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1) Why does Shabbos Nachamu always fall out during the week of Tu b'Av? Because Nechama was inevitable.
Rav Menachem Genack reveals the hidden connection: Tu B'Av signals that the bris between us and Hashem can't be broken even by churban. Chazal (Taanis 26b) teaches that on Tu B'Av, the harugei Beitar were finally buried – a miracle that amplifies the eternal bond between us and God.
Both Eichah and Kinos end with verses of Nechama. Rav Soloveitchik explains that nichum avelus isn't just chessed but a fulfillment of avelus itself. The Rambam (Hilchos Avel 13:4) quotes the gemara: even without a mourner, ten people must sit the entire shiva. There's a mitzvah of comforting even when no one needs comfort.
2) How can we be commanded to love?
This week's parsha commands us "ve'ahavta es Hashem" – love Hashem. But how can we be commanded to love? Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twersky zt"l explains that the Rambam identifies two types of ahavah: conditional love based on benefits received, and ahavah that stems from intense desire for intimate closeness with the beloved.
The second type develops naturally when we truly recognize someone's greatness. Rambam teaches that by contemplating Hashem's marvelous works we naturally develop what he calls "an intense desire to be in an intimate relationship with Him."
When we grasp the incomparable marvel of creation and appreciate "the infinite wisdom and majesty of God," we instinctively want closeness with the Creator. Love for Hashem isn't manufactured through willpower but emerges organically from genuine recognition of His greatness reflected in the world around us.
3) What does it mean to "look Jewish"?
R' Ezra Bick reveals something profound about tefillin, tzitzis, and mezuzah: they're not mitzvos you "do", but they're mitzvos that define how you "are." These aren't actions but signs that create the backdrop of Jewish existence. Tefillin and tzitzis describe how Jews look, mezuzah describes how Jewish homes look. They're passive mitzvos that shape identity rather than require performance.
This transforms our understanding of becoming bar mitzvah. When a boy puts on tefillin for the first time, he's not just taking on a new ritual, but literally changing how he appears in the world. As Rav Bick notes, tefillin was originally meant to be worn all day, making "the name of God called on you" visible to everyone. We've compromised due to practical concerns, but the ideal remains: living a regular life while visibly being committed to Hashem.
Perfect for a bar mitzvah, because it captures the essence of this transition: not just new obligations, but a fundamental shift in identity. The boy is no longer just someone who does Jewish things, but becomes someone who looks Jewish, whose very appearance declares his bris with God. These signs don't require constant attention; they work precisely by becoming part of who you are rather than what you do.
4) Why does the Shema beginwith God's unity but end with His name?
Rav Soloveitchik zt”l reveals a profound structure in the Shema's historical narrative. It opens with Yaakov wanting to reveal "the end of days" to his sons. But divine inspiration withdraws, leaving Jacob worried about a "defect in his bed." His sons respond: "Shema Yisrael … Hashem Echad. Just as there is only One in your heart, so there is only One in our hearts."
This dialogue spans across all generations. Says the Rav, Yaakov represents our "historic meeting" with divine truth, while his sons represent us – every generation and their wrestling with the same eternal questions. When we say the words of Shema, we're not just stating things about God but actually participating in an ongoing conversation between the ages about Him and His Oneness.
Shema isn't a static declaration but a dynamic encounter. We stand "near and commune with Him" while simultaneously entering "the presence of those persons who walked with Him" throughout history. Reading Shema becomes both vertical – connecting with God – and horizontal – connecting with all who've proclaimed His unity before us.
5) See last year's chomer here.
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