SHIVA DENECHEMTA – SEVEN WEEKS OF COMFORT
The Jewish year is composed of time periods, each with its own spiritual focus. For example, Adar is a time of happiness, during Nisan the focus is on redemption etc. The calendar does not merely commemorate historic events – through observance of the yomim tovim, and their mitzvos and minhogim, Klal Yisrael experience the spiritual focus of each time of year.
With this in mind, let us examine the Shiva DeNechemta, the Seven Weeks of Comfort. This is a relatively unknown period in the Jewish calendar that follows the mourning period of the Bein Hametzorim, the three weeks from the fast of 17th Tammuz until the fast of Tisha B’Av, during which we mourn the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, descent into galus and oppression suffered at the hands of the umos haolom.
The Shiva DeNechemta are the seven weeks from the Shabbos after Tisha B’Av until the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah. They are thus named because the haftorahs read during these weeks express comfort for the churban. The three weeks of Bein Mametzarim are a period of aveilus, mourning, for the tragedies that befell our people. It follows that the subsequent period should somehow resemble the process of nichum aveilim, comforting the mourners.
How do we understand the Shiva DeNechemta? Why are so many haftorahs needed to provide comfort? And how do these haftorahs provide comfort?
THE CUSTOM OF HAFTORAH
Historically, the custom of reading the haftorah, a passage from Sifrei Neviim, every Shabbos emerged as a substitute for Kriyas HaTorah during a time when reading from the Torah itself was forbidden. The practice was retained even after the decree was lifted. The haftorah reading can reflect the spiritual focus of a particular time of the year, as is the case with the haftorahs chosen for the weeks of Bein Hametzarim and the Shiva DeNechemta.
The nevuos recorded in Sifrei Neviim have two functions: to communicate the word of Hashem to Klal Yisroel, and to bring Klal Yisroel to teshuva. The haftorahs of Bein Hametzarim contain the harsh words of Yirmiyah HaNavi who, in vain, warned of the terrible calamities that would befall Klal Yisrael if they would continue to sin. In the haftorahs of the Shiva DeNechemta, Hashem offers Klal Yisroel words of comfort.
3 LEVELS OF COMFORT
Nechama, comfort, is brought about through a change of perspective (See Rashi, Bereishis 6:6). This was famously demonstrated by Rabbi Akiva who refocused his colleagues’ despair at the sight of the ruins of the Beis HaMikdash to laughter and a vision of hope for the future. They responded: Akiva You have comforted us! (Makkos 24b)
Rav Michel Zilber shlita explains that there are 3 ascending levels of nechama:
(1) Consolation for one’s loss – the classic example of this is nichum aveilim. At this level a person accepts a loss and continues despite it.
(2) A higher level of comfort is when the loss is regained and the mourner reverts to his original state of existence. Yet, the perspective of most people would be that they would have preferred not to have suffered the loss to begin with.
(3) The highest level of comfort is where hindsight proves that suffering was worthwhile and valuable as it brought about a higher level of happiness that would have been unattainable any other way. This is what we will experience with the coming of Moshiach.
The mourning of Bein Hametzarim is imposed from outside us with halachos of aveilus. However, the change of direction and perspective of comfort are not brought about through halachos of simcha, but instead are something that we have to realize from within ourselves. We read the word of Hashem in the haftorahs chosen for the Shiva DeNechemta, taking the words to heart in order to change our perspective. Only then can we be consoled.
7 HAFTORAHS
The 3 levels of comfort are beautifully contained with the haftorahs for the Seven Weeks of Consolation. Following is a very brief overview.
Week 1: Dabru al lev Yerushalayim – speak to the heart of Yerushalayim: the lowest level of comfort in which we are urged not to be pained but to adjust to the situation and continue with life.
Week 2: Vatomer Tziyon azavani HaShem – and Tziyon said HaShem has forsaken us: Klal Yisroel’s reply to the Navi that they remain extremely unhappy and are not consoled by the advice to adjust to their new situation as this implies that they would chas vesholom remain in exile. The Navi then says that they will be redeemed. This is the second level of comfort – that the loss will be restored.
Week 3: Aniya so’ara – afflicted storm-tossed one: Klal Yisroel respond despondently that they are still unhappy; why must they undergo the galus and then be redeemed? Why the need for this process?
Week 4: Anochi, anochi hu menachemchem – I only I am He Who comforts you: the Jews are told by Hashem that He will redeem them and they will then attain a level of closeness to Him that they never experienced before. The highest level of comfort – that the suffering of exile will have been worthwhile to bring about a new, better, level of existence!
Weeks 5-6: Roni akara and kumi ori – rejoice barren one, and arise – give light: these instruct Klal Yisroel to rejoice and be very happy
Week 7: Sos asis baHaShem – I will rejoice with HaShem: Klal Yisroel reply that they accept this comfort and rejoice with Hashem.
PATTERNS IN TIME
The 7 weeks from Pesach to Shavuos, and the 7 weeks from Tisha B’Av to Rosh Hashanah always begin on the same day of the week (OC 428:3) reflecting that there are spiritual similarities between them. Both involve a journey towards a greater closeness to Hashem. At Yetzias Mitzrayim Klal Yisroel were on the lowest spiritual level and raised themselves until Shavuos to a level worthy of receiving the Torah. Similarly, on Tisha B’Av, Klal Yisroel mourns its distance from Hashem in galus, but on Rosh Hashanah we celebrate Yom Tov despite that it is the Yom Hadin, because our closeness to HaShem gives us confidence that He will render us a positive verdict.
The three weeks of sadness that preceded the Shiva DeNechemta, are contrasted with three weeks of spiritual growth from Rosh Hashanah to Shemini Atzeres (See Maharsha, Bechoros 8b). The climax of sorrow was on Tisha B’Av; the pinnacle of happiness is on Shemini Atzeres when Hashem rejoices with Klal Yisroel. During Sukkos the 70 parim representing the 70 nations are brought as korbonos. On Shemini Atzeres, no representation is made of the umos haolom, instead HaShem rejoices alone, so to speak, with Klal Yisroel, demonstrating His great love for Klal Yisroel, and their status of elevation as opposed to subjugation (Rashi, Bamidbar 29:36). In the absence of sin, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Succos would have been placed in Tammuz, Av and Elul respectively, so that each of the summer months would contain a Yom Tov (Yalkut Shemoni, Pinchos, 782). So the arrival at Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of a sweeter set of three weeks is the ultimate comfort for the three weeks of Bein HaMetzarim.
The churban is something that must always be on our mind (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 560). Yet we are a nation that never despairs. Despite suffering persecution and tragedies, a Jew never gives up hope and belief in the future redemption. The ultimate purpose of the Seven Weeks of Comfort is our realisation that the tragedies experienced throughout history are the catalyst for a better future; that the pain will itself be the cause of future joy. May we see the fulfilment of the comforting words of the navi with the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days.