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Significantly, the word “nun” also means kingship. One of £How Could It Have Come to PassHow Could It Have Come to Pass
££How Could It Have Come to Pass
Mashiach’s names, according to the Sages, is Yinun, as David
writes in Psalms 72:17: “May his name endure forever, as long as
the duration of the sun his name shall rule.” The Sages interpret
the phrase translated as “his name shall rule” as “his [Mashiach’s] Since the Jewish calendar is based on both the lunar and solar cycles,
name is Yinun” (Sanhedrin 98b). Mashiach, like Moses before him, seven leap years containing an extra month must fall within every
will combine humility and leadership to become the ultimate leader, nineteen year period. This means that the weekly Torah portions
alluded to by the letter nun. do not always occur on exactly the same calendar date each year.
Sometimes a particular portion may be close to a certain holiday and
sometimes it is farther away. However, by reading two portions on
certain Shabbats, the Sages made sure that certain holidays would
always be preceded by certain portions. The portion of Devarim is
one of these portions and it is always read the Shabbat before the
Ninth of Av, a fast day commemorating the destruction of both
Holy Temples in Jerusalem, as well as many other calamities that
occurred throughout Jewish history on this day.
The Ninth of Av is the culmination of a three-week period of
national mourning beginning with the Seventeenth of Tamuz, a fast
day commemorating the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem before
the destruction of both Temples. The correlation between the three
Torah portions of Mattot, Masei, and Devarim and the three weeks of
mourning is intriguing.

As discussed above, Mattot begins with the laws of vows. The
Torah teaches us to be careful with our words, for we are obligated
to fulfill our vows and promises. It is fascinating to note that the 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 17 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Magenta
three weeks conclude with Devarim, which literally means “words.” #24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 17 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Yellow 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 17 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Black 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 17 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Cyan
Thus, the entire period of mourning focuses on the spoken word and
its importance.

This may be an allusion to the Divine promise made to the patriarchs
and the Jewish people. This promise – or more correctly, covenant
– is a recurring theme throughout the Torah and the Prophets.
Significantly, a covenant, unlike an ordinary vow or promise, is by
definition permanent and unbreakable.

God made a series of covenants with the patriarchs that were
renewed a number of times with the entire Jewish people during
the forty years in the desert and upon the nation entering the Land

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