ONLY HASHEM CAN COMFORT US

“It is I, I who am your Comforter; who are you, that you fear mortal man and a person who will be rendered to grass?” (Haphtarah of Shoftim, Isaiah 51:12)

The haphtarah for this Shabbat, the fourth since the fast of Tisha B’Av, continues the theme of those of the previous three Shabbatot, namely the comfort and consolation of Jerusalem, Zion and the Jewish People. Together with the next three Shabbatot, these prophetic readings constitute the Shev D’nechemta, the Seven Haphtaroth of Comfort (Orach Chaim 428:8). Regarding this week’s selection, Rabbi Steinsaltz (Weisfeld Edition of the Humash) writes, “In the words of consolation delivered in this haphtarah, which is rich in poetic repetition, the prophet reassures those who worry over their fate, infusing them with confidence and hope for a new world. This haphtarah juxtaposes prophecies that were directed at the people returning from exile in Babylonia with passages that refer to the future, final redemption, which will not be followed by any more exiles.”

In the order of the Haphtaroth of Consolation, we find that the first is the Haftarah of “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1), the second is “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me’” (Isaiah 49:14), the third is “Afflicted, storm-tossed, and not comforted” (Isaiah 54:11), and the fourth is “I, I am He who comforts you” (Isaiah 51:12). What is the deeper meaning behind this sequence?

At the second Congress of Agudath Yisrael (the umbrella body of Orthodox Jewry in pre-war Europe) in 1928, the legendary Rabbi Meir Shapiro, the mastermind of the Daf Yomi programme, gave a rousing address to the delegates. He spoke about the seven weeks that follow Tisha B’Av and lead up to the High Holy Days. He opened with a Midrash (Pesikta de-Rav Kahana, Piska 16) that describes God sending a stream of prophets to comfort the nation of Israel after the destruction of the Temple and the exile to Babylon: Hoshea, Yoel, Amos, Micah, Nachum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Chagai, Zechariah and Malachi. In each case, the Nation rejects the prophet’s comfort. In each case, the prophet recites a verse from his book that speaks of comfort. And in each case, the nation cites another verse from the same book that speaks of impending disaster and tragedy. Their claim is, “Which verse should we accept? The first one [that you told us before the destruction] or the second one that you tell us now?” The Midrash ends: “The prophets went to the Holy One, blessed be He, and said to Him: “Master of the Universe, Jerusalem has not accepted consolation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “I and you will go and comfort her.”

Rabbi Shapiro noted that the people of Israel refused to accept the consolation of the prophets. After having endured terrible suffering and affliction throughout all the generations, they did not wish to receive consolation through an emissary; rather, they wanted to be comforted by the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, would come and personally comfort Israel, together with the prophets and sages, and only then would Israel accept the words of consolation.

With this, he explained the sequence of the Haphtaroth:

First, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophets and the great leaders of Israel, “Comfort, comfort My people” [Isaiah 40:1]—that they should go and comfort Israel.

But Israel responds: “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me’” [Isaiah 49:14]. After so many long years of suffering, now He sends us messengers to comfort us?

The prophets then return and tell the Holy One, blessed be He, that Israel is “Afflicted, storm-tossed, and not comforted” [Isaiah 54:11]—that she does not accept consolation through emissaries.

And so, finally: “I, I am He who comforts you” [Isaiah 51:12]. The Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, in His own glory, will come to comfort Israel.

Throughout history, the Jewish people have suffered exile, pogroms, degradation, humiliation and genocide. There have been few amongst the nations who came to their aid or offered them comfort. In addition, when they did receive succour from others, that assistance was often short-lived and often ended in betrayal. Consider the fact that many of the Spanish Jews that were exiled in 1492 fled to Portugal, only to suffer the forcible separation from their children in 1493 by King Manuel I and then forced conversion to Christianity in 1497.  The Inquisition came to Portugal in 1536 and the first public trial took place in 1540.

The Jewish people are wary of anyone who offers them solace, friendship and comfort – and with good reason. Ultimately, it is only God Himself who can comfort us!

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Liebenberg.

This week’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/ZKGO5_stE6Y