Holidays:

Marcheshvan,  Rosh Chodesh 

Parsha:

Noach 

Description

The Haftarah offers us a pathway towards how to ensure that we never lose sight of our shared destiny. The prophet declares that “Like one whom a mother comforts, so I will comfort you, and in Jerusalem you shall find comfort” (ibid. 66:13). This compassionate verse imagines God as a loving parent, speaking in intimate, individual personal consolation. Yet it also speaks in the very same breath of the broader consolation found in the restoration of Jerusalem. It is from this verse that we derive the tradition of the “Hamakom” greeting used during shiva visits, comforting mourners not only for their personal loss, but also in solidarity with all who grieve for Zion and Jerusalem. This shows how closely our personal grief is interwoven with our collective story, grounding us in a shared identity and purpose.