“ואתחנן אל ד' בעת ההוא לאמר" “I implored to Hashem at that time, saying.” Rashi cites that the Lashon of ואתחנן means that Moshe Rabbeinu was asking for a free gift. He did not daven to Hashem by saying please answer my tefillos because of my zechusim. Rather, he davened and pleaded with Hashem to allow him to enter Eretz Yisroel as a free gift. The Midrash says that there is a special room in Gan Eden for those that have many zechusim but nonetheless request things from Hashem as a gift and not because they are entitled to it.
Sotah 14a – Why did Moshe want to enter Eretz Yisroel? It was because there are many mitzvos that can only be fulfilled in Eretz Yisroel. Hashem replied that since his only desire to enter Eretz Yisroel was to get schar for the mitzvos, he is going to get schar as if he performed those mitzvos. The Ben Yehoyada says in the name of his son R’ Yaakov - Moshe wanted to do the mitzvah for the Simcha of the mitzvah. That is the optimal way to be mekayem all mitzvos. Avos 4:2 – “שכר מצוה, מצוה”. The reward of the mitzvah is the mitzvah itself. The satisfaction in knowing that one served his Master properly is his reward. The schar that the Mishna in Avos is referring to is not the same schar that Moshe was requesting. The schar that Moshe was requesting was the superior way to perform mitzvos. If one loves Hashem and has nothing else in mind other than pleasing Him, then his schar for the mitzvah is the mitzvah, fulfilling the will of Hashem. This is what brings Simcha to his life.
There are two types of actions that can help rebuild the Bais-Hamikdash. Until Tisha B’Av, there is mourning over the Bais-Hamikdash. We should feel a void in our lives and should feel sorrow and pain for the destruction of the Bais-Hamikdash. Then there is the second part that begins after the 10th of Av. It is a period of nechama, comfort. Instead of focusing on the negative, that we do not have the Bais- Hamikdash, we need to focus on the aspect that Hashem promised us that He will rebuild the Bais-Hamikdash. We need to yearn for the Bais-Hamikdash and daven to Hashem that He rebuild it speedily in our days. On Shabbos, we do not show mourning over the Bais-Hamikdash. However, we do experience nechama on Shabbos Kodesh. Shabbos Nachamu is a day that we must show Hashem that we know He will rebuild the Bais-Hamikdash and it is something that we yearn for.
Shabbos Nachamu is a time for simcha. It is a time for simcha in our faith in the Hashem. We need to Daven to Hashem in the form of “חנן”. We need to ask for a gift. We should only see the good in everything that happens to us. We need to daven to Hashem that we should be comforted. May we be zoche to see the rebuilding of the Bais-Hamikdash speedily in our days.
