NACHAMU NACHAMU - G-D IS ALWAYS WITH YOU
Vaeschanan
This Shabbos is called Shabbos Nachamu, the Shabbos of comfort after the day of Tisha B’av when we mourn the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and the tragic descent of our people into the suffering of golus.
This week’s Haftorah is the first of 7 Haftorahs of comfort to the Jewish people in their state of golus and assuring them that Hashem will bring them back to Eretz Yisroel with the Geulah.
It opens with the famous words נחמו נחמו עמי. Hashem tells the Novi Yeshaya “Comfort, comfort My people says your G-d. Speak to the heart of Yerushalayim… for she has received double for all her sins.”
Because the Jewish people were punished double-fold for their sins, Hashem comforts them with a double measure of comfort, Nachamu Nachamu.
The Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk gives a beautiful explanation of the true comfort that these words provide in times of difficulty;
The destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and the ensuing Golus led to great suffering for the Jewish people. For close to 2000 years, we have suffered poverty and oppression, and the taunts of those who mock and denigrate us. A golus of the body.
But there is a spiritual suffering that comes with golus that make it that much more difficult to bear. Not only have we been exiled and suffer physically, we are plagued with the feeling that Hashem has forsaken and abandoned us. Does Hashem still desire our service? Does he still hear our prayers? Perhaps because of our sins He no longer finds favour in our Avodah of Torah and Mitzos and He has pulled away.
Suffering is terrible enough. But to feel that we are going through it alone, without Hashem by our side, is all the more painful.
The first and foremost comfort that a Navi or Tzaddik can give in the time of golus is to reassure us that Hashem is present with us wherever we are. Despite everything, He still desires our Avodah and He still hears all of our prayers. He is present alongside us through everything we experience, close at hand and suffering together with us.
One of the greatest G-dly visions ever experienced was the Nevua of Yechezkel of the Merkava, the Diving Throne with all of its angels. Where did this vision take place? Not in Yerushalayim, not even in Eretz Yisroel. Yechezkel says that he received this vision when “I was amongst the exile by the river Chvar… in the land of the Kasdim (Babylon)”.
This vision was a comfort to his fellow Jews in exile. Here, in our place of tears, suffering and banishment, Hashem with His hosts of angels is with us.
We find a similar idea in the very first Exile that the Jewish people experienced, the slavery in Egypt. Before passing away Yosef said “I will die in this land. But פקוד יפקוד, Hashem will remember you and take you out of this land”. פקוד is in present tense, יפקוד is in future tense.
The term פקד is used by our sages to describe the union between husband and wife. Yosef was telling the Jewish people that we may feel like we are dying in the suffering of exile, spiritually distant. But we should know that Hashem says that even in golus, He is constantly united with us. He is with us now פקוד, and so too He will be with us יפקוד when He redeems us.
Right now, while we are suffering in Golus and Hashem’s presence is not revealed, we don’t feel or sense this closeness or union. Hashem sends His Neviim and Tzaddikim to comfort us that the reality is not how we perceive it.
The double punishment for their sins refers to the two facets of the pain of Golus; the suffering of the body, our physical travails, and the spiritual trauma of doubts that Hashem is no longer with us, no longer desires us and does not hear our prayers
Hashem sends Yishaya to deliver a double comfort נחמו נחמו, for both of these afflictions.
Usually, Neviim conclude their message with נאום ה‘, “says the Lord”. In these words of comfort, Yishaya concludes יאמר אלקיכם “says your G-d”. Yishaya is consoling us, that despite our sins, despite the fact that we have been punished and sent into golus, Hashem is your G-d. He is with us, helping us through, hearing our prayers and waiting to take us home.
This week’s Haftorah is the first of 7 Haftorahs of comfort to the Jewish people in their state of golus and assuring them that Hashem will bring them back to Eretz Yisroel with the Geulah.
It opens with the famous words נחמו נחמו עמי. Hashem tells the Novi Yeshaya “Comfort, comfort My people says your G-d. Speak to the heart of Yerushalayim… for she has received double for all her sins.”
Because the Jewish people were punished double-fold for their sins, Hashem comforts them with a double measure of comfort, Nachamu Nachamu.
The Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk gives a beautiful explanation of the true comfort that these words provide in times of difficulty;
The destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and the ensuing Golus led to great suffering for the Jewish people. For close to 2000 years, we have suffered poverty and oppression, and the taunts of those who mock and denigrate us. A golus of the body.
But there is a spiritual suffering that comes with golus that make it that much more difficult to bear. Not only have we been exiled and suffer physically, we are plagued with the feeling that Hashem has forsaken and abandoned us. Does Hashem still desire our service? Does he still hear our prayers? Perhaps because of our sins He no longer finds favour in our Avodah of Torah and Mitzos and He has pulled away.
Suffering is terrible enough. But to feel that we are going through it alone, without Hashem by our side, is all the more painful.
The first and foremost comfort that a Navi or Tzaddik can give in the time of golus is to reassure us that Hashem is present with us wherever we are. Despite everything, He still desires our Avodah and He still hears all of our prayers. He is present alongside us through everything we experience, close at hand and suffering together with us.
One of the greatest G-dly visions ever experienced was the Nevua of Yechezkel of the Merkava, the Diving Throne with all of its angels. Where did this vision take place? Not in Yerushalayim, not even in Eretz Yisroel. Yechezkel says that he received this vision when “I was amongst the exile by the river Chvar… in the land of the Kasdim (Babylon)”.
This vision was a comfort to his fellow Jews in exile. Here, in our place of tears, suffering and banishment, Hashem with His hosts of angels is with us.
We find a similar idea in the very first Exile that the Jewish people experienced, the slavery in Egypt. Before passing away Yosef said “I will die in this land. But פקוד יפקוד, Hashem will remember you and take you out of this land”. פקוד is in present tense, יפקוד is in future tense.
The term פקד is used by our sages to describe the union between husband and wife. Yosef was telling the Jewish people that we may feel like we are dying in the suffering of exile, spiritually distant. But we should know that Hashem says that even in golus, He is constantly united with us. He is with us now פקוד, and so too He will be with us יפקוד when He redeems us.
Right now, while we are suffering in Golus and Hashem’s presence is not revealed, we don’t feel or sense this closeness or union. Hashem sends His Neviim and Tzaddikim to comfort us that the reality is not how we perceive it.
The double punishment for their sins refers to the two facets of the pain of Golus; the suffering of the body, our physical travails, and the spiritual trauma of doubts that Hashem is no longer with us, no longer desires us and does not hear our prayers
Hashem sends Yishaya to deliver a double comfort נחמו נחמו, for both of these afflictions.
Usually, Neviim conclude their message with נאום ה‘, “says the Lord”. In these words of comfort, Yishaya concludes יאמר אלקיכם “says your G-d”. Yishaya is consoling us, that despite our sins, despite the fact that we have been punished and sent into golus, Hashem is your G-d. He is with us, helping us through, hearing our prayers and waiting to take us home.