The term ‘B’nei Yisroel’ [implies the children of our patriarch Yaakov; it actually also] means the children of our patriarch Avrohom and of our patriarch Yitzchok as the Medrash Rabbah writes that also Avrohom and Yitzchok (all three Ovos) are all called Yisroel.
The term B’nei Yisroel: Although the name Yisroel refers to Yaakov, the B’nei Yisroel refers to the descendants of Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov.
Medrash Rabbah writes: (Bereishis Rabbah (63:3) Yaakov is called Avrohom because the Possuk states (Bereishis 32:29) לֹא יַּעֲקֹב יֵּאָּ מֵּר עוֹד שִמְּךָ כִי אִם יִשְּ רָּאֵּל “Your name shall no longer be Yaakov, but Yisroel”. Yitzchok is called Yisroel as the Possuk states: (Shemos 1:1) וְּאֵּלֶה שְּמוֹת בְּנֵּי יִשְּרָּאֵּל הַּבָּאִים מִצְּרָּיְּמָּה אֵּת יַּעֲקֹב “These are the names of the sons of Yisroel who came to Egypt with Yaakov” [So if they were the sons of someone called Yisroel but they came with Yaakov, that Yisroel must have been Yitzchok”]. Avrohom is called Yisroel because the Possuk states (שמות יב, מ): וּמוֹשַּב בְּנֵּי יִשְּ רָּאֵּל אֲשֶר יָּשְּבוּ בְּמִצְּרָּיִם וּבְּאֶרֶץ כְּ נַּעַּן וּבְּאֶרֶץ גּוֹשֶן שְּלשִים שָּנָּה וְּאַּרְּ בַּע מֵּאוֹת שָּנָּה “The length of time that the B’nei Yisroel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years;” [so they were called B’nei Yisroel from four hundred and thirty years before they left Egypt, which means that they are the B’nei Yisroel the children of Yisroel who is Avrohom].
According to that which is known, namely that Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov represent the Middos of Chessed, Gevurah and Tiferes, so it is understood that the first tier of holiness [(as the Possuk states דַּבֵּר אֶל כָּל עֲדַּת בְּנֵּי יִשְּרָּאֵּל) that the B’nei Yisroel possess merely by virtue of being the B’nei Yisroel] stems from the attributes of Chessed, Gevurah and Tiferes and predominately Tiferes because Yisroel (who is Yaakov) symbolises the attribute of Tiferes.
Subheadings
Chessed: Avrohom served HaShem through Love, also as it states in Posach Eliyohu: “Chessed the right arm” and in Chassidus it is explained that the Possuk וַּיִּסַּע הַּנֶּגְּבָּה וְּנָּסוֹעַּ הָּלוֹךְ אַּבְּרָּם “And Avrom travelled, continually traveling southward” That Avrohom’s Avodah is described as traveling southward because Avrohom was the Middah of love and Chessed. As the Possuk states (Micha 7:20) תִתֵּן אֱמֶת לְּיַּעֲקֹב חֶסֶד לְּאַּבְּרָּהָּם אֲשֶר נִשְּבַּעְּתָּ לַּאֲבֹתֵּינוּ מִימֵּי קֶדֶם. Chessed means kindness or benevolence.
Gevurah: Yitzchok embodies Gevurah and served HaShem through fear (rigor, awe, self-abnegation)... Gevurah is associated with Yitzchok as the Possuk states Bereishis (31:42) לוּלֵּי אֱלֹקֵּי אָּבִי אֱלֹקֵּי אַּבְּרָּהָּם וּפַּחַּד יִצְּחָּק הָּיָּה לִי כִי עַּתָּה רֵּיקָּם שִלַּחְּתָּנִי אֶת עָּנְּיִי וְּאֶת יְּגִיעַּ כַּפַּי רָּאָּה אֱלֹקִים וַּיּוֹכַּח אָּמֶש “Had not the G-d of my father, the G-d of Avrohom and the awe (fear) of Yitzchok, been for me, you would now have sent me away empty-handed. HaShem has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and He reproved [you] last night.” Gevurah means restrictive power.
Tiferes: Yaakov served HaShem through Rachamim, also called the Middah of Tiferes which is the combination of Chessed and Gevurah serving Hashem through the Middah of beauty. Just as with colours, music or with taste, when they are singular and alone they are not as beautiful as multi-colour or as a tune of different notes or a combination of tastes.
