|
From the Rabbi:
Note that there will not be an online class this Thursday.
First off, I want to thank the Kehillah from the bottom of my heart for your warm hospitality, kindness and patience with my two beautiful boys who have been here for the past month. I know they've added a measure of disruption, distraction and mess in the shul, but at no point did I feel that their presence was a bother to the community. Quite the contrary, you all seemed as glad to have them here as I am, and the outpouring of love and affection for them means so much to me. I also want to acknowledge Meshullam and Netzach for being real troopers, coming to shul with me early in the morning and staying up late, cheerfully sharing their Abba with the community. Baruch Hashem, they've had a great time with us here, and I'm thankful to all of you for your support.
This Shabbat is called Shabbat Nachamu, again taken from the opening line of the Haftarah "Comfort, Comfort my people." Aside from being a cow's favorite shabbos (nach-a-Mooo!) this shabbos is an integral part of the cycle of mourning and a critical transition from the brokenness of Tisha B'av to the excitement and anticipation that saturate Elul.
The word root נ-ח-מ doesn't exactly mean comfort in the sense of comforting mourners, although we use it that way. In essence it really means 'to cause an emotional shift." It's usually used in the passive tense - to experience an emotional shift, and often describes changing one's mind about doing something. For example, before the flood (Gen 6:6) when H, the Torah twice uses this word, "Vayinachem" and "Nichamti" both to describe Hashem 'regretting' making Mankind. Similarly, after Moshe talks Him out of destroying the Jewish People following the golden calf, (Ex 32:14) Hashem "relented" from what he had intended to do, again, "Vayinache." So it's about changing one's mind or feelings, not necessarily comfort from mourning, although that is certainly an example of shifting feelings.
The Haftarah however doesn't use the passive tense. It's not "be comforted," but offer comfort. God is telling us to be active in shifting the feelings of 'my people.' Offer comfort and solidarity, and sooth one another. Be givers of hope and encouragement. This is a major shift from what we read in Aicha (5:1) "remember what happened to us" and the kinnot "woe unto me." We now have to take hold of ourselves and each other and remember that we are capable of shifting our hearts, especially when we do it together.
With our hearts firmly in our grip, it's first and ten towards Elul and envisioning what we want for next year.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Shlomo
Classes This Week
| 
