After cautioning Am Yisrael not to divert from the instructions of the Torah, Moshe Rabbeinu tells the Yidden, “For what great nation is there, that has Hashem so near to it, as Hashem our God is at all times that we call upon him?” With this he stressed how exceptional this relationship is.
The sefer Siach Sarfei Kodesh quotes R’ Yehudah Volf Oriner ztz”l who notes that the word “near—kerovim” can also be translated as “relatives.” Very often in life, we find ourselves in need of help or just a listening ear, and who better to turn to than someone close to us, a relative? However, one can only turn to a relative once or twice — after that, even the nicest aunt or cousin may reasonably be expected to start becoming impatient, or it could just be that they don’t have time for us, and so we move on to the next relative...
With Hashem, it’s different, he writes. Hashem is always close to us, ready to listen and respond to our requests no matter how many times we appeal to Him. Three times each day we ask Him for forgiveness and He always grants it; which person would do the same? Even if there are people who are “always” ready to forgive, their forgiveness the tenth time is certainly not going to look the same as the first or second time. But Hashem is always our loving Father, and yet, the relationship goes far beyond that. We call Him our “merciful Father” simply because that is the closest we can get to expressing the closeness of the relationship, but in truth, He is so much more!
It’s important to acknowledge and accept that in comparison to our relationship with Hashem, every human relationship is so limited. Even between spouses where we expect more than from our relatives, there is always a limit to what one can offer. Likewise, many people grow up feeling that they needed more from their parents than they received. It can be hard to accept that the other person’s capabilities are finite. Perhaps it becomes easier to understand others when we remember that our own capabilities are finite, too...
As uneven as it may seem, it’s often right to give others the same benefit of the doubt we so readily give ourselves, while at the same time striving to be as close to our relatives as they would wish us to be.
