כִּי מִּי גוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹקים קְרֹבִּים אֵלָּיו כַּה ‘אֱלֹקינוּ בְכָּל קָּרְ אֵנוּ אֵלָּיו
Which nation is great that has G-d close to it, as Hashem, our G-d is close to us whenever we call out to Him. [Devorim 4:7]
Shabbos Nachamu always falls out in the week of parshas Va’eschanan. The above quoted verse from parshas Va’eschanan can be a true nechama for us for the following reason. The Targum Onkolos teaches that “closeness of Hashem to us” means that Hashem answers all of our prayers. Absolutely all of our prayers!? The Chizkuni teaches that the Torah is referring here to prayers for spiritual needs - more specially, the prayer to return and be close to Hashem.
The Chizkuni adds, however, that there is a condition: In order to ensure that Hashem will answer such prayer, it needs to be done with the entire heart and soul. And that’s the meaning of “בְׁכָל קָרְׁ אֵנוּ ” in the verse—i.e., “with the entire [power] of calling out”. In a comforting way, this is teaching us that though we are still in galus, it is still within our reach to be close to Hashem. We just need to desire it and ask Hashem for it with all of our heart and soul. HaKadosh Boruch Hu guaranteed that He will answer.
