Photo courtesy of Chabad.org
A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY
Besides for this week being the first Parsha in the final book of the Torah (Devarim), it also has a special name: Shabbat Chazon. This refers to the Haftara, the reading after the portion that stems from the Book of Prophets. It’s always read on the Shabbat prior to the 9th of Av, Tisha B’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. The Haftora begins “Chazon Yeshayahu…” meaning “The Vision of Isaiah…” While this is a vision of a certain prophet at a certain time, there are many explanations as to why this entire week is called Shabbat Chazon. I’m going to take a moment to focus on the practical. On Saturday night and Sunday we observe Tisha B’Av. It is a day of fasting, mourning and prayer in remembrance of the two Temples in Jerusalem that were destroyed on this day (many historians have marked other sad moments in Jewish history that “happened” to fall on this day). What do we make of this? How should we best look forward when we spend a 24-hour period reflecting on so many awful tragedies throughout our history? You need to have vision. How many successful startup companies exist because of their leader’s unfailing vision? Whatever successful entity we can look at, we must note the commonality in that vision. The plan for success, the vision statement, the general outlook to better days ahead is what fuels us all, regardless of how far away that company, country, religion might be at this very moment. That’s what determines its success. So as we plan for this day to mourn our painful past, we must resolve to maintain the vision of a healed and redeemed future. At that time, we will understand the reason for everything, including all the pain. May that vision become reality even before the fast! Good Shabbos!