Rabbi Yisroel Reisman
One of the recent featured speakers at the recent Flatbush Veterans Day Hakhel Yarchei Kallah Event at the Agudath Israel of Madison was Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, mora d’asra of the host shul. He spoke on the topic of “Betrothed to Me Forever,” concerning the relationship of the Jewish people to G-d as based on the on the second perek (chapter) of the Sefer Hoshea, the first of the Book of Twelve Minor Prophets in Tanach (the Jewish Bible)
Rabbi Reisman noted that this perek serves as the haftorah portion of Parshas B3amidbar and a major aspect of the perek serves as a metaphor of a disloyal wife who represents the sins of the Jewish people’s spiritual “adultery” with avoda zora, the worship of foreign idols during the days of the Prophet Hosea.
A Command to Marry a Woman of Ill Repute
There are in this section of Sefer Hoshea, Rabbi Reisman noted, very tough tochacha, words of rebuke uttered by the Navi towards Klal Yisroel (the Jewish nation). He recalled that in the first chapter of the Book of Hosea, Hashem commands the prophet to take as a wife a woman of ill repute (Gomer the daughter of Divlayim) and Hoshea subsequently has three children from this marriage.
Hashem then commands the Navi to send away his wife and children, to which Hoshea responds that he can’t do so. Hashem then responds by telling the Prophet that He too can’t break off from His children – Klal Yisroel.
Rabbi Reisman points that in Gemara Tractate (Pesachim 87a-88a), the sages discuss the meaning of Hoshea’s response to Hashem’s command to send away his wife and children. Why did Hashem ask the Navi to do so?
Challenging Hashem to Find a Better Nation than the Jews
Hashem’s initial command for Hoshea to first marry Gomer bas Divlayim was the result of the Navi’s response to Hashem’s criticism of Klal Yisroel for not being loyal to Him. The Prophet challenges Hashem to choose another people instead of the Jews, if it is possible to find a better nation to replace the Jews with. Hashem responds to Hoshea by declaring that His love for the Jewish people is unwavering and it is at that point that He instruct the Navi to marry Gomer, the woman of ill repute.
The second chapter of the Book of Hosea begins with three pasukim (verses) in which Hashem is being nice to Klal Yisroel and is then followed by 11 harsh pasukim of criticism of the Jews. It begs, Rabbi Reisman, said some type of explanation of Hashem’s rebuke of His people, Klal Yisroel. At the end of the perek, Rabbi Reisman notes that Hashem declares that He will again be nice to His people.
Klal Yisroel in the generations before both the Churban Bayis Rishon and the Churban Bayis Sheni (the destruction of both the first and second Holy Temples in Jerusalem) had several critical failures of a spiritual nature. But despite those serious failures or setbacks in certain areas they were generally faithfully observing most of the mitzvahs (commandments in the Torah.) The Jews didn’t see themselves as evil, especially in comparison to the other nations around them who were clearly much worse in their sins against Hashem.
Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) had spent 40 years in rebuking the Jews in order to encourage them to reach the level that Hakodesh Baruch Hu wanted and he was ignored. Rabbi Reisman explained that all too often we allow ourselves a certain comfort level in which we compare ourselves to others who in our eyes are doing much less that we are achieving in our spiritual service to Hashem.
How many times do children tell their parents, “But, everyone is doing this.” The Navi Hoshea responds to Hakodesh Baruch Hu by challenging Him to find another nation that is better than the Klal Yisroel.
But, this Rabbi Reisman emphasized, is not the proper response to justify ourselves to Hashem by pointing out that we are still better than the other nations. No! We have to focus on what Hashem wants from us and what we are indeed capable of achieving. From the words of rebuke uttered by the Navi Hoshea, the goal is that they should inspire us to bring about a refuah or improvement in our spiritual service.
A person who has serious issues in his life, whether in the areas of health or business should allow these insecurities to inspire him to make changes in his life for the better. The threat of the punishment is more likely to cause a person to change for the better than the actual administration of the punishment itself.
A Deeper and More Personal Relationship with Hashem
The beautiful words at the end of the second perek of Sefer Hoshe finds Hashem saying that you will call me Ishi and not baali. Rabbi Reisman explained that baali is the language of ownership, whereas Ishi connotes a spousal relationship or a deeper and more personal relationship with Hashem.
Ultimately, it is clear that there are no other nations that are better than Klal Yisroel. But we should still strive to have an even better relationship and connection to Hakodesh Baruch Hu.
After the Churban Bayis Rishon, the Jewish nation asked the Navi Zechariah can a man who divorced his wife have any more claims on his former wife. This is a reference to can Hashem still make demands on Klal Yisroel after allowing Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the First Beis Hamikdosh and cause most of the Jews into exile in Bavel. Zechariah replies to the question by asking where is the sefer krisis (divorce document)? Hence Hashem’s bond with Klal Yisroel and visa-versa in unbreakable.
Rabbi Yisroel Reisman noted that people whose sins are the results of their weakness because of the yetzer hora (evil inclination) are not separated from Hakodesh Baruch Hu. On the other hand, someone who because of his gaiva (arrogance) breaks away from Hakodesh Baruch Hu and makes it a shita (method of disobedience) is in a sense no longer connected to Him [unless he sincerely repents.]
The Navi Hoshea Change His Attitude Dramatically
Perhaps, the main takeaway of Perek Beis is how the Navi Hoshea changes his attitude from one who challenges Hashem to try and find a better nation than the Jews if He can to instead telling the Jewish people that yes, they can indeed do better.
