09 Aug PARASHAT VAETCHANAN: NAHAMU NAHAMU

The Shabbat after

Tisha B’Ab is

known as “Shabbat

Nahamu,” a

reference to the

portion from the

Prophets read on this

Shabbat, a section

from the Book of Yeshayahu (40) which begins,

“Nahamu Nahamu Ami” – “Comfort, comfort

My nation.” We read this prophecy of comfort

and consolation every year after Tisha B’Ab

even though nothing has changed. The Bet

Ha’mikdash is still not rebuilt, we still live in a

state of exile, we still endure many difficult

problems and hardships, and we still wait and

yearn for redemption. If nothing has changed,

then for what reason do we suddenly change our

tune from mourning to comfort? Why do we

now speak of consolation and hope, if the

situation remains the same? One explanation,

given by Rav Shimshon Pincus (1944-2001), is

that the phrase “Nahamu Nahamu Ami” itself

provides us with consolation. The very fact that

G-d calls us “Ami” – His nation – despite our

wrongdoing which led to our exile, is a reason

for us to feel comforted and consoled. Despite all

we’ve endured, we know that we are still G-d’s

beloved and cherished nation, and this itself is

reason for hope and optimism. There is also an

additional explanation. The Gematria

(numerical value) of the word “Nahamu” is 104,

and thus the Gematria of the phrase “Nahamu

Nahamu” is twice 104, or 208. This is also the

Gematria of the name “Yishak.” Yishak Abinu

is associated with the divine attribute of Din

(“judgement”), as opposed to Abraham Abinu,

who is associated with G-d’s attribute of

kindness and compassion. The phrase “Nahamu

Nahamu” alludes to us that even within

judgment there is reason for comfort and

encouragement. Even when it seems like G-d

deals with us harshly, He is, in truth, dealing

with us with love and compassion. Everything

G-d does is for our ultimate benefit and is done

with love and kindness, and this is true even of

the hardships we sometimes experience. This is

why we feel comforted despite the fact that

nothing has changed – because we know that

even the calamities which have befallen us are,

in truth, manifestations of G-d’s kindness and

compassion. This opening verse of the Haftara

concludes, “Yomar Elokechem” (“your G-d

says”). The verb “A.M.R.” generally denotes a

soft, gentle tone (in contrast to “D.B.R.,” which

generally refers to a stricter, harsher mode of

speech). Significantly, it appears here in

conjunction with the divine Name “Elokim,”

which refers to G-d’s attribute of strict justice.

This phrase, too, conveys the message that there

is no substantive difference between G-d’s

judgment and His compassion, because the two

are really one and the same. Even when G-d

appears to deal with us harshly, He is, in truth,

treating us with love, compassion and kindness.

Parashat Va’ethanan contains the famous verse,

“Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokenu Hashem

Ehad” (“Hear, O Israel – Hashem our G-d,

Hashem is one”). This verse bids us to “hear” –

meaning, to understand and contemplate – that

“Hashem Elokenu,” both attributes of G-d, are

really “Ehad,” one. The Name “Elokim,” as

mentioned, refers to the divine attribute of

judgment, whereas the Name of “Havaya” refers

to G-d’s kindness. We affirm several times each

day the fundamental belief that “Hashem

Elokenu,” the two different ways in which we

experience G-d in our lives, are, in truth,

“Hashem Ehad” – one and the same, and both

stem from His kindness. We are required to

recite this verse several times each day because

of the vital importance of this tenet, that

everything G-d does is done with love and

kindness, and is for our benefit. This

fundamental belief is our source of consolation

after Tisha B’Ab, after we’ve mourned the

destruction of the Bet Ha’mikdash, and it is our

source of consolation whenever we deal with

difficult hardships over the course of our lives.