Comfort, Comfort!

This Shabbat is called Shabbat Nachamu, Shabbat of Comfort. One of the reasons for this is that in the Haftarah of the week we read what the Prophet says, twice, to the children of Israel, "Comfort, comfort!" Commentaries explain that they were comforted two times: the first time corresponding to the first temple and the second time to the second temple. The Rebbe asks a question. The first Temple was superior to the value of the second Temple? How can one comfort a big thing and a small thing at the same time? After all, the value of the small thing is swallowed up and disappears within the value of the big thing? The Rebbe explains that in the second Temple there was something that was not in the first Temple and that is the work of repentance. When a Jew repents, he turns all transgressions into merits. This was the virtue of the Second Temple because it was built by Ba'alei Teshuvah (returnees). Unfortunately, it too was destroyed so G-d sent us double comfort that with His help, the Third Temple will be built with the superiority of the first, and with the merit of the second one.

On Sunday, we set out with all the tanks for the Tisha B'Av fast in honor of Moshiach's birthday and managed to celebrate Bar Mitzvahs for three Jews.

Shabbat Shalom!