The final 15,000 survived because their Tefillot were finally full – i.e., completely sincere. Every previous year, there was a chance they’d die and a (stronger) chance they’d wake up. They played the odds and davened with perhaps 70% or 80% sincerity, while banking on the numbers for the rest. In the next-to-final year, perhaps their Tefillot were split 90/10, as 15,000 of the remaining 30,000 were destined to die. In the final year, however, it was clear that their time had come, and at that moment their Tefillot were 100% to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and 0% to any other source of salvation. Thus, their Tefillot were heard and accepted. The same understanding can be applied in so many areas of life, including health and medical situations. When we daven to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for a refuah shleima, while in the back of our minds thinking it will be the specialists and trips to foreign hospitals which can get us out of our predicament, our Tefillot are sincere, but not fully. We’re taking the steps we need to take, but our reliance on Hakadosh Baruch Hu is often slightly below 100%.
The Malbim says, that is the difference between a זְעָקָה and a צְעָקָה – two terms we find in reference to cases of struggle and danger. One is a genuine and full appeal to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for salvation, and the other is a genuine cry but with a Plan B in mind, whether a doctor, lawyer, court process, or some other plan to get out of trouble.
In sefer Sha’arei Ora, Rav Bergman writes that the mother of the Kohen Gadol had a custom of delivering sweets and delicacies to those exiled to an Ir Miklat – a city of refuge. Why? Because they were sentenced to remain in that secluded city until the Kohen Gadol died, and the mothers did not want the Tefillot of these people – i.e., prayers that the Kohen Gadol should die already – to be genuine. If they were 100% genuine, they’d be accepted! The mothers brought gifts so that in their Tefillot there’d be a very small thought of the enjoyable delicacies and continuing to receive them even after returning home. The result was Tefillot with perhaps 99% sincerity but not 100% absolute. As a result, it will no longer be a case of בֶאֱמֶת לְכָל־קֹרְאָיו לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻהוּ בֶאֱמֶת.
The Pnei Yehoshua says, there are 200 days between Tu B’Av and the 7th of Adar – the day of Moshe Rabbeinu’s petirah. That amounts to 600 Tefillot. Removing the Tefillot of Shabbat and Holidays, where no personal requests are made, the total is reduced to 172 days (עקב) and 516 Tefillot. According to his calculation, Moshe Rabbeinu davened the full 516 Tefillot, except he only began on the morning of Tu B’Av after seeing the final 15,000 rise up from their self-dug graves. As a result, he only reached 515 Tefillot. And what if Moshe had reached that 516th Tefillah, he asks. The Gemara (Shabbat 55a) explains a Pasuk in Sefer Yechezkel (9:2) describing six men (angels) arriving from the north with weapons of destruction in their hand, intent on harming Bnei Yisrael. The Pnei Yehoshua says, such groups of destructive angels represent Midat HaDin, and the name of Hakadosh Baruch Hu representing Din is אלוהים – a numerical value of 86. If we multiply 86 times the 6 Batei Din – i.e. the six angels, or more generally, six ambassadors of punishment – the result is 516. Had Moshe Rabbeinu davened the full 516 Tefillot, the six batei din that were preventing him from entering Eretz Yisrael would have been destroyed and eliminated, and he would have been able to enter.
We’ll now dive into the Megaleh Amukot, whose ideas will help us establish pillars that bring us back to נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי. We’ll briefly run through two of the 252 explanations the Megaleh Amukot presents on the words אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא. Of note, the Chida says he once saw a book by the author of the Megaleh Amukot containing one thousand peirushim on the small א' (Alef Ze’ira) in the word וַיִּקְרָא, but that book is unfortunately lost to us.
אופן לד – Moshe Rabbeinu wished to place the Mishkan’s Keruvim in Eretz Yisrael (both כרובים and אעברה נא have a numerical value of 278). Moshe Rabbeinu asked to enter Eretz Yisrael for this purpose, but was refused, because had he built the Beit Hamikdash to house the Keruvim, the Beit Hamikdash would never have been destroyed. Given that what Moshe Rabbeinu and David HaMelech created with their hands could not be destroyed, the wrath of Hakadosh Baruch Hu would eventually have been directed towards the nation rather than to just stones and wood. As an act of mercy to Bnei Yisrael, Hakadosh Baruch Hu prevented Moshe from entering into Eretz Yisrael.
לְמַעַנְכֶם וַיִּתְעַבֵּר ה' בִּי – But Hashem was angry with me for your sakes.
אופן לה – Tefillot of a תקט"ו (515) nature are able to reach all the way to the Kiseh HaKavod, based on distances (in years) between the layers of eretz, rakia, and shamayim, as detailed in the Gemara (Chagigah 13a). The number 515 also corresponds to the secret of Yitzchak Avinu and Rivka Imeinu. Yitzchak had the midah of דִּין קָשֶׁה (hard or harsh judgement) while Rivka had the middah of דִּין רַךְ (soft or lenient judgement) – Yitzchak was Din and Rivka was Chesed. They complimented one another, just as the Arizal explains all our Avot and Imahot were pairings of two complimentary midot, matching a person of Din with a person of Rachamim or Chesed, and their offspring carried forth one of the traits based on descriptions in the Torah as to who the child was more closely connected to. The Megaleh Amukot says, if you combine the numerical values of יִצְחָק (208) and רִבְקָה (307), you reach a total of 515. The Tefillah of Yitzchak and Rivka together is one of joint Din and Rachamim. Let’s now return to the beginning of our shiur.
וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַה' לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ ה' וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ
Yitzchak prayed to Hashem across from his wife, for she was barren. Hashem granted his prayer and his wife, Rivka, conceived.
Yitzchak davened together with his wife, producing a Tefillah of 515 that was able to reach the Kiseh HaKavod, and they were answered. Moshe Rabbeinu, in using the term וָאֶתְחַנַּן was seeking Rachamim and a free gift, in the same manner Yitzchak and Rivka had successfully beseeched mercy.
Let’s now look at an incredible thing found in our siddurim and machzorim. For those who daven Nusach Sefard, you’ll find this every Shabat Shabbat morning just after Nishmat, and those who daven Nusach Ashkenaz will find the traditional formula rearranged on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur:
בְּפִי יְשָׁרִים תִּתְרוֹמָם. וּבְשִׂפְתֵי צַדִּיקִים תִּתְבָּרַךְ. וּבִלְשׁוֹן חֲסִידִים תִּתְקַדָּשׁ. וּבְקֶרֶב קְדוֹשִׁים תִּתְהַלָּל:
The arrangement of the words and letters spells out the names Yitzchak and Rivka, and any siddurim intentionally lay out the text to highlight the two names. There is an opinion that Yitzchak and Rivka were actually the ones who established the Tefillah of Nishmat. A shiur in its own right. In fact, the Ben Ish Chai speaks about the Tefillah of Nishmat, and its importance, including reciting it after being the recipient of goodness, and pledging to recite it when facing a perilous situation and seeking salvation. Where does he state this? In Parshat Toldot, where Yitzchak and Rivka davened together: לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ – נכח stands for נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי.
The mefarshim ask a legitimate question on this idea. Since when do we mention the names of the Imahot in our Tefillah? The Avot are mentioned countless times, but where do we ever find Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, or Leah invoked? What is the merit of Rivka that she appears alongside Yitzchak Avinu in the Tefillah of Nishmat? And for those who daven Nusach Ashkenaz, why all of a sudden on Rosh Hashanah do we rearrange our Tefillah to include her? The Levush says, because we mention Yitzchak, and his middah of Gevurah, we must then sweeten and soften it by including Rivkah and her middah of Chesed. On the Yamim Noraim, we begin Shacharit with the bold declaration of הַמֶּלֶךְ – the King Who sits on a throne exalted and uplifted. If we leave our judgement in the hands of strictly Gevura and Din (Yitzchak), we’d stand no chance. So, we soften it by immediately bringing forth Rivka, who complemented her husband through her middah of Rachamim.
One more yesod before we tie up our loose ends and bring things to a conclusion. The commentators speak about the concept of 15 times 500 – which is the total distance between Eretz and the Kiseh HaKavod, passing through all the Reki’im. Rivka and Yitzchak desired a child, which is the fulfillment of פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ – which has a numerical value of 500. Additionally, adding the רמ"ח אֵבָרִים – 248 limbs of man, with the רנ"ב אֵבָרִים – 252 limbs of a woman, results in a total of 500. And when a woman begins to light candles after getting married, she lights two candles, and two times נֵר (250) equals 500. With all these values of 500, where do we find the multiple of 15? Fifteen is the union of אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה. The yud and heh – the name of Hashem – brought by man and woman into their union equals fifteen. Without these two letters they are left with אש – fire. Fifteen is also the number of steps between the Ezrat Gevarim (men’s section) and Ezrat Nashim (women’s section) in the Beit Hamikdash. All these nekudot point to the Tefillah of תקט"ו (515) being that of Yitzchak Avinu and Rivka Imeinu.
After all this, we can now begin our shiur. Let’s now put all these ideas and principles into a pot, mix them around, and pull out a wonderful yesod that will serve as the first leg of what we’ll continue building next week, B’ezrat Hashem.
In the first of the Shiva DeNechemta, we’ll read נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי, and everyone asks why the double language. The Bnei Yissaschar (Tammuz-Av, Nechama 5) and Chida (Tzavarei Shalal) both address this question and present the wonderful idea we’ll now explore. The numerical value of נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ is 2 times 104 – or 208, the value of יִצְחָק. Do you know who will comfort and console you? Yitzchak Avinu! Why? Because he was the only one of the Avot referred to (by Hakadosh Baruch Hu) as אלוהים even while alive. Hakadosh Baruch Hu said to Yaacov, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, while his father was still alive. This was because Yitzchak was blind and a blind person is considered like dead even in his lifetime, and as a result, the Chida says נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם refers to Yitzchak Avinu offering consolation to the nation – the one referred to with that name during his lifetime. All of the Geulot – the redemptions we experienced – Yetziat Mitzrayim – were in the merit of Yitzchak.
In whose merit was the time in Egypt cut in half? The Rosh says (Shemot 6:2), when Bnei Yisrael were at rock bottom and their greatest point of suffering, their cries were heard in Heaven not only by Hakadosh Baruch Hu, but also by the Avot, who begged for them to be saved. The response from Hakadosh Baruch Hu was shocking: “Whoever gives me a letter from their name, in his merit I will end the suffering.” Avraham and Yaacov both responded that their given names were changed by Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and their new names were intentional and necessary for Bnei Yisrael in the future. They were thus unable to modify the names provided by Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Yitzchak responded, “My name was supposed to be written as יִשְׂחָק (Tehillim 105:9), but I am willing to forgo my honor and have it written as יִצְחָק.” The difference between ש (300) and צ (90) is 210, and thus, in the merit of Yitzchak Avinu, Bnei Yisrael would be rescued after an abbreviated 210 years.
Considered like dead even in his lifetime, and as a result, the Chida says נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם refers to Yitzchak Avinu offering consolation to the nation – the one referred to with that name during his lifetime. All of the Geulot – the redemptions we experienced – Yetziat Mitzrayim – were in the merit of Yitzchak.
The Chida quotes Yalkut Reuveni who says that at the time of Yetziat Mitzrayim, the skies opened up and Bnei Yisrael saw Yitzchak Avinu davening for their redemption, and so too will the future redemptions be in his merit. The Gemara (Shabbat 89a) says:
In the future that will surely come, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will say to Avraham: Your children have sinned against Me. Avraham will respond: Master of the Universe, if so, let them be eradicated to sanctify Your name. G-d said: I will say it to Yaacov. Since he experienced the pain of raising children, perhaps he will ask for mercy on their behalf. He said to Yaacov: Your children have sinned. Yaacov said before Him: Master of the Universe, if so, let them be eradicated to sanctify Your name. Hakadosh Baruch Hu said: There is no reason in elders and no wisdom in youth. Neither Avraham nor Yaacov knew how to respond properly. Yitzchak will respond: Master of the Universe, are they my children and not Your children? At Sinai, when they declared “We will do” over “We will listen”, didn’t You call them, “My son, My firstborn son Israel”? Now that they have sinned, are they my children and not Your children?
Neither Avraham Avinu nor Yaacov Avinu could respond properly. Yitzchak Avinu, on the other hand, reconciled the sins of Bnei Yisrael and argued their transgressions were in fact not numerous, even offering to split the burden of those sins with Hakadosh Baruch Hu or to take them all upon himself! The Gemara then says, Bnei Yisrael responded to Yitzchak: כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ, because only Yitzchak defended the people as a father would and displayed compassion toward his children. Yitzchak responded to them: “Before you praise me, praise Hakadosh Baruch Hu,” pointing to Hakadosh Baruch Hu before their eyes. The people lifted their eyes to the heavens and said, “אַתָּה ה׳ אָבִינוּ גֹּאֲלֵנוּ מֵעוֹלָם שְׁמֶךָ – You, Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer, everlasting is Your name.”
Rabbotai, the Iyun Yaacov asks, why specifically Yitzchak Avinu? Why is he the one who takes the burden of davening for redemption on his shoulders? His answer is tremendous. Yitzchak had a wild and mischievous child at home, by the name of Eisav, who committed all sorts of sins including the three cardinal ones. Avraham Avinu had the exact same in Yishmael, and he responded by sending him away from the home and his son, Yitzchak. Yaacov Avinu had a daughter who was taken and violated by Shechem, resulting in the birth of Osnat. Yaacov did not agree to have Osnat remain in the house, and he sent her off to Mitzrayim where she wound up in the house of Potiphar, eventually marrying Yosef (Pirkei deRabbi Eiezer). Avraham’s son sinned and was cast away, and Yaacov’s granddaughter was also cast away. The only one who held onto his child, despite the sins and flaws, was Yitzchak Avinu. Chazal say Yitzchak let him do his thing, including stirring up a ketoret for Avodah Zara in the house, and as a result became blind.
Yitzchak Avinu was the only one able to turn to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and say, “I had a rebellious son, but I did not cast him away. I kept him at home despite the pain and cost of it all. And You, Hakadosh Baruch Hu, want to cast away your children who’ve gone astray?” Only Yitzchak Avinu, and his trait of Midat HaDin, could make such a statement! Yitzchak Avinu was willing to sacrifice himself and take on the sins of Am Yisrael because he was the only one who had already sacrificed himself, twice, to Hakadosh Baruch Hu – once when he was eight days old and was the first to receive a Brit Milah at the prescribed age, and then again on the altar at Akeidat Yitzchak. Chazal say בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי refers to Yitzchak Avinu and the blood of his Milah together with the blood associated with shechita. The gematria of בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי is 104 plus 104, or a total of 208, the same value as יִצְחָק.
We can now understand why Yitzchak Avinu established the Tefillah of Mincha, the same Tefillah through which Eliyahu HaNavi was answered: שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ לֹא נַעֲנָה אֶלָּא בִּתְפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה (Berachot 6b). Flip around the letters of מנחה and you will find the word נֶחָמָה – consolation. The two words are one and the same. Establishing Mincha for Am Yisrael was establishing consolation for them.
The Bnei Yissaschar says, it is for this reason that Midat HaDin will come and console us. We were punished through Din, and it is the same Din that will come and comfort us. It is Yitzchak Avinu that will bring us comfort and Yitzchak Avinu that will see us to our ultimate redemption. In our Pesach Haggadah we read:
כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה בָנִים דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה: אֶחָד חָכָם, וְאֶחָד רָשָׁע, וְאֶחָד תָּם, וְאֶחָד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל.
The Torah relates to four types of sons – one who is wise, one who is wicked, one with a simple nature, and one who does not know how to ask.
The term בן (son) has a numerical value of 52, and four banim result in a total of 208. Only Yitzchak Avinu can protect all the types of sons (children) we have, regardless of their righteousness and behavior. There is another related item whose value is 208 – קָדְקֹד וְטָרַף זְרוֹעַ אַף – and whose secrets run deep. We will, Im Yirtzeh Hashem, explore it next week.
We learned that Moshe Rabbeinu requested 515 Tefillot from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and these Tefillot were in the nature of an עֲתִירָה – a petition to have a ruling overturned. The one who established the Tefillah of עֲתִירָה was Yitzchak Avinu, who together with Rivka produced a Tefilla whose value was 515. When seeking to reverse a matter, the Tefillah of Yitzchak and Rivka serve as the model. The consolation we are given in this week’s Haftarah is a consolation from Yitzchak Avinu, whose Tefillot were those that reverse exile into redemption for our people. הֵן גַּאֲלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אַחֲרִית כְּרֵאשִׁית – just as the Tefillah of Yitzchak Avinu led to the Geula of Bnei Yisrael in the past, so too they will lead to our ultimate Geula. May we merit נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם speedily in our day. ◊
