By Yehuda Z. Klitnick
Through what merit is the Jewish people saved?
One answer is presented in the second of this week’s Parshiot.
Within the context of the תוכחה, a long tragic list of curses which Heaven forbid might befall the Jewish people, Hashem tells us ‘וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב’ – I will remember my covenant with Jacob, ‘ואף את בריתי יצחק’ – and also my covenant with Yitzchak. ‘ואף את בריתי אברהם אזכר’ and I will also remember my covenant with Avraham ‘והארץ אזכר’ – and I will remember the land.
Rashi asks why is the regular order reversed here?
Throughout the Bible we are told about Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, the three Patriarchs.
Whereas here, it is first Yaakov, then Yitzchak and then Avraham.
Rashi shares the answer of our sages who tell us that in the first instance Hashem says: ‘I’ll look to Yaakov, let’s see what merit he has and if that is not enough merit to save the Jewish people, then I will also look to Yitzchak, if that’s not enough I will look to Avraham.’
Rav Soloveitchik gave a beautiful interpretation, he said as follows, the merit of Yaakov is through תורה, Torah knowledge and the practice of the Mitzvot of Torah. The merit of Yitzchak is עבודה, it is the service of Hashem through prayer. The merit of Avraham is גמילות חסדים, acts of loving kindness.
So, what will happen Heaven forbid, if all of the merit coming from all of those deeds from the Jewish people, is still not good enough?
There is one final detail in this verse which is, ‘והארץ אזכר’, Hashem promises us, ‘I will remember the land’ and what does that mean, asks Rav Soloveitchik? It means Hashem will remember the dwellers of the land and those who support the land.
I find it quite extraordinary because here the Torah recognizes the contribution to the Jewish people given by those who live in the land and those who support the land.
Rav Soloveitchik says even if they don’t keep Torah laws, the very fact that they are there for the sake of the land is an incredible mitzvah.
Today, we are blessed by the people of Israel who, under the most trying of circumstances, are striving to save the country from those who seek to destroy it.
We are also blessed by all those Jewish people and our very good friends around the world who are giving support to the land.
We have a promise in our Torah, that through this merit, the Jewish people will always live on – עם ישראל חי.
Let’s join together to pray with all our hearts, for the healing of all those injured, for the safe return of those taken as hostages, as well as Divine Protection for our brave IDF soldiers, police officers, medical professionals, firefighters, ZAKA members, security personnel and all those citizens protecting us in Israel as well as around the world, and for those who need healing, shidduchim, children or parnassah and may we be blessed to have the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, safe, quiet and sweet Shabbat.
