B"H
Apologies for taking so long to post this. While I did have it in draft form by Wednesday, somehow I had a mental block after this point, possibly because of events in Beit Shemesh/Jerusalem etc. weighing on my mind. If this week's dvar therefore sounds repetitive in themes etc., it's because I'm increasingly convinced that achieving 'achdut' (unity) is the fundamental challenge facing the Jewish people today...
Full Midrash Tanchuma text here
1) Bereishit 49:1-2
א
וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל-בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים.
ב
הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב וְשִׁמְעוּ אֶל-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם.
2) Midrash Tanchuma Vayechi - Chapter 8
ויקרא יעקב אל בניו זש"ה מסיר שפה לנאמנים וטעם זקנים יקח (איוב יב)
הכתוב מדבר ביצחק ויעקב ששניהם בקשו לגלות מסטורין של הקדוש ברוך הוא
יצחק כתיב בו ויקרא את עשו בנו הגדול בקש לגלות לו את הקץ והעלים הקב"ה
ממנו, יעקב בקש לגלות לבניו את הקץ שנא' ויקרא יעקב אל בניו וגו',
למה"ד לעבד שהאמינו המלך כל מה שבידו בא העבד למות קרא לבניו לעשותן בני
חורין ולומר להם היכן דיתיקי שלהן והאוני שלהן, ידע המלך הדבר עמד לו
למעלה הימנו ראהו אותו המלך והפליג את הדבר שהיה מבקש לגלות להם התחיל מדבר
העבד לבניו בבקשה מכם אתם עבדיו של מלך היו מכבדין אותו כמו שהייתי אני
מכבדו כל ימי, כך ויקרא יעקב אל בניו לגלות להן את הקץ נגלה עליו הקדוש
ברוך הוא אמר ליה לבניך אתה קורא ולי לאו, שכן ישעיה אומר ולא אותי קראת
יעקב כי יגעת בי ישראל (ישעיה מג)
כיון שראה אותו יעקב התחיל אומר לבניו בבקשה מכם הוו מכבדים להקב"ה כשם
שכבדוהו אני ואבותי שנאמר האלהים אשר התהלכו אבותי לפניו, אמרו לו יודעין
אנו מה בלבך ענו כולם שמע ישראל וגו' (דברים ו),
כיון ששמע מהם כך מיד וישתחוו ישראל על ראש המטה התחיל אומר בלחש
בשכמל"ו אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא כבוד אלהים הסתר דבר כבוד מלכים חקור דבר (משלי כה) אין המדה הזו שלך הולך רכיל מגלה סוד ונאמן רוח מכסה דבר (שם יא
3) Midrash Tanchuma Vayechi - Chapter 8 continued
ומאותה שעה זכו ישראל להיות קורין שמע, כיצד כשהיה יעקב מסתלק מן העולם
הרהר בלבו ואמר אברהם אבי הוליד יצחק וישמעאל יצחק אבי הוליד אותי ועשו
שמא אני יש במטתי פסולת כיון ששמעו כך אמרו כולן בפה אחד שמע ישראל ה'
אלהינו ה' אחד (דברים ו) הה"ד ושמעו אל ישראל אביכם:
The first paragraph of the Shema is our ultimate affirmation of faith in G-d. Recited as 'bookends' to each day, it is one of the first things taught to our children and - including for several martyrs over the centuries - the last words uttered before death. We surround ourselves with it through the mezuzot in our homes and other buildings and the tephillin worn by men each morning. In my case, reciting the first two paragraphs of the Shema also formed part of my final interview with the Beit Din before entering the mikveh for conversion (although I don't know how typical this is of gerut ceremonies today).
While the Shema's basic concern is to affirm G-d's unity, for me there has always been an accompanying sense of the Jewish people's unity in worshipping G-d. Although I had felt this before coming across the above midrashim (Sources 2-3), some time ago I discovered an abridged version of these which can be summarised as follows (quoted from the commentary to Bereishit 49:1 in the Stone Chumash):
'[Ya'akov] wished to tell his children when Messiah would come...but the Divine Presence desrted him. [Ya'akov] did not know why. He thought that perhaps one of them was unworthy, a new Ishmael or Esau! He asked if this could be so - to which they responded with the first line of the Shema: "Hear, O Israel [i.e., our father]...just as there is only One in your heart, so there is only One in our heart." Upon hearing that the reason for his lapse in prophecy was not due to any shortcomings within his family, [Ya'akov] exclaimed in gratitude [Barukh shem k'vod malchuto l'olam va'ed], Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever'.
The midrash on which this commentary is based (Midrash Tanchuma Chapter 8) roots this 'call and response' between Ya'akov and his sons both in Ya'akov's double identity as 'Yisrael' and the wording at the start of the blessings (Bereishit 49:1-2 - see source 1 above), in which Ya'akov promises to tell his sons what will happen b'acharit hayamim (the 'End of Days') but then does not appear to do so. However, although the commentary above summarises how the midrash deals with this discrepancy, the Midrash Tanchuma itself in fact relates the 'Shema episode' twice in the same chapter, both times with subtly different nuances.
While the Shema's basic concern is to affirm G-d's unity, for me there has always been an accompanying sense of the Jewish people's unity in worshipping G-d. Although I had felt this before coming across the above midrashim (Sources 2-3), some time ago I discovered an abridged version of these which can be summarised as follows (quoted from the commentary to Bereishit 49:1 in the Stone Chumash):
'[Ya'akov] wished to tell his children when Messiah would come...but the Divine Presence desrted him. [Ya'akov] did not know why. He thought that perhaps one of them was unworthy, a new Ishmael or Esau! He asked if this could be so - to which they responded with the first line of the Shema: "Hear, O Israel [i.e., our father]...just as there is only One in your heart, so there is only One in our heart." Upon hearing that the reason for his lapse in prophecy was not due to any shortcomings within his family, [Ya'akov] exclaimed in gratitude [Barukh shem k'vod malchuto l'olam va'ed], Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever'.
The midrash on which this commentary is based (Midrash Tanchuma Chapter 8) roots this 'call and response' between Ya'akov and his sons both in Ya'akov's double identity as 'Yisrael' and the wording at the start of the blessings (Bereishit 49:1-2 - see source 1 above), in which Ya'akov promises to tell his sons what will happen b'acharit hayamim (the 'End of Days') but then does not appear to do so. However, although the commentary above summarises how the midrash deals with this discrepancy, the Midrash Tanchuma itself in fact relates the 'Shema episode' twice in the same chapter, both times with subtly different nuances.
Source 2) above introduces the basic midrash by explaining that both Yitzhak and Ya'akov wanted to reveal the secret of acharit hayamim to Esav and the twelve sons of Ya'akov respectively but were effectively 'silenced' by G-d as (noted at the end of this section of midrash), their middah/characteristic is to conceal such matters rather than reveal them.
Other than this note, the midrash is silent on why G-d prevented Yitzhak from telling Esav (although it is a fairly safe assumption that this is due to Esav's unsuitability to continue the brit/covenant begun by Avraham). However, in Ya'akov's case it explains G-d's actions through the mashal/parable of a trusted servant who, knowing exactly where the documents securing his release were held, nevertheless continued to faithfully serve his king throughout his lifetime. On his deathbed, the servant wants to reveal the location of these documents to his sons but is prevented from doing so by the presence of the king, who disapproves of the servant revealing this secret. Instead, the servant/Ya'akov implores his sons to nevertheless follow his example by faithfully serving the king/G-d even though they have not been granted the same level of knowledge concerning their destiny as their father. Ya'akov's sons reassure him that they will do so by responding ''yod'in anu mah b'libekha', anu kulam 'Shema Yisrael'...' ('we know what is in your heart', [and they all said] 'Hear, O Yisrael etc.')
Other than this note, the midrash is silent on why G-d prevented Yitzhak from telling Esav (although it is a fairly safe assumption that this is due to Esav's unsuitability to continue the brit/covenant begun by Avraham). However, in Ya'akov's case it explains G-d's actions through the mashal/parable of a trusted servant who, knowing exactly where the documents securing his release were held, nevertheless continued to faithfully serve his king throughout his lifetime. On his deathbed, the servant wants to reveal the location of these documents to his sons but is prevented from doing so by the presence of the king, who disapproves of the servant revealing this secret. Instead, the servant/Ya'akov implores his sons to nevertheless follow his example by faithfully serving the king/G-d even though they have not been granted the same level of knowledge concerning their destiny as their father. Ya'akov's sons reassure him that they will do so by responding ''yod'in anu mah b'libekha', anu kulam 'Shema Yisrael'...' ('we know what is in your heart', [and they all said] 'Hear, O Yisrael etc.')
On the other hand, Source 3) above at the end of this chapter of the Midrash Tanchuma takes a slightly different approach by expressing Ya'akov's fears over one of his sons being unsuitable to carry on the brit with G-d is expressed. Here, the brothers' recitation of Shema is to stress to Ya'akov their common belief in one G-d and their commitment to continuing the brit, contrary to the rejection of Ishmael and Esav in earlier generations. The midrash emphasises this by noting, unlike in Source 2), that the brothers 'amru kulan b'peh echad' (lit. 'they all said with one mouth'). Interestingly, it is also in this version of the midrash emphasising the unity of the brothers that we are told that, from the time of their response to their father Ya'akov, the future Jewish nation had the merit of kriat Shema.
Both versions of the midrash explore the transition (discussed in previous posts) between the era of the Avot and the era of an entire people arising from Ya'akov's twelve sons. While Source 3) emphasises the unity of the nascent Jewish people and the inclusion of all twelve tribes - each with their own unique characteristics, as shown in Ya'akov's blessings - in the brit with G-d inherited from their ancestors, Source 2) shows that this people are entering a new phase of this brit where certain matters (such as knowledge of the future) must remain hidden and where one must therefore have a new level of faith in G-d which does not rely on prophetic insight, setting the scene for Shemot where the Jewish people is led by the prophets Moshe, Aharon and Miriam but where the majority of the people do not have a sustained prophetic relationship with G-d. The first Shema - here, addressing Ya'akov/Yisrael as the last of the Avot to have this particular relationship with G-d - therefore plays a pivotal role in the transition from family to nation as well as setting the precedent for our mutual affirmation of G-d's unity.
And I pray for the day when we can follow the example of our ancestors, Ya'akov's twelve sons, by truly saying b'peh echad - Shema Yisrael, HaShem Elokeinu HaShem Echad.
Both versions of the midrash explore the transition (discussed in previous posts) between the era of the Avot and the era of an entire people arising from Ya'akov's twelve sons. While Source 3) emphasises the unity of the nascent Jewish people and the inclusion of all twelve tribes - each with their own unique characteristics, as shown in Ya'akov's blessings - in the brit with G-d inherited from their ancestors, Source 2) shows that this people are entering a new phase of this brit where certain matters (such as knowledge of the future) must remain hidden and where one must therefore have a new level of faith in G-d which does not rely on prophetic insight, setting the scene for Shemot where the Jewish people is led by the prophets Moshe, Aharon and Miriam but where the majority of the people do not have a sustained prophetic relationship with G-d. The first Shema - here, addressing Ya'akov/Yisrael as the last of the Avot to have this particular relationship with G-d - therefore plays a pivotal role in the transition from family to nation as well as setting the precedent for our mutual affirmation of G-d's unity.
And I pray for the day when we can follow the example of our ancestors, Ya'akov's twelve sons, by truly saying b'peh echad - Shema Yisrael, HaShem Elokeinu HaShem Echad.
Shavua tov,
RPT
RPT
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