This Shabbos is called Shabbos Nachamu because the haftorah starts with Hashem’s words to the Navi Yeshaya: Nachamu, nachamu ami (“Be consoled, be consoled My nation”). This week’s haftorah is the first of seven haftoros consoling the Jewish people. After the Three Weeks of darkness and destruction, the Ribbono Shel Olam consoles us through the words of His prophet Yeshayahu. Each week, the consoling grows more and more powerful.
Since this is the first haftorah of consolation, shouldn’t we begin with one nachamu — a basic level of comfort — and adding as we go in the coming weeks? What is the idea of starting off with a double expression of consoling? Many answers have been given to this question. Perhaps we can say that the implication of this double expression is an emphasis. The consolation will be great and powerful. It is not merely a hope for consolation, it is a promise. Klal Yisroel will be consoled. To understand that we must take a step back and get a wider vantage point.
(From "2 Worlds – 1 Chance" by Rabbi Ben Zion Shafier)
Adolph Hitler began his rise to power speaking in the beer halls of Munich. It was the early 1920s, in post-First World War Germany, and a few hundred party members would gather to hear his plans to restore the honor of the German Fatherland. The story is told that at one such meeting, amid the haze of cigarette smoke and the smell of Bavarian beer, Hitler’s voice could be heard ranting about Germany’s problems.
‘“The misfortune of Germany is the Jews! The Jews are the reason we lost the war! The salvation of the German Fatherland rests on ridding ourselves of the Jews!’
On and on he shrieked. Toward the back of the room sat an old man with a white beard — obviously Jewish — listening. When Hitler finally finished this hour-long tirade, the audience leapt to its feet in adoring applause. The old man also stood up and clapped. Long after the rest of the audience finished applauding and began shuffling out, the old man continued his ovation.
Hitler made his way over to the elderly gentleman and screamed, "Don’t you believe that I am serious when I say the Jews are Germany’s misfortune?! Don’t you believe me when I say that I intend to rid Germany of the Jews?!"
The old man, undaunted, turned toward Hitler and said, “I assume that you meant every word of what you said. You must remember, though, that we are an ancient people and you aren’t the first to hate us. Many years ago, the evil King Pharaoh of Egypt also hated us. He enslaved our people for over two hundred years. But G-d saved us from him, and in honor of that event we have the beautiful holiday of Passover, when the entire family gets together and celebrates. What a joyous occasion!
"Many centuries later a wicked man named Haman came to power. He also hated us, and was determined to annihilate us. G-d saved us from him too, and in honor of that experience we now celebrate the festival of Purim, a wonderful feast day, with joyous singing and lively dancing. Then came the Assyrian - Greeks, who attempted to assimilate us and who extinguished the sacred light of our Temple’s Menorah. Today, we have an
