May 31, 2014

60 Days of Growth – Comfort Someone (Day 33)

shutterstock_154489397Over the summer, Jews all over the world celebrate what is called “Shabbat Nachamu” or the Shabbat of Comfort. This is the first Shabbat that we have after Tisha B’av and it corresponds to the haftorah from Isiah (40:1) which begins. “נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ, עַמִּי–יֹאמַר, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם – Comfort my nation, says God”.

Why does God tell us to comfort his nation? Isn’t He the all merciful one, shouldn’t He be the one doing the comforting?

The answer to this question is at the foundation of all creation, it is linked to the purpose for existence. Of course, God can do everything and cater to our every whim, but this is not what we were created for. God created us to complete each other. God is infinite and therefore, He, by definition, completes everyone and everything, so if He unleashed His Awesomeness there would be no purpose to existence. The Kabalists teach us that God created the world by holding himself back.

Now, back to the question, each and everyone of us is like a puzzle piece, with the special ability of filling the void in a part of the universe. When one person needs to be comforted, there is another who is able to comfort. This is why God is telling us to comfort his nation, in times of need we need to look at each and see what we have that we can give to someone else and through this we will become whole. One nation, one people, one body, one soul…one world. This is the secret of Jewish unity and the entire purpose of existence.

So, today your Jewish mission is to find someone in need and offer them comfort.