This week’s Parshiot, Behar-Bechukotai conclude the third Book of the Torah, VaYikra. One of the topics addressed is that of the historical fate of the Jewish People. What determines the vicissitudes of the national experience of the Jews?
First and foremost, it must be noted that we are not exempt from the responsibilities to which all nations are subject. It is incumbent upon us to establish a vibrant society based upon a robust economy and, yes, an effective military. In other words, we must become adept at all the practical skills that successful nations have to employ because we are governed by the principle of “We may not rely on miracles” (Kedushin 39b).
However, while practical Hishtadlut (Activism) is essential, by itself, it is not sufficient. For the Torah attaches an additional condition to our desire for peace and prosperity, i.e., our adherence to the Torah and its commandments.
Moshe is very explicit in admonishing us that if we walk in the ways of Mitzvot all of our practical endeavors will meet with tremendous success. However, what should alarm us is the equally binding promise that if we abandon the Torah, we will experience the greatest tragedies, resulting in the loss of our homeland and dispersion among the nations of the world. This is a dire outcome, especially for a nation that has so often been the object of unconditional hatred.
It is sad but sobering to note that the imprecations spelled out in our Parsha have all come to pass. Our extensive history is testimony to the veracity of the Torah. Both of the Holy Temples were destroyed, and we have experienced two exiles, the second of which is still in full throttle.
True, we have in recent history regained sovereignty in the land of Israel, but significant numbers of our people still reside in Galut (the Diaspora). Thus, the words of the Tochacha (Rebuke) and its implications are very relevant to our generation. What might that be?
The Torah’s Historical Promise
These warnings convey a message not only to the Jewish people but also to the nations of the world. A major belief of the world religions—notably Christianity and Islam—was that the Jews, G-d’s nation at the outset, lost that designation at some later point in history. The Christian doctrine of “supersession” maintained that G-d rejected the Jews–His ‘former’ Chosen People–because of their refusal to accept Jesus, and replaced them with the Christians.
This faulty notion was not simply an abstract belief. It had severe practical consequences as it gave an opening to Christians to justify all the cruelty they practiced against Jews throughout history. Our people suffered greatly at the hands of Christianity, which was until recently the main purveyor of violent anti-Semitism.
Notably, it must be acknowledged that in the aftermath of the Holocaust, the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations underwent serious introspection and revised many hostile doctrines that had been responsible for the universal vilification of the Jews. They absolved the Jews of guilt for the killing of Jesus and admitted that the Covenant that G-d established with us cannot be broken, and therefore we are still His Chosen People.
Had this theological correction been made earlier, much Jewish suffering—and perhaps even the Shoah (Holocaust)—might have been averted. Religion that deviates from the authentic teachings of Hashem can, and in fact has proven to be, a lethal force.
Both Christianity and Islam have displayed a complete failure to grasp a fundamental aspect of true theology, i.e., Hashem does not ‘change’ His mind. The oft repeated promises that He made to the Patriarchs that their descendants would be His Covenanted People forever, were never subject to being revoked. The statement of the prophet Samuel “Moreover, the Eternal One of Israel does not lie and does not relent; for He is not a human that He should relent” (Shemuel I 15:29), is very relevant to this issue. Of course, Hashem knew that the Jews would sin both as individuals and as a community, but they would learn from their mistakes, engage in Teshuva (Repentance) and resume their exalted historical mission.
The Torah forthrightly describes the worst sins the Jews could have committed—those of the Eigel (Golden Calf) and the Spies—for which they deserved to be terminated as G-d’s Chosen People. Yet, as a result of Moshe’s prayerful intercessions Hashem “relented” and forgave Bnei Yisrael (the Children of Israel). These cases constitute a proof that even though we may commit the most egregious of sins, Hashem will never break His ‘connection’ to us.
At the same time, we must be cognizant that occupying such an exalted position places great responsibilities on the Jewish People. Our mission is to be an example for all the nations and thereby elevate the moral and spiritual awareness of mankind, leading them to a proper recognition of Hashem. Therefore, there is a heavy price to be paid for our rebelliousness against Torah, and our failure to live up to its high ideals.
However, we have a Divine promise that no matter what, come what may, Hashem will never reject the Jews. The Rambam expounds on this theme at length in his “Epistle To Yemen”. Among other things he declares:
“We are in possession of the divine assurance that Israel is indestructible and imperishable, and will always continue to be a pre-eminent community. As it is impossible for G-d to cease to exist, so is Israel's destruction and disappearance from the world unthinkable, as we read, ‘For I the L-rd change not; and you, O sons of Jacob, will not be consumed’ (Malachi 3:6). (Maimonides, Epistle to Yemen, trans. Boaz Cohen, §10, Sefaria.org)”
The fundamental doctrine of the eternal “chosenness” of Am Yisrael (the Nation of Israel) makes its first appearance in Parshat Bechukotai, where after delineating all the gruesome punishments which will come to pass because of the sinful behavior of Bnei Yisrael, the Torah immediately states:
“But despite all this, while they will be in the land of their enemies I will not have been revolted by them, nor will I have rejected them to obliterate them, to annul My Covenant with them; for I am Hashem their G-d. I will remember the Covenant of the Ancients; those whom I have taken out of the land of Egypt before the eyes of the nations, to be G-d unto them—I am Hashem. (VaYikra 26:44-45)”
The Divine Mandate of Eretz Yisrael
These ideas are of great significance to the Jewish People today. We should not seek to escape nor deny the fact that we are the Am HaNivchar (Chosen Nation). Rather, we must embrace it, and if challenged, we should explain clearly that this is not because we regard ourselves as superior, but only because we are the descendants of the great Patriarchs. It is only they who reached such an elevated level of divine service that Hashem made an everlasting Covenant with each of them.
And it is only we, who stood at Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah, proclaiming, “we will do, and we will listen (Shemot 24:7)”; who were charged by the Creator to be unto Him, “a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation” (Shemot 19:6).
It is important for every Jew to recognize that he is part of a special nation, which was constituted by the Creator of the Universe, to fulfill His Will in the world. It is only by acknowledging our true identity that we can improve our relationship with Hashem and play the role He has envisioned and outlined for us. Furthermore, the world will better understand us if we are plainspoken about our identity and our commitment to strive to be Ohr LaGoyim (a Light unto the Nations) (based on Yishayahu 42:6).
Ultimately, the truly righteous people of the world will recognize and appreciate that we underwent tremendous suffering at the hands of the Nations because of our unbreakable dedication to Tikun Olam (repair/establish the world). We should be proud that we have been selected for this sacred assignment and humbly strive to achieve it.
The belief in our national mission is vitally important in order to explain and justify our absolute right to Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel). The land was given by Hashem to the descendants of the Patriarchs in order to establish upon it an advanced ethical and moral society, based upon the Divine Commandments, to be the living example for mankind.
We cannot separate the idea of being G-d’s Chosen People from that of our right to have dominion in Eretz Yisrael. The two are inextricably connected. We can’t turn to the Torah to find justification for our being here if we don’t display our genuine belief in its veracity by faithfully observing it.
If we honor and embrace the Torah and its commandments, and confidently proclaim that Hashem, Creator of Heaven and Earth, has given the rights to this land exclusively to His Chosen People, it will strengthen our position vis-à-vis the nations of the world. More importantly, it will bring us closer to Hashem, and, if we are worthy, elicit from Him all His blessings that He has promised us in His Torah.
May we merit to attain this.
Questions? Comments? Please reach out
to Rabbi Mann on WhatsApp 050-709-2372 or by email at: rebmann21@aol.com
or to Mitch Rosner on WhatsApp 054-426-3419 or by email at: mitchrosner@gmail.com
Eternally Yours: Torah’s Enduring Relevance for a Life of Wisdom on Devarim, by Rabbi Mann, has been published, and is now available at: https://amzn.to/3NBewg7
For those in Eretz Yisrael,the books are available at David Linden’s Bookstore located at Emek Refaim Street 21, Jerusalem, and at Pomeranz Bookstore, Be’eri 5, Jerusalem.
Additionally, the rabbi has a new series of YouTube videos called “Rabbi Reuven Mann Torah Thoughts”. You can find them here: https://bit.ly/49N8hyX