14 Aug BRICK BY BRICK

Parshas Va’eschanan is always read on
Shabbos Nachamu. V’eschanan. The
parsha in which Moshe begs and pleads
with HaShem to be allowed to enter Eretz
Yisroel along with the Jewish nation. The
word va’eschanan is not typically used to
describe prayer. The Midrash teaches that
the use of this term alludes to the fact
Moshe beseeched HaShem 515 times,
which is the gematria, the numerical
equivalent of the word va’eschanan.
Perhaps, this is a message to us during
these difficult days. Daven, daven, daven.
Not once, not twice, not ten times, not
even a hundred times.
We are now in the midst of the month of
Menachem Av. The comfort of Av. Av, a
father. HaShem can give consolation and
comfort only as a father can. He is waiting
for us, His children, to turn to Him with
tefilla. HaShem, with His infinite kindness
grants us the gift of nechama – consolation,
bringing healing to His beloved people.
We have been through so much as a nation
this past year. It’s time for us to bring our

tefillos to the next level, and merit to see a
true nechama.
In the Book of Eichah which we read on
Tisha B’Av, there is a double language for
the words of weeping. “Bocho, Tivkeh.”
Bocho – to cry, Tivkeh – an intense and
bitter cry.
With our nation at war, Tisha B’Av this
year took on extra meaning, piercing
everyone’s heart. We are living through
days of bocho, tivkeh.
Bo Shabbos, Bo menucha. When Shabbos
arrives, peace arrives. Shabbos Nachamu
brings with it the blessing to end all pain.
It is time to cease weeping, to stop crying.
This week’s haftara begins with the words
Nachamu, nachamu, Be comforted, be
comforted. For just as bocho tivkeh, the
crying and weeping is mentioned twice,
so too is the comfort and consolation
equally great. Nachamu, nachamu – Be
comforted, be comforted My people
(Yeshayahu 40:1)
Yeshayahu’s words of consolation were
not just for the people of his generation.
They were words of comfort for all times.

“Comfort, Comfort My people
says your G-d.” In the book of
Yeshayahu, “says” is written,
and not “said”, for the comfort is
for all future generations, for all
time.
Nachamu, nachamu, a powerful
consolation to end all suffering.
It’s time for all of us to put our
emunah in HaShem, and believe
that the true consolation will
come soon.
The Talmud teaches that man
should strive to emulate HaShem’s
ways. “Mah Hu rachum, Just as HaShem
is merciful, af atah rachum, so too should
you be merciful.” Perhaps, one of the
messages from this week’s haftara is that
just as HaShem comforts His people, so
too, we should be a source of comfort and
consolation to others during their time of
need.
In her last years, my mother-in-law a”h
was a resident of a nursing home. My
husband and I, together with some
grandchildren, would visit her on Fridays
to wish her a good Shabbos.
Friday afternoon is a busy time for many
women, especially for mothers of large
families. But that didn’t stop a special
woman from making time to visit the
home, going from one resident’s room to
another, covering the tables with white
cloths in honor of the Shabbos. She
would place electric Shabbos
candlesticks upon them, together with
challah rolls and a small bottle of grape
juice.
One Friday, when my husband and I
went to visit before Shabbos, the table
wasn’t covered, the Shabbos lights were
not there. We couldn’t help but wonder
what happened to our special Shabbos
lady. Some residents as well appeared to
be “on edge”, fearing that their rooms
would be lacking the Shabbos “look”.
It was getting close to Shabbos. We were
thinking how to possibly set up the room
as it had been for so many weeks. Our
Shabbos lady suddenly appeared. We
spotted her scurrying about, running
from room to room, white cloths,
candlesticks, challahs and grape juice in
hand. When she came into our room, we
told her that we were worried about her,
and asked if all was okay.
With a big smile, the Shabbos lady told
us that she gets a mazel tov. Her oldest
daughter had a baby just a few hours
earlier. She was coming from the hospital

and all was good. My husband said,
“You’re busy, you have young children
and grandchildren at home. It’s almost
Shabbos. It would have been alright to
take a week off.”
“Oh no”, the woman responded, speaking
apologetically. “Just because my daughter
had a baby doesn’t mean the residents
should go without their Shabbos table.”
It took us a few minutes to fully grasp
what an amazing person we were talking
to. My husband remarked to me that in
any workplace, an employee would take a
personal day off in a similar situation. But
this wasn’t a paid employee. This was a
volunteer whose heart wouldn’t allow
those who looked forward to seeing her
every single Friday be lacking in their
own oneg Shabbos, enjoyment of
Shabbos.
The sweet Shabbos lady wasn’t the only
special person to volunteer in the home.
There was a man with a young son, who
would make rounds, going from room to
room every Erev Shabbos. They would
come already dressed in their Shabbos
finest. The boy, wearing neatly pressed
pants, vest and white shirt. The father in
his long coat and shtreimeI. He would
play Shabbos songs on his violin while his
son would sing along in the sweetest
voice.
Mi k’amcha Yisroel. Who is like Your
nation, Yisroel. The third and final Bais
HaMikdash will be built with bricks of
ahavas chinam, unconditional, brotherly
love. Small acts of kindness that mean so
much.
Each of us has the ability to add a brick.
To show compassion and understanding.
To lay bricks of love. Bricks that will
bring Moshiach bimheirah b’yameinu,
quickly in our day.
Nachamu, nachamu. HaShem, please
bring comfort and consolation to Your
people in Eretz Yisroel and throughout the
world.