Kaisipang Hudyo sa Mga Hukom 11:7: Derashot HaRan

It is, therefore, my view that these two verses, "For the L-rd your G-d is a merciful G-d…" and "For ask now of the former days" are the rationale for the immediately preceding verses in which we are assured that even if we do not seek the Blessed One from the pureness of our hearts but in the extremity of afflictions, He will nonetheless listen to our voices. And this is, indeed, a wondrous thing, that after having rebelled and having done what is evil in the eyes of the L-rd to anger Him, and, even after that, not having taken it to heart to repent before Him except in the extremity of afflictions — with all this, to have our repentance accepted by Him! We find Yiftach expostulating with the men of Gilead (Judges 11:7): "And why do you come to me now, when you are in distress!" How, then, is it possible for the Blessed One, the Majestic and Exalted, to tolerate something which an ordinary human being would not tolerate, to place the dignity of a mere mortal above His own! Moses supplies the rationale for this, saying: Do not wonder about this, "for the L-rd your G-d is a merciful G-d; He will not forsake you and He will not destroy you," and though you do not merit this, still, "He will not forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them." And do not wonder how the covenant of your fathers will suffice for all this, "for ask now of the former days… was there ever anything so great as this" that the Blessed One has done for you? As he concludes (Deuteronomy 4:33): "Did a people ever hear the voice of G-d…", sealing his words with (Ibid 37): "…and because He loved your fathers." That is, all of these wondrous, awesome things He did not for your sakes, but because He loved your fathers. And just as these great, awesome things were done for your fathers, so you can believe that the Blessed One will accept your repentance that proceeds from affliction for the sake of the covenant of your fathers, though this be wondrous indeed.

And I would say that the Torah's statement to the effect that even repentance proceeding from affliction is accepted, as it assures us (Deuteronomy 4:30-31): "When you are in distress, and you are beset by all these things… He will not forsake you, for the L-rd your G-d is a G-d of mercy…" — I would say that this statement should be understood in the above light. What is intended here is not repentance to escape affliction, for such repentance, though it may avail to ward off what is feared, is of an extremely inferior variety, as we see from the expostulation of Yiftach (Judges 11:7): "And why do you come to me now, when you are in distress!" And though the mercies of the L-rd indeed be great, the aforementioned verses are not to be understood along these lines, as may be demonstrated from the preceding verse (Devarim 4:29): "If you seek from there the L-rd your G-d you will find Him — if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul." One who seeks the L-rd only to escape affliction does not seek Him with all his heart and all his soul. But the matter is to be understood as we have said. In days of tranquility one does not discriminate things correctly because of the imagination implanted within him, which preys upon him and always places before his eyes this world and its lusts. But when things are bitter for one, he cannot be enticed in this manner. As a result, he has a clear perception of the truth, and he seeks the L-rd, not just to escape affliction, but with his whole heart and soul. For the intellect, in the absence of a deterrent, follows its natural inclination, and that inclination causes one to cleave to its object and confers upon him the joy of basking in the Divine radiance.