the countdown begins - comfort, consolation and conciliation are sweet

Now beyond Tisha B’Av – commemorating so much tragedy of the past – we count down toward the New Year. Recalling the destruction of the ancient Temple, we read the sheva de-nechemta, the seven “haftarot of consolation”, bringing us from utter despair toward renewal by the onset of Rosh HaShanah. And we are taught – though perhaps we haven’t experienced such calamity as the Temple’s destruction or persecutions or pogroms – ALL of us go through difficulty (ranging from hardship and illness to miscommunication, misperception and even our own stupid behavior) which can only be salved through the same call of nachamu nachamu ami (“comfort, comfort, My people”) that God promised before…in these weeks leading toward 5774, may we all be granted the strength to give comfort, consolation and conciliation to whomever needs, and the openness to receive these blessing as well.