Nachamu: Comfort

Nachamu Nachamu Ami 4x

Anochi hu minachem 4x

Translation
Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, comfort My People”
Isaiah 51:12 “I, I am God who comforts you.”

I was introduced to the words of Nachamu by my teacher Rabbi Shefa Gold. She has a powerful chant for these words that I used for years. (See below.) One summer during the time of difficult challenges in Israel, I felt my heart hurting and knew I needed comfort. These words came along with the 2nd verse in Isaiah which was brought to my attention by Rabbi David Siedenberg.

We all need comfort for a myriad of reasons. For world events beyond our control. For hurts and disappointments and rejections for which we need comfort. For childhood wounds in which our little boy/girl needs our grown-up comfort. When someone dies the mitzvah of a shiva call is to comfort the mourners, nahum avelim. May we rub our hearts and offer tender self-compassion and self-comfort for whatever is hurting us. In this way may we experience some healing in order to move on in our lives and not remain stuck in the pain.

 

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Nachamu by Rabbi Shefa Gold

Nachamu Nachamu Ami
Isaiah 40:1

Rabbi Shefa Gold first brought these sacred words to my attention and I have been using the energy of their blessing of comfort for many years. These are the words that God shares with the prophet Isaiah and asks him to share with the people when their lives feel destroyed by the destruction of the sacred Temple in Jerusalem.

This is a metaphor for all the times when we feel that a part of our own lives have been destroyed, or when pieces inside us feel the deep call for a comfort that can only come from the unconditional womb of Spirit. I have used this at funerals, at times when people feel personal despair or the everyday disappointments, hurts and sadness in their personal lives and in my own. The word and melody are a balm of love, compassion and soothing energy to offer faith and trust in the process of healing.

I offer this recording with the permission and blessing of my beloved teacher Rabbi Shefa Gold.

 

To download the audio file, right-click (or Control-click) the following link and choose the option to save/download the file: Download Link »