This article is an extract from Rabbi Chaim Druckman’s book, “Step by Step," an enlightening discussion of the process of redemption that is taking place in our generation. (Adapted and translated by Moshe Goldberg).
For the start of The Three Weeks. May the Beit Hamikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days.
Exile - Desecration of God’s Name
What is the inner meaning of Redemption - what outcome do we anticipate and pray for?
The prophet Yechezkel describes the sequence of events in Yisrael’s history and how their actions lead them to destruction and exile: “And the word of God came to me, saying: Son of Man, the House of Yisrael dwells on their Land, and they have defiled it by their ways and their actions. Their ways were like the impurity of a menstruating woman. And I poured out my wrath on them, for the blood they spilled on the Land, and for the way they defiled it with their idols. And I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed among the lands. And I judged them according to their ways and their actions." (Yechezkel 36:16-19.)
In God’s name, the prophet describes Yisrael’s low moral status while dwelling in the Land and the resulting punishment of exile. He continues with a description of Yisrael in exile: “And they came to the other nations, where they went, and there they profaned My Holy Name, when it was said about them: These are the people of God, and they were sent out from His Land. And I had mercy on My Holy Name, which was desecrated by the House of Yisrael among the nations where they went." (Ibid. 36:20-21).
The prophet says Yisrael desecrated God’s name by dwelling in exile. At first glance, we might think the people continued their evil ways even in exile, thereby desecrating God’s name. However, Rashi explains this differently: “They desecrated My Holy Name - They disgraced My Name. What was the disgrace? Their enemies said, these are the people of God, and they were sent out of His Land." Rashi reads the text in a precise way. What is the desecration of the Name? The very fact that the enemies see the Jewish People, God’s nation, in exile, is a disgrace and a desecration of the glory of God.
The prophet then promises: “Therefore, say to the House of Yisrael, this is what the Lord God says: I do not act for your sake, House of Yisrael, but rather for My Holy Name, which you profaned among the nations where you went. And I will sanctify My great Name which has been profaned among the nations, which you profaned among them. And the nations will know I am God. So declares the Lord God, as I am sanctified in their eyes through you. And I will take you from among the nations and I will gather you from all the countries, and I will bring you to your Land." (Ibid. 36:22-24).
The Redemption’s purpose is not for us, but for the sake of His Holy Name, which has been desecrated. In other words, the goal of Redemption is the sanctification of the Holy Name.
Sanctification of the Name
God’s various names describe how He is revealed in our world, representing different traits through which He appears. The name Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh represents the attribute of kindness; the name Elohim represents the trait of judgement, and so on. This is explicitly seen in God’s oath after the war against Amalek: “And He said: I put a hand on the throne of God to swear there will be a war of God against Amalek from generation to generation (Shemot 17:16)." Rashi explains: “Why is the word for throne kais and not the full word kisei? And why is only half of God’s full name given (yud-heh)? It is because the Holy One, Blessed be He, swore His name and His throne would not be complete until the name of Amalek was eradicated. And when this happens, both the name of God and His throne will be whole..."
The name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, describes how He is revealed in the world. And divine guidance is curtailed as long as Amalek exists as the ultimate force of evil and impurity. Only after Amalek is eradicated will the following verse be fulfilled: “On that day God will be One and His name will be One (Zechariah 14:9)." Only then will Divine revelation be complete. And just as God’s name is an expression of His Revelation, the same is true for “God’s throne." Therefore, the word for throne is also truncated, showing that the throne is incomplete.
This is also Rav Kook’s intent when he writes that an Israeli nation is “the foundation of God’s throne (kisei) in the world" (Orot Yisrael, 6:7). “God’s throne" is an expression of Divine Revelation.
The foundation for full Divine Revelation exists when Yisrael lives as a sovereign nation in its own land. Although the term “the God of Hosts" appears often in most of the Nevi’im, it does not appear even once in the book of Yechezkel! During the entire exile, God will have neither military forces nor a kingdom, and this will continue until the Redemption. Yechezkel prophesied in exile, where there are no “Divine Hosts." The Holy One, Blessed be He, tells us: When you return to your kingdom I will have a kingdom too - then My Kingdom will be revealed in the world.
Exile and Redeeming the Shechina
Let us return to the prophet’s words: And He came to the nations where they went (Yechezkel 36:20). The entire passage refers to Bnei Yisrael in the plural, except for this verse, which begins in the singular and then switches to the plural. And He came to the nations where they went. Rashi explains: The Holy One, Blessed be He, goes into exile with them and hears what the captors say: “See, they are God’s people but even He could not save them. “And He came" - is not a reference to the Jewish People but to God. It is as if He descends with Yisrael, and the Shechina is also in exile.
The meaning of the Shechina, the Holy Presence of God, being in exile is that God’s revelation is diminished. This is an unparalleled desecration of the Holy Name. The Gemara discusses this: “Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai says: See how fond the Holy One, Blessed be He, is of Yisrael. Wherever they went in exile, the Shechina went with them. They went into exile in Egypt - the Shechina went with them...They went into exile in Babylon - the Shechina went with them..." (Megillah 29a).
In simple terms, Rabbi Shimon says the Shechina goes with Yisrael wherever they are, to protect them, because of His fondness for them. But the passage also has a deeper meaning. When Yisrael is in exile, the Shechina is in exile too! This is even clearer in the Midrash: “Wherever Yisrael go in exile, it is as if the Shechina went into exile with them..." (Mechilta, Bo, Massechta D’Pisscha, 14). The Shechina’s descent into the Diaspora together with Yisrael is exile for the Shechina. God’s name is hidden when Yisrael is in exile. The Shechina itself is in exile.
The Merits and the Covenant of the Patriarchs
When the Anshei Knesset Hagedolah established the first blessing in the Amidah (Avot - the Patriarchs), they emphasized the strong link between Redemption and Divine Revelation. “And He remembers the Patriarchs’ good deeds, and He brings a redeemer to their descendants - for His Name, with love." The ultimate goal of the descendants’ Redemption is for the sake of His Name, which will not be whole as long as Yisrael remains in exile.
The Tur gives a precise analysis of this statement: “They decided to mention the Patriarchs’ deeds together with the Redemption, to make it clear that even if the Forefathers’ merits come to an end - our Redemption will still take place, since God promised it to us by His great Name. Just as His Name will exist for all eternity, so our Redemption will endure forever. And that is the meaning of the phrase, “He remembers the Patriarchs’ good deeds." He will remember and redeem their children. Even if the Patriarchs’ merits have come to an end, “He brings a redeemer to their descendants - for His Name, which will exist forever." (Orach Chaim 113.)
Thus, we see that two factors guarantee Yisrael’s Redemption:
The first is the merits of the Patriarchs, a reward for their deeds. As is written in the blessing, God “remembers the Patriarchs’ good deeds." However, this merit might end, since to some extent it can be viewed like a bank account. The Patriarchs “saved" a treasure of merits - “credit" - and their offspring enjoy the fruits of their actions. However, since the nation has drawn so many “checks" from the Patriarchal account, the merits in the account might have been used up. The Gemara discusses this. “When did the merits of the Patriarchs come to an end?" (Shabbat 55a). However, Rabbeinu Tam notes, “The merits of the Patriarchs have ended, but the covenant of the Patriarchs has not" (Tosafot, beginning “U’Shmuel"). In addition to the “Patriarchs’ merits" there is also a “covenant of the Patriarchs," based on the unique essence of Yisrael -- and this covenant is eternal.
That is the meaning of the above phrase, “He remembers the Patriarchs’ good deeds and sends a redeemer to their descendants, for His Name, with love." Even if the merits of our ancestors have been used up, the covenant promised to the Patriarchs in God’s Name will lead to Redemption - for the sake of His Name. And like God’s Name, Yisrael’s Redemption is eternal.
Glorify Your Name
If we are not to be rescued from the birth pangs of Mashiach for our sakes or because of our merits, why should we be redeemed, and in whose merits? This can be explained in light of the verse quoted above: “I do not act for your sake, House of Yisrael, but for My Holy Name" (Yechezkel 36:22). We see again that Redemption is an act of revelation of the Shechina, and its goal is sanctification of the Name.
We can also add the Ramban to these sources, in his commentary on the epic poem Ha’azinu: “Note this poem does not at all depend on repentance and Divine service. Rather, it is a document testifying we will do evil and He will rebuke us in anger. But He will not eradicate the memory of the nation, and He will be consoled, and He will take retribution from the enemies with His harsh, large, and powerful sword, and He will absolve us of our sins for the sake of His name... Thus, this poem is a clear promise of future Redemption..." (Commentary on Devarim 32:40.)
We end with a note by the Vilna Gaon about the Patriarchs’ merits:
“In every generation there are possible dates for the end of the Exile, depending on repentance and whether the generation has any special merits. But the End of Days depends not on repentance but on Divine kindness, as is written, For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act (Yeshayahu 48:11), and also on the Patriarchs’ merits. And that is the meaning of the phrase, And He remembers the good of the Patriarchs’ deeds, and He brings a redeemer for their descendants for His Name, with love." (Even Shlomo 11:9.)