Classics and Beyond Shabbos Nachamu– A Love/Hate Relationship. Dubno Magid

Shabbos Nachamu– A Love/Hate Relationship:
חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם שָׂנְאָה נַפְשִׁי הָיוּ עָלַי לָטֹרַח נִלְאֵיתִי נְשֹׂא
Your New Moons and your appointed times my soul hates; they have become a burden upon me; I am weary of enduring them. (Yeshayah 1:14)
דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם מועדי ה’ אשר תקראו אתם מקראי קדש אלה הם מועדי
Speak to the Children of Israel, and say to them, “The appointed festivals of Hashem, which you shall designate as callings of holiness, these are My appointed festivals” (Vayikra 23:2).
The word mo’ed means meeting or appointment. Hence, we have the term Ohel Mo’ed – Tent of Meeting. A mo’ed is the time of year when we have a prearranged meeting or appointment with Hashem.
We know that Hashem appreciates our observance of these festivals and rewards us accordingly. Yet, there is a verse in Yeshayah (1:14), which clearly portrays how Hashem hates the very same mo’adim that He gives us: “Chodsheichem u’moadeichem sanah nafshi hayu alai la’torach nileisi neso – Your New Moons and your appointed times my soul hates; they have become a burden upon me; I am weary of enduring them.”
How are we to understand this? If Hashem gave us these mo’adim, these special appointments, why would He hate them?
The Maggid of Dubno brings a parable to explain this. Several sons of a wealthy magnate became ill with a mysterious ailment. Since money was not an issue, the rich man hired a top physician to care for his children and even had him stay in his home, so he could devote all his time and expertise to finding the cure for his boys. After expending much effort, the doctor concocted a potion, administered it, and the man’s sons recovered. The tycoon was thrilled with the doctor’s performance; he made sure to thank him profusely and shower him with gifts and money.
After some months, however, the illness returned. Once again, the services of the expert doctor were retained and he found a way to treat the sickness. However, the children refused to cooperate and did not take their prescribed medication. This went on, until the boys began to wither away from their untreated illness. Whenever the doctor would pass the wealthy man, he detected a scowl on the man’s face, and he would wonder why his employer was angry at him. One day, he asked for an explanation; after all, he had done nothing wrong and it was not his fault that these spoiled children refused to take the lifesaving medicine.
The affluent man responded with a heavy heart. “You are a fine physician. You saved my sons before, and I know you want to save them now. But when I see you, I am reminded that you are the means to their salvation, and they are squandering the opportunity that you represent. My anger is not at you but at my sons, for not availing themselves of your life-giving drugs.”
The Dubno Maggid explains that the same is true of the mo’adim, the Jewish festivals. The mo’adim are the times that Hashem sets aside for us, for us to cease our normal work and heal our spirits. The trick is: How do we use this time? Do we use it as a time for spiritual growth and renewal? Do we use it as an opportunity to offer contemplative prayers? Do we have pleasant yet meaningful Yom Tov meals, where songs of praise are sung? Or do we use the holidays as a time to catch up on our sleep? To socialize in shul? We are like spoiled kids who don’t take advantage of healing balms, and squander precious opportunities. Thus, although it is really the fault of the children, meaning the Yidden, Hashem, like the wealthy man, shows His displeasure to the mo’adim, represented in the mashal by the skilled doctor.
This, then, accounts for Hashem “hating” the mo’adim, as Yeshayah says, “Chodsheichem u’moadeichem sanah nafshi.” Hashem hates when you take “mo’adei Hashem” – appointed festivals of Hashem, and turn them into “mo’adeichem” – your appointed festivals, days to be used indulgently rather than spiritually. Hashem abhors the fact that we are squandering and wasting the wonderful opportunity afforded us, by turning His mo’adim into our mo’adim.
The Seforno weaves this idea into our opening pasuk. When we take Hashem’s festival and designate them as callings of holiness, “mikra’ei kodesh,” and utilize them to become closer to Hashem, then “eileh heim mo’adai,” these are Hashem’s appointed festivals; then they belong to Hashem – He is pleased with them and the way we have made use of them. But if we squander the largess afforded us by Hashem – if they are not callings of holiness – and instead we use the day as “our holiday,” then “mo’adeichem sanah nafshi,” Hashem hates the misuse of this wonderful gift, this special appointment.