Fear of Love

There is no question that each Sedra and its Haftorah are meant to complement each other. Often the way a topic is framed by the Navi can help us understand the true meaning of Pessukim in the Parsha. It also happens that the words of the Torah can help us truly grasp the meaning of the Divrei HaNavi to a greater degree. In some cases, however, the words of the Sedra and Haftorah are so closely linked that they can only be properly understood in tandem. When this occurs, the message that Chazal meant to send by linking a Sedra and Haftorah can truly be understood. It seems that there is an example of this relationship between Parshas Vayera and its Haftorah.

The Haftorah is taken from Sefer Melachim and relates two stories that happened in the time of Elisha, the Talmid of Eliyahu Hanavi. The first is the story of the Isha Achas M’Nishei Bnei Haneviim who approached Elisha to help her emerge from dire straits. Elisha performed a miracle with the Asuch Shemen, a jug of oil flowed that endlessly, providing the Isha with ample income. The second story is that of the Isha HaShumamis, who hosted Elisha, and her son who required an act of Techias HaMesim at the hands of the Navi. Both stories are somewhat familiar, and rife with meaning, but there are a few words towards the beginning of the Haftorah that are particularly interesting.

When the Isha Achas M’Nishei Bnei Haneviim first approaches Elisha she begins with a short introduction to her request: “Avdecha Ishi Mes V’Atah Yadata Ki Avdecha Haya Yareh Es Hashem…”. Before asking Elisha to help her, it is established that the Navi was familiar with her husband, who was a “Yareh Es Hashem.” Rashi explains that this lady was in fact the Almana of Ovadia HaNavi, which would seem to establish both the connection between he and Elisha, as well as his status as a “Yareh Hashem”.

Although this poor woman was clearly under duress, there is something interesting about the way she prefaced her request. It is clear that she knew Elisha to be familiar with Ovadia, and certainly the Navi knew of her husband’s accomplishments. If so, why did she have to let Elisha know that her husband was a Yareh Es Hashem? What did she mean with these words?

Mincha Ketana explains that the Isha Achas was answering an unasked question: she was coming to the Navi to ask him to help here emerge from dire financial straits, but perhaps her situation was the result of her husband’s actions? Maybe he had been Choteh, leading to his demise, and his family was now being punished for his deeds? To forestall these questions, the Almana reminded Elisha that he knew Ovadiah to be “Yareh Es Hashem” who did not perish because of Chet.

This explains why the Isha Achas begins with an approbation of her husband, but not why she chose these words. Of all the ways to describe Ovadiah—who was, after all, a Navi—his Almana uses this particular term. Why? Why not refer to any of Ovadiah’s other considerable accomplishments—why does she specifically call him a “Yareh Es Hashem”?

In order to answer this question, and understand the words of the Isha Achas, it is important to learn a bit more about her husband, based on the words of Chazal.

The Passuk in Melachim, tells us: “Vayikra Achav El Ovadyahu Asher Al HaBayis V’Ovadya Haya Yareh Hashem Me’od.” Achav was the Melech Yisroel at the time, and Ovadiah served in his palace. Achav, as we know, was evil and the Passuk tells us that Ovadiah was not—he was a “Yareh Hashem Me’od”. The Gemara, at the end of the third Perek of Sanhedrim discusses Achav at length, and brings this Passuk, wondering about the seguay between the two halves of the Passuk: why does the Navi interject the description of Ovadiah as a Yareh Hashem Me’od here? The Gemara explains that Achav had a complaint against the Navi: the Torah tells us that the house of Lavan was blessed by the presence of Yaakov and the same was true of Bais Potifar when Yosef was there. Achav asked Ovadiah why his own home did not find similar Bracha due to the presence of the Navi. In response, a Bas Kol testified that Ovadiah was indeed a Yarei Shamayim, and it was the house of Achav that was not “Mezuman L’Bracha.”

The Gemarah continues, making an almost shocking statement: “Gadol Shene’emar B’Ovadiah MeMah Shene’emar B’Avrohom”, the statement made about Ovadiah is greater than the one made about Avrohom. At the time of the Akeida—found at the end of this week’s Parsha—the Malach told Avrohom “Attah Yadati Ki Yarei Elokim Attah”, where as the Bas Kol called Ovadiah “Yareh Hashem Me’od”. The presence of the word “Me’od” in the Passuk in Malachim, explains the Gemarah, signifies that on some level and in some way the Yirah of Ovadiah was greater than that of Avraham.

It seems that this Middah, that of Yareh Hashem Me’od, indeed defined Ovadiah—the Bas Kol did not proclaim him to be a Tzaddik or a Tamim, but a Yareh Hashem Me’od. This notion would help explain why his Almana chose to define him as such when speaking to Elisha, but further explanation is of course necessary. How can we understand the way in which Ovadiah reached the level of Yareh Hashem Me’od and why he was known as such. In addition, we must of course understand the statement of the Gemarah—what does it mean that Ovadiah was more of a Yarei Shamayim that Avraham Avinu himself?

The Gemara in Sota also speaks about the Yiras Shamayim of Avrohom Avinu, comparing it to the Yiras Shamayim of another. There the Gemarah tells us: “Ne’emar Yarei Elokim B’iyov V’Ne’emar Yarei Elokim B’Avrohom”, just as the Passuk speaks about the Yisras Hashem of Avraham, it speaks about that of Iyov. The Gemarah draws a conclusion based on this connection: “Mah Yarei Elokim Ha’Amur B’Avrohom M’Ahava Af Yarei Elokim Ha’Amur B’Iyov M’Ahava.” Based on a Pasuk, the Gemara establishes that the Yirah of Avrohom was rooted in Ahava, and concludes that this was true of Iyov itself.

How are we to understand this Gemarah? Of course one must both love and fear HKBH—both are included in the Shesh Mitzvos Timideos—but We generally think of Yirah and Ahavas as opposites. The Gemarah here seems to suggest that it was the Ahava of Avrohom that led to his Yirah? Why? The Gemarah does bring a Passuk in Yeshayahu that establishes Avrohom as an Ohev Hashem in general, but how is this connected to his stature as a Yarei Elokim. In addition, at the time of the Akeida the Malach says “Atta Yadati”, as if the Yiras Hashem of Avrhama was newly established—how can we understand these words based on the concept of “Mah Yarei Elokim Ha’Amur B’Avrohom M’Ahava”?

R’ Moshe Yechiel Epstein, the Ozharover Rebbe, in his Sefer Esh Das, speaks at length about the relationship between Yirah and Ahava in a way that can help us understand these Divrei Chazal and in turn the Pessukim.

As we know, all of the Avos HaKedoshim underwent many Nisyonos. Chazal speak about the Asarah Nisyonos of Avrohom outright, but the lives of Yitzchok and Yaakov were also replete with Nisayon. The Ramban, in Sefer Emunah U’Bitachon, explains that the main Ma’alah of Avrohom Avinu was not his Shemiras HaTorah V’HaMitzvos, but the fact that he was Omed B’Nisayon time and time again. The same is true, explains the Ozharover, of the other Avos as well—they were Zoche to bring forward Klal Yisroel because they too were Omed B’Nisayon.

The Rebbe explains the apparent value of these Nisyonos based on a Medrash.

The Tana D’Vei Eliyahu brings a Mashal describing a King who had many subjects who wished to see him. In order to determine who truly deserved access, the king built a room that was very small and had one small door that led to a large area in which the king sat—in order for a person to access the king, he would first need to squeeze into the confined space and make his way through the small door. The Medrash concludes that only one who had both Ahava and Yirah for the king would be willing to undergo the pain of confining himself in order to see the king, allowing the king insight into the attitudes of his subjects.

The Ozharover explains that Nisyonos are akin to the small room built by the king—they are brought upon a person to publicize the nature of his relationship with HKBH. Because Yiras Shamayim is an internal feeling, one’s true Madreigah is unknown to others unless he is tested—at which point it is clear for all to see. The word “Nisayon” itself hints to this purpose—it comes from the term “Nes”, which is can mean flag, because a Nisayon reveals what has previously been hidden.

This process, the arrival of a Nisayon to reveal a person’s Yirah, is brought only upon those who have Ahavas Hahsem, explains the Ozharover, because only Ahava can get a person through the Nisayon itself—just as only one who truly loves the king would even dream of entering the confined space to see him.

The Rebbe uses this concept to explain the Gemarah in Sota: the Yiras Elokim of Avrohom was revealed through his ultimate Nisayon—Akeidas Yitzchok, but he was only brought to that moment because he was a Ohev Hashem. Chazal are not telling us that the Yirah came from Ahava, but that it was the Ahava that allowed the Yirah to be revealed.

Based on this, we can perhaps understand the Gemarah in Sanhedrin.

As we know, Avrohom underwent many Nisyonos, which revealed his Ahava and Yirah for Hashem—but he ultimately was able to walk through the door and see the king. He was promised rewards by Hashem and saw them in his lifetime with the births of two Doros: Yitzchokk and Yaakov. Ovadiah, also underwent many Nisyonos, but he was not rewarded. In fact, he died a poor man, having expended all his riches to keep the Beni HaNeviim alive. In this sense, he squeezed into the small chamber, but never emerged. The revelation of his Yirah was in a way greater than that of Avraham, as he never received reward for passing his many Nisyonos. The Gemara does not mean to tell us that Ovadiah was a greater Yarei Shamayim than Avraham, but that his Nisyonos were that much more impactful because they came without reward.

With this in mind we can understand why the Almana of Ovadiah refered to her husband as a “Yarei Elokim”. She came to Elisha with a Tayna, so to speak: it was known that her husband was a Yarei Shamayim because he underwent so many Nisyonos. Where, then, was his reward? The status of Ovadiah as a Yarei Elokim was directly related to her plea: she was left penniless due to her husbands largess and wished the Elisha to rectify the situation.

As we consider the concept of Nisyonos, a running theme in this Parsha, we must take this lesson to heart. When we come across what appears to be a personal Nisayon, we should remember that Hashem brings Nisyonos upon those who He knows have the capacity to squeeze into the small room, so that they may emerge into the beautiful palace and greet His countenance.