Rabbi Howard Morrison

I am so torn approaching this Shabbat after the heinous murders of six young Israelis this past week. 

On the Jewish calendar, this is the fourth Shabbat in a series of seven weeks of comfort, following Tisha B'Av. On all seven Shabbatot, we read from the prophet Isaiah, who offers words of comfort following the destruction of ancient Jerusalem during the first Temple period.

In today's Haftarah, Isaiah's message begins with the words "Anochi Anochi Menachemchem - I am He (God) who comforts you."

However, I for one am not able to be comforted right now. I am not sitting in the aftermath of destruction. I am existing in the moment of destruction. Rather, the words uttered by Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations speak to me right now: "Over these things I weep. My eyes run with water because a comforter to revive my spirit is far from me (Lamentations 1:16 - recited on Tisha B'Av)."

On this day, we are in the midst of a Churban, a destruction, with six more precious lives lost.

On this day, we are still mourning as on Tisha B'Av, not ready to be comforted.

On this day, the sad words of Jeremiah win out over the comforting words of Isaiah.

I pray, however, that the comfort we so desperately need will come sooner than later.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison