נחמו נחמו עמי יאמר אלקיכם (ישעי’, מ’, א’)

This שבת is calledשבת נחמו because the Haftorah begins with the words עמי נחמו נחמו.
In this Nevuah ישעי’ הנביא comforts Klal Yisroel and is Mechazek them after the
destruction of the first Bais Hamikdash.

The Medrash tells us, that not only did ישעי’ הנביא come to comfort the generation of
the churban, but he also came to be Mechazek and comfort all future generations, until
the coming of Moshiach.

The אברבנאל in his introduction to sefer ישעי’ points out, that ישעי’ הנביא said more
Nevuah about the coming of משיח then any other Navi, and that is why his name is ישעי’
which comes from the word ישועה – salvation, to symbolize that he was destined to
comfort Klal Yisroel, and give them hope in time of despair.
The question is obvious – how is it possible so quickly after תשעה באב that we should
be comforted? After all, we just spent the last three weeks mourning over the
destruction of the Bais Hamikdash.

The Meforshim explain that we only forget something which is lost, with no hope of
return, but something which is only missing (not lost) we never forget, and hope
constantly for its return. Therefore the greatest comfort for Klal Yisroel is that we still
mourn over the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, and that even though it was
destroyed so many years ago, over two thousand years ago, it remains part of our lives,
we miss it so very much, and hope constantly for its return.

This is the reason thatשבת נחמו is right afterתשעה באב because there is no greater
comfort than mourning over the Bais Hamikdash, and because of this Chazal teach us
that whoever mourns over the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, will be zocheh to see
it rebuilt.

Wishing you a great Shabbos
Rabbi Spiegel