שֹׁמֵ֣ר פְּתָאיִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה דַּ֝לּוֹתִ֗י וְלִ֣י יְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
Yang Mahakekal menjaga orang-orang yang polos; ketika aku dalam keadaan lemah, Ia menyelamatkan aku.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 28,20. “If G’d will be with me, etc.;” Nachmanides’ comment that seeing G’d had already promised Yaakov in verse 15 that He would be with him, why did Yaakov question this with the word: אם, “if?” is well known. The answer given by Nachmanides is that Yaakov was afraid that G’d’s promise would be invalid if he became guilty of a sin before it could be carried out. (compare Bereshit Rabbah 76,2 that promises made to tzaddikim concerning happenings in this life are never absolute.) [If they were they would tie G’d’s hands if the tzaddik were to become a rasha. Ed.]
The answers given by the Midrash or quoted as such by the commentators, appear to contradict the specific promise for events in this life made to Yaakov in verse 15. I quote: (translation) “Remember, I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Surely, after such a promise, how could Yaakov have had any doubt that what G’d had promised would occur in this lifetime on earth? Part of this promise implies that G’d the good, Who only does good, will assist the recipient of this promise to conduct himself in a manner that will ensure that G’d will feel obliged to honour His promise.
However, we must remember two points. 1) The Torah had reported G’d’s promise as being part of a dream,” i.e. ויחלום. The Torah did not preface the dream as a vision, i.e. וירא אליו ה'; Yaakov was not at all sure that what appears here as a solid promise was not a figment of his imagination. 2) We have discussed once before the fact that G’d wishes us to pray to Him for our needs, (that is why Rivkah did not become pregnant till after 20 years of marriage when both her husband and she prayed for this). Seeing that Yaakov is not on record as having actively asked G’d to assist him in what was a pretty desperate situation, G’d, by spelling out this promise, wished to provoke Yaakov into finally praying to Him for His help. (Compare also Bereshit Rabbah 45, Sarah being angry at Avraham for not having including her in his prayer when he said to G’d, (complainingly) “here I walk on this earth childless.” (Genesis 15,2) G’d dispenses largesse without waiting to be asked, to those of His creatures whom He has not equipped with a mouth to articulate their requests. Man, who has been so equipped is expected to use his powers to address his Creator in prayer.
According to B’rachot 17 the reason why our matriarchs were originally barren is summed up in Isaiah 46,12 שמעו אלי אבירי לב הרחוקים מצדקה! “Listen to Me, you who have lost heart, who are far from righteousness.” According to one interpretation of the above verse in the Talmud, some people are granted their livelihood because they use their intelligence to ask G’d for it. Others believe in their own strength, זרוע, their ability to work for a living, and secure it through this means. The people who are devoid of intelligence will be provided for by G’d, as they are too dim witted or physically unable look out for themselves. This is the meaning of שומר פתאים ה', “the Lord looks after the fools.” (psalms 116,6) Examples of such people are children having to eat at their father’s table. When the father of such children sees that they have become capable of fending for themselves, he no longer supports them. The same holds true of our Father in heaven, when He sees that we could fend for ourselves but prefer to have Him provide for us. The righteous are supposed to support themselves by using their arms, (to do work) not violence. Those who possess intelligence and do not use it to appeal to their Creator are not supported by G’d’s charity, צדקה.
The answers given by the Midrash or quoted as such by the commentators, appear to contradict the specific promise for events in this life made to Yaakov in verse 15. I quote: (translation) “Remember, I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Surely, after such a promise, how could Yaakov have had any doubt that what G’d had promised would occur in this lifetime on earth? Part of this promise implies that G’d the good, Who only does good, will assist the recipient of this promise to conduct himself in a manner that will ensure that G’d will feel obliged to honour His promise.
However, we must remember two points. 1) The Torah had reported G’d’s promise as being part of a dream,” i.e. ויחלום. The Torah did not preface the dream as a vision, i.e. וירא אליו ה'; Yaakov was not at all sure that what appears here as a solid promise was not a figment of his imagination. 2) We have discussed once before the fact that G’d wishes us to pray to Him for our needs, (that is why Rivkah did not become pregnant till after 20 years of marriage when both her husband and she prayed for this). Seeing that Yaakov is not on record as having actively asked G’d to assist him in what was a pretty desperate situation, G’d, by spelling out this promise, wished to provoke Yaakov into finally praying to Him for His help. (Compare also Bereshit Rabbah 45, Sarah being angry at Avraham for not having including her in his prayer when he said to G’d, (complainingly) “here I walk on this earth childless.” (Genesis 15,2) G’d dispenses largesse without waiting to be asked, to those of His creatures whom He has not equipped with a mouth to articulate their requests. Man, who has been so equipped is expected to use his powers to address his Creator in prayer.
According to B’rachot 17 the reason why our matriarchs were originally barren is summed up in Isaiah 46,12 שמעו אלי אבירי לב הרחוקים מצדקה! “Listen to Me, you who have lost heart, who are far from righteousness.” According to one interpretation of the above verse in the Talmud, some people are granted their livelihood because they use their intelligence to ask G’d for it. Others believe in their own strength, זרוע, their ability to work for a living, and secure it through this means. The people who are devoid of intelligence will be provided for by G’d, as they are too dim witted or physically unable look out for themselves. This is the meaning of שומר פתאים ה', “the Lord looks after the fools.” (psalms 116,6) Examples of such people are children having to eat at their father’s table. When the father of such children sees that they have become capable of fending for themselves, he no longer supports them. The same holds true of our Father in heaven, when He sees that we could fend for ourselves but prefer to have Him provide for us. The righteous are supposed to support themselves by using their arms, (to do work) not violence. Those who possess intelligence and do not use it to appeal to their Creator are not supported by G’d’s charity, צדקה.
Sefat Emet
For Hoshana Rabbah: We have already written about why the sages, may their memory be blessed, fixed many prayers on this day. It is that it is called Hoshana Rabbah, since even the lowly ones and the lowly generations can be redeemed [lehivashaya] upon it. For they are the aspect of the willow [which is also used by itself on this day], no taste and no smell. So we must, therefore, understand what their power is. It is indeed written: I was brought low and He saved me (Psalms 116:6). Its understanding is that because they know that they are lowly and need redemption, they will have redemption. And that which the sages, may their memory be blessed, accordingly wrote (Rosh Hashana 17a:9), "Even though I am lowly, I am fit to be saved," is from the reason mentioned above. And this is like it is found in the Gemara (Chullin 89a:5), "Not because you are more, etc. for you were the fewest (Deuteronomy 7:7): Even when the Holy One, Blessed be He, bestows goodness upon them, you diminish yourselves." See there. And this is truly the trait of the Children of Israel. When the Holy One, blessed be He, in His kindness, bestows bounty upon them, they contemplate the truth, that they are not fitting for this and diminish themselves greatly. And this is in fact the trait, since redemption comes to the lowly. And hence when our righteous Messiah speedily arrives, the main redemption is prepared to be specifically with the lowly generations. And the explanation of I was brought low and He saved me is also that after the redemption they remain lowly, as they must know that it was with supernal kindness. And so too is it with the four species [waved on Sukkot]. The willow needs to negate itself to the other species. And that is the [meaning of the] sign of the difference between the leaf of the willow and the tzafzafah, that the leaf [of the former] is pointed up and that [of the latter] is round, such that from its lowliness it becomes built up, so it is disqualified. But the willow points to the other species taller than it, and that is [why] its leaf is pointed. And likewise do our generations need to negate ourselves to the earlier generations, to be redeemed in the merit of our fathers. So then the redemption will be prepared for us more than for the earlier ones. And this is [the meaning of] I was brought low and He saved me. And God, may He be blessed, who is the One who helps the lowly, should have mercy and pity and redeem the poor and lowly people. As what can be lower than us now? And redemption is the Lord's.