Our Birthright

This week we Lein the second of the Shiva D’Nechemta, a selection which begins with the words “VaTomer Tzion Azavani Hashem”. In explaining the progression of these seven Haftoros, the Avudraham, cited by the Levush, notes that at this point in the progression there is still some skepticism on the part of Klal Yisroel: although we were told “Nachamu Nachamu Ami”, we still fear that Hashem has abandoned us, a feeling expressed in the initial words of the Haftorah. If we are to understand that the seven weeks of Nechama are a process, that each week we come a little closer to true Nechama, then the purpose of this week’s Haftorah is to help dispel and feelings of abandonment or despair that we may harbor.

The Pessukim of the Haftorah come from the latter part of Sefer Yeshaya, and are somewhat difficult to understand. Symbolism and metaphor abound, the Navi discusses the promise of Geulah, and the reversal of fortunes that will accompany it. We are promised that the nations of the world, until now our oppressors will be disgraced, and forced into our servitude. Not only will our enemies bow to to us, says the Navi, but “V’Afar Raglayich Yilachichu” they will lick the dust of our feet.

The Haftorah also contains what seem to be Pessukim of Tochecha, as the Yeshayahu speaks about the difficulties he has encountered on his own mission. He speaks of the “Makim” and “Mortim”, the floggers and hair-pullers, who sought to silence him, but also of his unflappable faith in Hashem. There is no reason to despair, the Navi explains, because “Hashem Yaazor Li”.

After this brief interlude, the final Pessukim of the Haftorah turn back to Nechama. The Navi calls out to the “Rodphei Tzedek Mevakshei Hashem” and tells them: “Habitu El Tzur Chutzavtem V’El MAkeves Bor Nukartem”. When seeking for solace, we can look toward the rock from which we were hewn, and the quarry from which we were dug. Yeshayahu then gives us another point of reference: “Habitu El Avrohom Avichem V’El Sara Ticholelchem.” We are told to look toward Avrohom Avinu and Sara Imeinu, “Ki Echad Karasiv V’Avarchehu V’Arbehu.”

Even on the most basic level, these Pessukim require some explanation: what is the Navi telling us by referring to our point of origin and to Avrohom and Sarah?

Rashi explains that the Tzur is Avrohom and the Makeves, the quarry, is Sarah and the message of the Navi is that just as Avrohom was one person that when he was given the charge of “Lech Lecha M’Artzecha…” and his offspring multiplied into the legions of Klal Yisroel, so too our paucity in numbers and stature can be increased with ease at the time of Geulah. This would seem to be the simplest way to understand the Pessukim.

Mahari Kr”a offers a slightly different Pshat: when we find ourselves in despair, we should recall that we come from Avrohom and Sara, who were originally “Echad Karasiv” destined to be alone in the world, but later became numerous through the Birchas Hashem, “V’Avarchehu V’Arbehu”. From the actual words of the Mahari it seems that the reference to our forebearers is meant to give us hope, as he begins his Pirush with the words: “KiSheatem Mitztarim B’Goluschem Bivakasha Mikem Al Te’atzvu”.

The approach of Radak seems to somewhat merge those of Rashi and the Mahari. He also makes mention of the fact that Avrohom was one person when he received the Tzivuy of “Lech Lecha” but adds a different explanation of the message of the Navi, in the name of his father. Just as Avrohom and Sara had reached an advanced age without children, and given up hope of bearing a legacy, but were nonetheless granted Yitzchok Avinu, so too it is just when we feel that Galus is our reality and Geulah is beyond us that the redemption will occur.

All three of these approaches take for granted that the Navi means for the story of Avrohom and Sarah to somehow give us Chizuk while in Galus, that he tells us to look to the past in order to imagine the future. What requires explanation, however, is the way in which he chooses to send us this message.

Frist, if the purpose is to remind us that Geulah is not beyond the reach of the Kol Yachol, and that we have no reason to despair, why are Avrohom and Sarah specifically selected as examples? There are others who were Nifkad with children after years of waiting, and the Torah and Neviim are replete with other stories of miraculous delivery—why does Yeshayahu specifically point to Avrohom and Sarah? Also, if the purpose is just to recall their challenges and redemption, why did the Navi begin with the metaphor of the Tzur and Makeves Bor? What is added by this Passuk?

Perhaos even more pressing is the reference to Sara Imenu. Throughout Tanach We come across mention of Avrohom Avinu and the other Avos Hakeodshim, with the effects of their Zechusim a common theme. This, however, is the only time, other than Sefer Beraishis, that Sara is mentioned—certainly no coincidence. Why does the Navi go out of his way to mention the first of the Imahos in this case? This is especially noteworthy because the second half of the Passuk is written in the singular: “Ki Echad Karasiv V’Avarchehu V’Arbehu.” These words are certainly referring to Avrohom alone, why then is Sara mentioned at all? Regardless of how you understand the Pessukim it seems that the same message could have been given with just the mention of Avrohom—why does the Navi refer to Sara?

Besides the fact that the mere mention of Sara is noteworthy, it is also curious that the Navi speaks about “Avrohom Avichem”, a common usage and title, but then says “Sarah Ticholelchem”, as opposed to “Imechem”. Metzodos notes that the word Ticholelchem refers to “Holada V’Yetzira”, birth and creation, and is therefore without a doubt related to motherhood, but the choice of this term cannot be without reason. Perhaps if we understand why the Navi chose to use this term for Sara Imenu we can better understand the cruz of his message.

The Ry”d, one of the Ba’alei Tosfos who wrote a basic Pirush on Navi, notes that the term “Ticholelchem” comes from the same root as a familiar phrase: “Yecholel Ayalos”. This is an interesting comment as it does not really help us understand the word—if one knows what Yecholel means he likely understand the term Ticholelchem as well—but perhaps there is a deeper meaning to this reference.

Rashi in Tehillim explains that the Yecholel Ayalos words specifically refer to the way Hashem will control our enemies L’Asid Lavo: although they are now stubborn as rams, the Kol Hashem will render them powerless. The literal meaning of the words, that the Kol Hashem impacts the birthing of the Ayalos or does, seems to be true as well, as seen in the Divrei Chazal.

The Gemara in Bava Basra brings a discussion between Iyov and the Ribbono Shel Olam, in which Iyov wonders if his Yissurin are the result of a simple case of mistaken identity: perhaps somehow Hashem confused his name, Iyov, with Oyev, and enemy. As an answer, Hashem lists a number of examples of His enduring precision, to remind Iyov that a mistake is impossible in the Darchei Hashem.

One of the examples listed involves Ayalos. The Gemara tells us that, due to physiological constraints, an Ayalah must be bitten by a specific type of snake, sent by Hashem, in order for it to be able to give birth. Hashem tells Iyov: if the snake arrives either too early or too late the Ayalah would die, and it is only through the perfection of His ways that this does not happen, and so a mistake between Iyov and Oyev is also unlikely to have occurred. Perhaps this Gemara can help us understand the implication of the term “Yecholel Ayalos” and therefore our Passuk. The Maharsh”a, in his Pirush Agados, notes that there is a twofold suspension of Teva at play in this Gemarah. First, the venom of a Darkon is poisonous—in all cases other than this one it ends life, but here it allows life to begin. Second, he brings the “Chachmei Hayetzirah” who know that an Ayalah has the ability to chase away snakes (the way to clear a house infested with snakes is to blow a Shofar Shel Ayal) but here the Ayalah welcomes the Darkon.

We see, then, that the words “Kol Hashem Yecholel Ayalos” can be understood in a most literal sense: the birthing of the Ayalos occurs in a way that is very much outside the realm of Teva, something that can only occur because of the Kol Hashem.

Perhaps in linking the term Techolalchem to the words Yecholel Ayalos the Ry”d makes reference to this aspect of the words—a notion that is reinforced by a thought found in the Sfas Emes in Parshas Vayera.

The Medrash in Berasishis Rabba connects the Passuk that says “V’Hahsem Pakad Es Sara” to one in Yechezkel in which Hashem declares: “Hoshavti Etz Lach V’Hifrachti Etz Yavesh”, that He has dried up a lush tree and made a withered one bear fruit. The Passuk in Yechezkel is referring to the fact that L’Asid Lavo the Umos HaOlam will recognize the Koach of Hashem based on these Nissim, and the Medrash explains that the Etz Yavesh is Sara Imenu, who was unable to bear children until Hashem made a Nes.

The Sfas Emes explains the message of the Medrash: when Hashem enabled Sara to have Yitzchok Avinu, it was not a momentary Nes. Rather, it imbued all her offspring with an ability to live above Teva. The root of Klal Yisroel, the birth of Yitzchok Avinu, came B’Derech Nes and so we are not subject to the laws of Teva, we can rise above mere nature. The Nissim of L’Asid Lavo , which will be open and readily visible, are thus a result of the Nes of “V’Hifrachti Etz Yavesh” that occurred so long ago. Only because Hashem made a Nes for Sara are we, her children, able to live in a world unconfined by Teva, and only because of this can the Nissim of the future occur.

Perhaps this is why the Navi refers to Sara Imeinu as “Sara Ticholelchem”: to highlight the aspect of L’Malah Min HaTeva present in her case as in the case of the Ayalos about whom it says “Kol Hashem Yecholel Ayalos.”

The message in this case would be clear: when we are in Galus, we may at times feel like Geulah is out of reach. We know where we stand, and where we have to go, and the pathway is not at all discernable. In areas of Ruchni and in the reality of Gashmi, we just feel so far from our goal. The Navi then says: “Habitu El…Makeves Bor Nukartem…Habitu El...Sara Ticholelchem.” We are the offspring of Sara Imenu, the Makeves Bor from which we were dug. When Sara underwent a Nes, and gave birth in the manner expressed by the word Ticholchem it affected us all L’Doros. Not only is our physical existence due to her, but our ability to rise above it is as well.

When we “look” at Sara, and her effect on us, we remember an important point: we don’t have to see the path. When we recall that the Nes done at the time of “V’Hahsem Pakad Es Sara” was one with a lasting effect, we know that we need not confine ourselves to that which is readily seen. We are not bound by circumstance, we are not tied to the natural order of the world— the powers instilled by our noble beginnings enable us to defeat our enemies, B’Ruchni or B’Gashmi. We are the Rodphei Tzedek, the Mivakshei Hashem, and we can rise above Teva to achieve Nechama. Armed with this clarity we can set ourselves on a path to the day on which we will see Sason V’Simcha marked by Toda V’Kol Zimra.