Va’eschanan - July 25, 2026 / 11 Av 5786

​Va’eschanan, the name of this week’s parsha, means “I implored” or “I pleaded” and a fitting name for this week which is known as Shabbat Nachamu.

Let me explain: Shabbat Nachumu means “Shabbat of consolation”, named for the Haftorah from Isaiah that comforts Israel and prophesizes the restoration of Jerusalem. After we marked Tisha B’Av this week when the two Temples were destroyed (and we mourn many other tragedies), we now begin national consolation on the way to Rosh Hashanah.

Yet the subject of the “I implored” was Moses asking Hashem one last time to enter the Land of Israel. Moses asked before; but so much did he want to enter the Land, he never gave up hope and continued to pray. Yet, Hashem refuses him again! In verse 3:26, Hashem replies, “It is too much for you.” So where is the comfort in that?

Rashi has an explanation that makes so much sense to me. Hashem is saying not that it is too much to be granted or that he needed to stop praying.  Rather Hashem was saying that the world to come that Moses already earned in his life was beyond the reward of entering the Land.

As we remember the tragedies of Tisha B’Av and continue to witness atrocities around the world, one could give up praying.  But remember that Hashem always answers and sometimes that answer is not what we wanted to hear. Let it also be our consolation and draw for Maimonides’ 13 articles of faith, the Ani Maamin ("I believe"), that we believe with perfect faith in divine reward and retribution. In short, we may not understand how or when, but everything is going to be ok.

Let us pray that this year see an end to exile, and let our next Tisha B’Av be marked by our return to the Land of Israel!

Shabbat Shalom,
​
Rabbi Josh 

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