|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin
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.
Shabbat Shalom!
Chaya Sora
Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]
This article was written L’zecher Nishmas/In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l
