Bs”d
Parshas Voeschanan (5760)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
Every letter in the Chumash is important and precious. I have found, however, that this Parsha is most inspiring and packed with basic foundations including the Shema and Matan Torah. The fact that it always comes out right after Tisha B’Av requires delving into.
Reb Yaakov Kaminetsky ztz”l stated an important concept. Whenever HaShem brings disaster to the world it is immediately followed by Heavenly blessings of special powers. Any enterprise that is undertaken is hooked up to this unusual abundance of energy that brings blessings of success. This explains why Noach was chastised for putting the cultivation and planting of vineyard as a foremost priority after having alighted from the Ark. At this time he was equipped with and availed of this blessing of enormous energy and power for anything he chose to apply himself to. It was indeed a great tragedy and waste to spend it on grape growing.
Who knows how much of the fact that there is a Yishuv in Eretz Yisroel today can be attributed to this special force. After the terrible suffering of the Holocaust, Klal Yisroel was blessed with this special power which could have been harnessed for anything. Likewise the upsurge of Yeshivos and Limud HaTorah in the world today can be attributed to this great force.
By observing Tisha B’Av we are not only commemorating the churbanos that took place, but every year it is a reoccurrence, as if the churban had occurred again. It is probable and logical to say we are likewise entitled to the awesome blessings following churban. Tisha B’Av every year is followed by a rebirth—the ability to rebuild in a new, right way, a special Divine gift with the power to accomplish this. We are building a new foundation upward and it is indeed in place to read from the Torah all the important basics; hence Parshas Voeschanan. Accordingly, the period after Tisha B’Av is one of the most fertile times in the year for intensive growth. We can see how the Satan has interfered by making this the most relaxed season and time when we are prone to spiritual falls from the various vacation situations.
The ideal structure as I picture it would be a spiritual overhaul and uplifting after Tisha B’Av. This would consequently lead us into an Elul that would be absolutely inspiring and rich, as Elul was really intended to be. This, in turn, will immensely affect our Rosh HaShanah that will bring a year of special blessings.
May we rejoice in the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdash with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.