In the traditional comfort of mourners, we recite “May God comfort you amongst the rest of the mourners of zion and Jerusalem”…what is the comparison with the personal mourning of a family member and the collective mourning over zion and Jerusalem?
I think that the answer can be viewed in two directions. On the side of the mourners ‘over zion and Jerusalem’ is a statement that even though they have not experienced a personal loss, they are placed amongst those mourning a close relative for it shows that their mourning is a genuine mourning just as one can’t…… other side is the look to the future – techias hameisim
