The haftarah this week begins with the words (Yeshayah 40:1): אלקיכם יאמר עמי נחמו נחמו, "Comfort, comfort My people – says your G-d." Rashi writes that from this pasuk until the end of sefer Yeshayah, are words of consolation to the Jewish people, promising them a good future.
The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni Yeshayah 445) states that the Yidden asked Yeshayahu whether his comforting prophecy applies only to the Yidden of his generation, who experienced the churban, or to all future generations. Yeshayahu replied, "I console all generations. It doesn't state אלקיכם אמר, 'Hashem said' [in the past tense]. Rather, the pasuk states אלקיכם יאמר, 'Says your G-d now.' In each generation, Hashem comforts the Jewish nation and promises them a better future."
Therefore, Minhag Tov writes, "You should be happy and welcome Shabbos Nachamu with joy and a happy heart. You will be comforted with many condolences. Hashem will console us with the redemption of Yerushalayim." It is a time to trust in Hashem's promise that better days are coming.
Also, the Mahari'l states that on Shabbos Nachamu, הגואל בנחמת ויבטחו העם כל ישמחו, "The entire nation shall be happy and trust in the condolences of [Hashem] the Redeemer." שועיב בן (a student of the Rashba) writes, מצוה טוב כיום לעשותו, "It's a mitzvah to celebrate this Shabbos as though it were a yom tov."
The Ritva writes, סעודה לעשות נהגו זה ומפני באב תשעה שאחר בשבת, "Therefore, there's a custom to make a seudah on the Shabbos after Tisha b'Av (Shabbos Nachamu)." We don't know exactly what this means because we anyway make a seudah on this Shabbos. Perhaps it means we should have a larger meal on Shabbos Nachamu. But one thing is sure; it is a time for joy and to trust in Hashem's salvation.
Our obligation to trust in the upcoming salvation must also be on an individual level. Everyone has his own needs and hopes for his personal geulah. For one, it may be parnassah; for another it is health, and so on. This Shabbos, Hashem consoles us and tells us to trust in the better days of the future.
The Greater the Hardships, the Greater the Goodness that Follows
The rule is that after a difficult period, better times follow. For example, the Ramchal (חכמה פתחי ח"קל) teaches, "After a hunger year, Hashem brings a lot of rain to the world." Also, there is a saying: "After a fire, Hashem sends wealth." Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt'l says that this is true. Hashem shows us open kindness after suffering hardship.
The Baal HaTanya says (quoted in Tzemech Tzedek, Derech Mitzvoseicha, 228), "Many people say, 'After a fire, we become wealthy.' I heard from holy tzaddikim that this is because the order of the middos are chesed, din, rachamim (kindness, strict judgment, and then compassion). Therefore, since there was the din, strict judgment, evidenced by the fire, rachamim, Hashem's compassion will follow. Rachamim (compassion) is greater than the initial chesed, as is known."
The Avodas Yisrael (הנה ה"ד דברים) compares it to a father who rebukes his child harshly, but then he draws him near and shows him how much he loves him. The great kindness makes up for the hard times that preceded it. The Avodas Yisrael writes, "It is a mashal to a father who hits his son with a staff to educate him, and afterwards, the father is kind to the son, comforts him, and tells him how much he loves him..."
1. It states (Mishlei 3:12) ירצה בן את וכאב יוכיח 'ה יאהב אשר את כי, "For Hashem chastens the one He loves, as a father placates a son." Rabbeinu Yonah explains that ירצה בן את כאב means that after Hashem punishes, He shows His immense love, just as a father does after punishing his son.
2. Rashi explains that if Hashem is only with us when we leave the Beis HaMikdash and when we return to the Beis HaMikdash and not in between, it would state, תבואי ללבנון אתי, with a ד"למ. It states תבואי מלבנון אתי, with a ם"מ to indicate that from the time of the destruction until we return at the end of galus, Hashem will be with us.
On Tisha b'Av, we put on tefillin only in the afternoon. The Avodas Yisrael explains that tefillin on the head represents acquiring wisdom, and Tisha b'Av in the afternoon, we acquire the knowledge and awareness that Hashem loves us.
This week's parashah has the Aseres HaDibros in it, another indication of Hashem's kindness that follows after hard times. Hashem gives us the Torah again and tells us that He wants to renew our relationship.
The following illustrates how Hashem's kindness follows a difficult moment. Reb Tuvia Weiss zt'l was a Rav in Antwerp (before he became the Gaavad of Yerushalayim). Antwerp's rabbanim arranged a rotation system among themselves for the honor of siddur kiddushin (to preside at a chuppah).
Once, someone asked Reb Tuvia to be mesader kiddushin, and he accepted. He was so engrossed in his learning, he lost track that it was really another Rav’s turn for this honor. At the chuppah, someone embarrassed Reb Tuvia for being mesader kiddushin. It was humiliating, and Reb Tuvyah turned red and white from shame.
Later that evening, Reb Tuvia was learning with a chavrusah. The phone rang at 9:30. Reb Tuvyah instructed him not to answer. Every night, they learned until 10:00 pm, and he didn’t want to interrupt their studies until then. At 10:00 the phone rang again. It was the Eidah Chareidis of Yerushalayim, inviting Reb Tuvyah to be the gaavad of Yerushalayim. This is the pattern. After enduring humiliation or any difficult period, excellent times will follow.
