Rabbi Avraham Kuperman
Segulot from great Hasidic masters for the Shabbatot of Bein HaMetzarim:
1. The Rebbe of Biala wrote that because the concealment of Divine light is very intense on the weekdays of the period «between the straits», this light reveals itself more powerfully than usual on the Shabbatot of this period.
2. «…and (in place of) bulls we will offer (the words of) our lips» (Hoshea, 14:3). In most years, the weekly Torah portion Pinchas falls during Bein HaMetzarim, because this portion mentions all the musaf offerings. We read this in the Torah so that it will be credited to us as though we were bringing offerings in the Temple.
3. The author of «Pri Tzadik», Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin, writes that the first haftarah of Bein HaMetzarim – «Words of Yirmiyahu» [haftarot are named after the opening words of the passage being read], the second is «Hear…», and the third is «The Vision of Yeshayahu». This means that on the first Shabbat we work on rectifying our speech, and on the second, on rectifying our hearing. Shabbat Chazon is the most exalted of them, because through our service on this Shabbat we rectify our sight.
4. In Jerusalem, people used to explain the passage from the hymn «Lecha Dodi», rav lach shevet be'emek habacha («You have sat long enough in the valley of weeping»), as follows:
The Shabbatot of the valley of weeping (that is, the period «between the straits») have tremendous significance (rav lach), and one who serves his Creator on these Shabbatot will merit that vehu yachamol alayich chemlah («and He will have compassion on you»).
5. Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen also likens the haftarot read on the Shabbatot before and after 9 Av to the ten sefirot [a fundamental concept in Kabbalah; sefirot are the fundamental attributes through which the Creator governs the world].The seven haftarot and, correspondingly, Shabbatot of Consolation (between 9 Av and Rosh Hashanah), and the three haftarot with prophecies of punishment and, correspondingly, Shabbatot of Bein HaMetzarim, together make ten. Thus, the seven haftarot of consolation correspond to the seven lower sefirot (from chesed downward), while the three haftarot about punishment correspond to the three upper sefirot.
The period of Bein HaMetzarim bears the mark of the most severe punishment, but in the future a powerful light will be revealed to those who served the Creator during these days through prayer and Torah study.
[A similar statement is made in the Zohar about the curses in the weekly Torah portion Ki Tavo: the hidden meaning of the words of the curses speaks of the greatest reward, and there is an allusion to this in the portion Balak - in the Almighty's turning Bilam's curses into blessings - Ed.]
Prepared by Rabbi E. Schwalb