Chasidut su Genesi 26:3
גּ֚וּר בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ׃
Fa dimora in questo paese, ed io sarò teco e ti benedirò. Perocchè a te ed alla tua discendenza io darò tutta questa terra, e manterrò il giuramento che feci ad Abramo tuo padre.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 24,7. “do not bring my son back there under any circumstances.!” We find that G’d confirmed Avraham’s attittude concerning Yitzchok not leaving the soil of The Holy Land, when He said to Yitzchok (Genesis 26,2) אל תרד מצרימה, שכון בארץ..גור בארץ הזאת, “do not go down to Egypt; reside in the Land…even if you have to be a transient in this land!”
We have a standing rule according to which it is permissible to be afraid of something or someone bigger than oneself, whereas it is forbidden to be afraid of someone smaller than oneself. In other words, whereas it is permissible to be afraid of G’d, it is not permissible to be afraid of anyone other than G’d. This is why all manner of idol worship is prohibited.
The attribute of love enables one to love those who are “smaller” than we are, notably the members of our household who depend on us. When we keep this rule in mind we will be able to understand a story in the Talmud Kiddushin 57 where it is related that Shimon ben Ammasuni undertook to explain the meaning of each word את in the Torah, proving that the word invariably includes something that the Torah had not spelled out specifically. However, when he came to the line (Deuteronomy 6,13) את ה' אלוקיך תירא, “you are to revere the Lord your G’d,” he was stymied, not knowing what the word את in that line could possibly add, as it is forbidden to revere anyone other than the Lord. His students asked him if he thought that all the explanations that he had found for the other times that the word את occurs should be disregarded? He replied that “just as the Torah promises a reward for explaining its intricacies, so it rewards those who refrain from offering explanations that are not appropriate.” In the meantime, Rabbi Akiva who had heard of Shimon ben Ammasuni’s dilemma, said that even this את added an additional meaning to the verse in which it appeared, suggesting that the Torah scholars deserve to be revered also. Rabbi Akiva was able to offer this explanation since Torah scholars are “greater” than the ordinary people consulting them, so that they fit the principle that it is allowed to revere, be in awe of, people that are greater than oneself. This is a basic difference between the attribute of reverence, יראה, and the attribute of אהבה, love. While it is in order to say: “I am afraid of you,” to someone more powerful than oneself, a king for instance, it is not in order to say to such a king: “I love you.” It is, however, permissible to say to such a king: “I love to be in your house,” “I love to serve you,” etc.
The above distinction explains why Shimon ben Amassuni had not found a problem with the word את in Deuteronomy 6,5 where the Torah writes: ואהבת את ה' אלוקיך, “you shall love the Lord your G’d.” He understood this verse as not applying to G’d’s essence, but to attributes of G’d, attributes worth emulating because they make Him lovable. This is also why Rabbi Akiva was able to resolve his difficulty when he suggested that reverence for Torah scholars, who are an extension of G’d from Whom they received their knowledge and stature, therefore qualify for a portion of reverence that is due to their Master. Seeing that the Torah scholar is a servant of G’d, he too is entitled to some of his Master’s reflected glory.
Avraham’s major attribute was אהבה, his love for people. This attribute included even in their concerns with matters that did not involve their relations to the Creator. This being so, G’d did not object to his descending to Egypt, leaving the soil of the Holy Land. His son Yitzchok’s primary attribute was יראה, reverence for the Essence of G’d; i.e. he concentrated all his faculties on how to serve G’d. This being so, it would have interfered with his basic character were he to leave the sacred soil of the land of Israel for even a short period.
We have a standing rule according to which it is permissible to be afraid of something or someone bigger than oneself, whereas it is forbidden to be afraid of someone smaller than oneself. In other words, whereas it is permissible to be afraid of G’d, it is not permissible to be afraid of anyone other than G’d. This is why all manner of idol worship is prohibited.
The attribute of love enables one to love those who are “smaller” than we are, notably the members of our household who depend on us. When we keep this rule in mind we will be able to understand a story in the Talmud Kiddushin 57 where it is related that Shimon ben Ammasuni undertook to explain the meaning of each word את in the Torah, proving that the word invariably includes something that the Torah had not spelled out specifically. However, when he came to the line (Deuteronomy 6,13) את ה' אלוקיך תירא, “you are to revere the Lord your G’d,” he was stymied, not knowing what the word את in that line could possibly add, as it is forbidden to revere anyone other than the Lord. His students asked him if he thought that all the explanations that he had found for the other times that the word את occurs should be disregarded? He replied that “just as the Torah promises a reward for explaining its intricacies, so it rewards those who refrain from offering explanations that are not appropriate.” In the meantime, Rabbi Akiva who had heard of Shimon ben Ammasuni’s dilemma, said that even this את added an additional meaning to the verse in which it appeared, suggesting that the Torah scholars deserve to be revered also. Rabbi Akiva was able to offer this explanation since Torah scholars are “greater” than the ordinary people consulting them, so that they fit the principle that it is allowed to revere, be in awe of, people that are greater than oneself. This is a basic difference between the attribute of reverence, יראה, and the attribute of אהבה, love. While it is in order to say: “I am afraid of you,” to someone more powerful than oneself, a king for instance, it is not in order to say to such a king: “I love you.” It is, however, permissible to say to such a king: “I love to be in your house,” “I love to serve you,” etc.
The above distinction explains why Shimon ben Amassuni had not found a problem with the word את in Deuteronomy 6,5 where the Torah writes: ואהבת את ה' אלוקיך, “you shall love the Lord your G’d.” He understood this verse as not applying to G’d’s essence, but to attributes of G’d, attributes worth emulating because they make Him lovable. This is also why Rabbi Akiva was able to resolve his difficulty when he suggested that reverence for Torah scholars, who are an extension of G’d from Whom they received their knowledge and stature, therefore qualify for a portion of reverence that is due to their Master. Seeing that the Torah scholar is a servant of G’d, he too is entitled to some of his Master’s reflected glory.
Avraham’s major attribute was אהבה, his love for people. This attribute included even in their concerns with matters that did not involve their relations to the Creator. This being so, G’d did not object to his descending to Egypt, leaving the soil of the Holy Land. His son Yitzchok’s primary attribute was יראה, reverence for the Essence of G’d; i.e. he concentrated all his faculties on how to serve G’d. This being so, it would have interfered with his basic character were he to leave the sacred soil of the land of Israel for even a short period.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 26,3. (some editions of the Kedushat Levi do not contain this paragraph) sojourn in this land…..for to you and to your descendants I will give this land .as a result of Avraham having hearkened to My voice, etc.” This verse sounds at first glance as if Yitzchok on his own account did not have the merits required for him to stake a claim to this land in his own right.
It is known (in Kabbalistic circles) that Avraham constantly endeavoured to restore the “sparks” that had escaped from the Shechinah in the celestial regions, and that seeing that these were to be found among the gentiles, this necessitated that he visit countries other than the land of Canaan. Once he had gathered them up, Yitzchok could begin to spiritually elevate them. It would no longer be necessary for Yitzchok to leave the Holy Land in order to search for any remaining “sparks,” that had escaped the “Shechinah” and become tainted by contact with the material world and its allures. This is what is alluded to when the Torah speaks of תולדות יצחק, “Yitzchok’s accomplishments,” instead of תולדות אברהם, “Avraham’s accomplishments,” as Avraham did not have the merits of his father to assist him in his task on earth. As a result of this lack of זכות אבות, he had to sojourn in other countries on occasion.
It is known (in Kabbalistic circles) that Avraham constantly endeavoured to restore the “sparks” that had escaped from the Shechinah in the celestial regions, and that seeing that these were to be found among the gentiles, this necessitated that he visit countries other than the land of Canaan. Once he had gathered them up, Yitzchok could begin to spiritually elevate them. It would no longer be necessary for Yitzchok to leave the Holy Land in order to search for any remaining “sparks,” that had escaped the “Shechinah” and become tainted by contact with the material world and its allures. This is what is alluded to when the Torah speaks of תולדות יצחק, “Yitzchok’s accomplishments,” instead of תולדות אברהם, “Avraham’s accomplishments,” as Avraham did not have the merits of his father to assist him in his task on earth. As a result of this lack of זכות אבות, he had to sojourn in other countries on occasion.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy