Shabbat of Comfort

We are now entering a new phase in the Jewish calendar. Aside from being fifty days away from Rosh Hashana, we begin the שבעה דנחמתא, the seven weeks of comfort. This Shabbat is known as שבת נחמו, the Shabbat of comfort, as this Haftarah begins with the words, נחמו נחמו, be comforted. There are six more Haftarot of comfort that follow. The Netivot Shalom calls פרשת ואתחנן, the heart of the Book of Devarim. This is mainly because the Ten Commandments and the first chapter of שמע is found in it. On Tisha B’Av, we read a section from ואתחנן, beginning with the words, כי תוליד בנים, that was a warning from Moshe Rabbeinu of what might take place in the future if the Jewish people forsake the Torah. He implores the nation to stay strong and never forget all that they had witnessed. No religion began with the signs, wonders, and revelations directly from G-d as the Jewish people saw with their own eyes. They were also assured that no matter what happens, Hashem will never forsake us. It is clear that this a Shabbat of comfort.