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Shabbat Nachamu 5770 Cong.

. Etz Chaim - NY The Shabbat following Tisha BAv is known traditionally as Shabbat Nachamu based on the well-known introductory words of the Navi in the haftara . After 3 long weeks of mourning for the Beit Hamikdash and myriads of other tragedies, we try to find comfort and solace in this Shabbat and in these words on Yishayahu Hanavi. A fundamental question though, begs to be asked. How can we be comforted? This Shabbat still lacks a Beit Hamikdash, a full geula, kibutz galuyot, a melech hamoshiach. How can we feel nachamu when there is not all that much to feel nachamu about? Also notable is the double language of the Navi: . The commentaries teach us that the Torah often uses repetition as a tool for added emphasis. If so, then it is all the more difficult to understand this emphasis in this context and on this Shabbat. Is the Navi telling us to feel really, really comforted?? Are we meant to be comforted even more than we originally thought?? How are we to understand the words of the passuk and the nature of this Shabbat?? Perhaps we can begin to understand all of this by examining the exact definition of the word . The Torah tells us at the very end of parshat Bereishit that Hashem observed a decline in the decency of mankind as it turned to evil and corruption preceding the flood: :() :() Hashems reaction being depicted as a sense of nechama is troubling. Certainly Hashem could not have felt comforted over the corruption of his
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creations. How are we supposed to understand the simple meaning of this passuk?? The Gemara at the end of Sanhedrin teaches us that there are 2 traditions for understanding this passuk: " , ", , , ' ) (" ) , , , , ' (' ' ' The Maharsha (Sanhedrin ibid.) explains that the first tradition in the Gemara understands the word indeed to mean a sense of comfort. The comfort that Hashem felt in this context was that he had prepared burial plots for all of mankind that was about to be destroyed. The second tradition in the Gemara however, is that the word actually denotes a sense of regret Hashem felt regret (so to speak) that he had created man in the first place. We usually think (correctly) as Tisha Bav as a day of intense mourning. Many of the laws and practices of the day clearly illustrate this theme. There appears to be however, an additional facet of the day that cannot be ignored. Specifically it would appear that Tisha Bav is a unique day of teshuva. The many indications of this begin with the parallels between Tisha Bav and Yom Kippur the ultimate day of repentance. For example, it is exclusively on these two days that we observe the 5 inuyim restrictions from physical pleasures. Also notable is the practice recorded by the Geonim to recite a special set of slichot for Tisha Bav. Although we do not maintain this practice today, the institution of such slichot indicates the nature of Tisha Bav as a day of repentance.
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Yet another indication of this are the kinnot that are recited on Tisha Bav. The vast majority of the kinnot are poetic lamentations depicting Jewish suffering and loss at various points in history. It would appear that the objective of the kinnot is to aid us is feeling the mourning more acutely and more genuinely. It is therefore noteworthy that the late Geonim and early Rishonim (See Siddur Rashi and Machzor Vitri for example) only seem to record one official kina as part of the Tisha Bav service. Only the very first kina that we say on the eve of Tisha Bav Zchor Hashem me haya lanu is found in these early versions of the kinnot. The rest of the kinnot service was rounded out with any other specific lamentations that the current time period called for. As the only consistent kina for hundreds of years, it would seem that this first kina would speak volumes of the nature of kinnot at of Tisha Bav in general. One who reads through this kina is immediately struck by the authors focus not at all an outwardly cry too Hashem for help but rather an exercise in intense introspection. The Kinna helps us take a look in the mirror and painfully acknowledge all of the mistakes weve made over time. Indeed, this feeling of guilt and regret is the first stage to full, sincere teshuva. Finally, perhaps the clearest formulation of Tisha Bav being a day of teshuva are the words of the Rambam in the 5th perek of Hil. Taaniyot. There the Rambam clearly classifies Tisha Bav along with the other major fast days as days of repentance for our sins: " - , .' .' ', ', '

Having established that Tisha Bav is not only a day of mourning but also a day of teshuva, we can now extend this idea to understand the true nature of Shabbat Nachamu. Perhaps this Shabbat is not at all intended to be a time of full comfort after all there is unfortunately not much that has changed in our current situation. Perhaps this Shabbat is meant to reflect the second tradition of how to understand the word that we mentioned above. This is a time not of true comfort but a time of regret a constructive and proactive sense of regret that pushes us towards a true teshuva. On this Shabbat perhaps we are supposed to remember that while we just finished crying for the destructions that have spanned centuries of Jewish people, we need to also take responsibility for the way we have behaved individually and collectively. As we say in mussaf of the shalosh regalim: It is because of our sins that we were sent out of Eretz Yisrael. And therefore we have the opportunity and the responsibility to correct those mistakes with teshuva. But perhaps the true essence of this Shabbat does not end with guilt and regret alone. As we mentioned at the outset, the Navi formulates his prophetic words using a double, repetitive language . This formulation now seems most appropriate since after all, there are two complimentary traditions of how to understand the word .On the one hand we should use the momentum of Tisha Bav to feel regret and do teshuva. At the same time we should indeed feel a sense of comfort and consolation that we have the power to change and that we have Hashem who is waiting with open arms for us to do so. May we be zoche to fulfill the dual nature of this prophesy with true, complete teshuva and ultimately with the .

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