2024/5784

At the conclusion of the Tochachah in this week’s Parashah, Parashat BeChukotai, the Torah writes: ׳׳וְזָכַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י יַעֲק֑וֹב וְאַף֩ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֨י יִצְחָ֜ק וְאַ֨ף אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶזְכֹּ֖ר וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֶזְכֹּֽר׳׳ (VaYikra 26:42). Rashi explains why the Avot are mentioned in reverse order: Yaakov first, followed by Yitzchak and then Avraham. He tells us that this is to teach us that even Yaakov, who was the youngest of the Avot, has sufficient merit to help his children in their time of trouble; and if he is not worthy enough to do so, then Yitzchak will be able to save his offspring; and if neither of them is worthy, then certainly Avraham, the founder of our people, will bring us salvation. There are, however, later-day commentators who give different answers to this question regarding the reversal of the order of the Avot's names. Among them is Rav Meir Shapiro, the Lubliner Rav, who points out that each of our Avot possessed a special attribute, a special middah, in which he excelled. Yaakov represents Torah, Yitzchak represents avodah, while Avraham represents chesed. He explains that many years ago, Jews possessed all three of these attributes, but over time some became weakened, while others fell completely. When the Torah begins by telling us that Hashem will remember Yaakov it refers to a time in Jewish history when Jews studied Torah and observed mitzvot. However, over time, the Torah became very weakened, and Jews manifested their Jewish identity through prayer alone, but unfortunately, they no longer studied Torah, nor observed its Mitzvot with Kavanah. Still, they did go to Shul and Daven, or at least belonged to a shul. The Pasuk implies that even though Hashem will not help Jews in the merit of Yaakov  who represents Torah, He will still remember the Covenant of Yitzchak, who represents service. However, a time may come when even this will no longer be true. Jews will abandon the study of Torah and not daven properly. But even Jews who are not Torah Jews, or even Shul Jews, will still retain the characteristic of chesed, of kindness and generosity. We are therefore told that in that merit, the merit of Avraham, Hashem’s Covenant will be remembered, and we will be protected from on High. Rav Rephael Pelcovitz points out that Hashem’s sequence of remembrance, from Yaakov to Avraham, concludes with the phrase וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֶזְכֹּֽר "I will remember the Land." Time has proven how true this is, for in the case of many of our brothers, this is their only link to Jews and Judaism. They have given up Torah, Davening, and even Chesed. But they still identify with the Land of Israel and are concerned for the State of Israel. Therefore, there is nothing more tragic than a development we have witnessed in recent years, where even this link and connection has become weakened. It is upon Us to not only strengthen our fellow Jews in the area of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilut Chasadim, but also in the area of חיבת הארץ, "love of the Land," as well, for this may well represent the only connection and identification that many Jews have with Klal Yisrael.