The Covenant to Comfort

This week’s parshah, Vaetchanan, is a powerful continuation of Moses’ farewell address to the Israelites. The name “Vaetchanan” translates to “and I pleaded,” referring to Moses’ heartfelt plea to Gd to allow him to enter the Promised Land. Moses also recounts in this week’s text key events and laws to the new generation poised to enter Canaan. He retells the Ten Commandments, emphasizing their enduring importance, and the Shema, “Hear, O Israel: Adnai our Gd, Adnai is One,” Judaism’s central declaration of faith.

But this week’s column is not about the parsha text, rather, it focuses on the opening words of the haftorah portion (the weekly reading from the Prophets that follows the Torah reading during the Shabbat service), from Isaiah 40, which begins with the words “Nachamu, nachamu ami” – “Comfort, comfort My people.” This reading gives this Shabbat its special name: Shabbat Nachamu, the Sabbath of Comfort.

But, what’s in a name? In Jewish tradition, names carry deep significance. They can be prophetic, descriptive, or aspirational. For example, my name, “Nehemia,” means “comforted by Gd,” and resonates deeply with this week’s parshah and haftorah, which also happens to be why it was my bar mitzvah portion. It reminds us that comfort can come from the Divine, but also through human acts of kindness and compassion.

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In the parable of the king who sent his son to a distant land to learn the ways of the common people, the prince, away from his home and stripped of his royal garments, forgets his true identity. It isn’t until years later when a messenger eventually catches up to the prince and calls him by name, that the memories of the prince’s royal heritage are reawakened, inspiring him to return home. Like this prince, our names can serve as a call to remember our true essence and purpose.

In many indigenous cultures, naming ceremonies are profound spiritual events. Names are chosen with great care, often to honor ancestors, embody aspirations, or reflect the circumstances of birth. This reverence for names echoes the Jewish custom of naming children after beloved relatives or choosing names with meaningful Hebrew roots.

As we reflect on the power of names and the theme of comfort in this week’s readings, we are called to action. The Jewish Federation embodies the spirit of “Nachamu” – comfort – in its mission to support the vulnerable and engage the community. Like the name “Nehemia,” which combines comfort with divine connection, the Federation’s work brings both practical aid and spiritual solace.

We are each born with the ability and responsibility to be a source of comfort to others. This can take many forms: volunteering at a local shelter, visiting the sick, mentoring a young person, or simply offering a listening ear to a friend in need. By doing so, we honor the divine spark within each of us, recognizing the sacred nature of our names and our being. How good does it feel when we are recognized in name by someone whom we do not see regularly? How impressed are we by people who remember everyone’s names?

Let us heed the call of “Nachamu” – to comfort and be comforted. Let us remember the power of our names and live up to their highest meaning. And let us support the Federation’s crucial work, which brings comfort to the vulnerable, hope to the youth, and strength to our entire community. Because we are…

STRONGER TOGETHER.
Shabbat Shalom.