Parshat V'etchanan
11 Av 5763
August 9, 2003

Daf Yomi: Zevachim 61

Guest Author:
Rabbi Mordechai Weiss

Young Israel of Margate, NJ

 

This Shabbat, besides its usual designation as a Shabbat in which we read a certain Parsha (in this case, Va'etchanan) is also called Shabbat Nachamu. The name is derived from the first words of the Haftorah "Nachamu Nachamu Ami", "Comfort, comfort My people, says HaShem�. This Parsha and Haftorah always fall out on the Shabbat immediately following the fast of Tisha B'av and has thus been given the name Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of consolation. After we devote an entire day fasting and mourning the destruction of both Temples on Tisha B'av, the Jewish people need a respite and a time for consolation. Hence we begin seven Shabbatot which we designate as the "Shabbatot d'Nechemta", the seven Shabbatot of consolation.

I have often wondered why there are seven Shabbatot of consolation after Tisha B'av yet, only three Shabbatot before Tisha B'av, which we call the Shabbatot d'Purinita, the Shabbatot recalling the tragic events leading up to the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. Why do our Sages designate only three Shabbatot to remind us of the tragedy and seven Shabbatot of consolation?

Often in life we are confronted with a formidable task of organizing or building something when before there was nothing. The building of the Beit HaMikdash spanned over a period of seven years. King Solomon gathered together artisans from all over the world to construct and beautify the Beit HaMikdash. Thousands of workers were engaged in the process. It was a time of intense building in which King Solomon had to lovingly attend to every detail of the construction. Yet in one day the Beit HaMikdash was burned to the ground. Years of dedication to a task were obliterated in a single day. To destroy takes only minutes or hours, but to build is a painstaking and intricate process.

One could only compare this in our times to the destruction of the Twin Towers on 9-11. The construction of these buildings took years of assiduous labor. Yet with one act of violent terrorism these two beautiful massive structures fell to the ground in just hours. All that work, destroyed in a fraction of the time it took to build.

Perhaps this is the reason that our Sages set aside only three Shabbatot to recall the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, yet seven Shabbatot for consolation. Anyone can destroy. But to build requires much more dedication and devotion. At least seven weeks of consolation is necessary to undo the terrible destruction that occurred. It takes much longer to build than to destroy.

In life as well, relationships take years to nurture and build. Yet with one mean and cruel word a relationship can be compromised and even obliterated. There is a famous saying in Yiddish describing this exact phenomenon. " A shmais dergeit, ober a vort derbleibt", a slap could with time be forgotten, but an unkind word remains forever ingrained in the consciousness of the individual.

Tisha B'av is dedicated to the power of our speech and the destruction that is caused by speaking "Lashon Harah". Our Sages expound that the second Temple was destroyed because of blind hate and the lack of sensitivity and compassion. When we are unable to speak a kind word to our neighbor the end result is destruction and havoc. It is therefore logical that a person who speaks Lashon Hara is inflicted with leprosy and must remove himself from society. If you can't control your mouth than you don't deserve to be a part of the community and hence, your abode is outside the camps of Israel.

It is appropriate therefore that this week�s Parsha begins with the words "Va'ethcanan el HaShem", "and Moshe beseeched Al-Mighty G-d in prayer". To survive the forces of destruction one must first control one�s tongue and the words that we utter. What better way to do this than to focus our words in prayer to Al-Mighty G-d?

Moshe began this week's portion with beseeching Al-Mighty G-d. May the prayers that we recite this year herald the time of our redemption and the building of the third Temple speedily in our day.