Rabbi's Message

This upcoming Shabbat is known as Shabbat Nahamu, the Shabbat of Comfort.  It gets its name from the first verse of this week’s Haftarah (from the prophet Isaiah), which says: “nahamu, nahamu ami—comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”  These are powerful words on the heels of our observance of Tisha B’Av (the ninth of Av) and feels especially important to hear this year, given the uncertainty in Israel and the worry that we feel for our brothers and sisters.  The words of nahamu begin the Haftarah,  which is the first of seven haftarot of nehemta (comfort) that follow Tisha B’Av and that leads us all the way to Rosh Hashanah.

How do we find comfort today, and how do we comfort others?  That’s a big question to tackle.  But to start, I want to share a message from a D'var Torah that I read this week by fellow Conservative Rabbi Dr. J.B. Sacks. He suggests beginning to answer the question through Isaiah’s words when he says: “kol habasar hatzir- all flesh is grass.”  What can we learn from grass and from plants? Rabbi Sacks offers three lessons:

First, plants allow their struggles to make them stronger. When a tree is left exposed to the elements, it digs in and grows deeper roots and a thicker trunk. We all face challenges and struggles, yet we can take comfort in the fact that those same struggles have the potential to strengthen us.

Second, plants don’t set limits for themselves.  A plant wants to grow and then grow some more.  It never says, “I am done. I have grown enough,” or “I will stop growing after I reach a certain height.”  So should be the case for us and we can take comfort in the idea that growth is always possible and we all deserve to thrive.

And finally, plants turn towards the sun.  Plants don’t focus on the weeds and predators around them but rather turn to face the sun.  While it’s good to be aware of our challenges and the obstacles in our path, we cannot allow ourselves to get derailed on our journey by things that could weigh us down.

So, as we head into Shabbat Nahamu, may we commit ourselves to growing stronger from our struggles, not setting limits for our growth, and always orienting ourselves towards light, goodness, and morality. In doing all of this, may we be a source of comfort for others, and may we comfort one another.

Shabbat Shalom.

Fun Fact: In college, at Brandeis University, I was in an a cappella group known as Jewish Fella A Cappella.  Having no formal musical/vocal training, it was the only a cappella group I could get into; and sometimes there was “confusion” as to whether we were an cappella group or a comedy group.  Nevertheless, it was a blast, and we had fun singing together.  Here is a video of us singing Nahamu.  And in case that’s not enough, here is a video of me singing the solo for Lecha Dodi (look for the young-looking guy in the salmon-colored shirt!).