is a city, Shalem is peace or complete; it is the city of perfection. That is the land's responsibility and that is what's expected from it.
I recall driving up the hills of Jerusalem with my grandfather, and he would marvel at the mountains. I asked him what is so amazing, we have seen it a thousand times before? He quoted King David "Yerushalayim, mountains surround you just like Hashem surrounds his nation." My grandfather explained that every bird builds a nest to protect its young, Jerusalem is Hashem's nest and we are his young. A bird returns every year to its nest to bring forth more children, Jerusalem is our nest, where Hashem will return and rest upon us again.
Hashem empowered Yerushalayim to help our nation reach its spiritual potential in every aspect. It is also our nest to protect us physically. When Yerushalayim does not provide us with this spiritual enhancement and physical protection, it is also liable, and therefore was destroyed, and was subsequently ashamed and embarrassed.
I would suggest that the first level of nechema in the seven weeks of consolation, is that the destruction is not entirely our fault. Jerusalem shares some of the responsibility.
May we all be zoche to nechamas Tzion and the building of Yerushalayim. Amen.
