Shmuli Sagel on Jeremiah (2)

Dear Daily Nach learners,
Last week we learnt the perek that is called ‘Sefer Yirmiya’ by the Nach, in which Yirmiya expresses his advice and direction for the Jews who had been exiled to Bavel. The truth is though, that this advice was not restrictive to his time only. Rather it is the eternal message of Hashem, sent through his prophet, to every Jewish community and society who lived, live and will live outside of Land of Israel until the coming of Moshiach. The Jewish people solely belong in Israel and every other place we find ourselves we are merely visitors. Of course there have been countless places and times throughout our exiles where we have been brutally oppressed and made to feel as strangers in a strange land. But we have also enjoyed times of prosperity and security in foreign lands living within tolerant and supportive countries.
For the last 60 years Jews in the western world have on the whole been fortunate to find themselves in countries of ‘ מלכות של חסד’ where the host country has not only afforded us the freedom of religion but have also actively facilitated our Jewish practices and specific requirements. This kindness shown to us by our host nations is not purely a modern phenomenon (which can be explained away as being due to the relative liberalism of the modern world) but it is a repeat of what we already experienced in our ‘Golden Age’ in Spain in the 11th and 12th centuries and in the ‘Berlin is our Jerusalem’ era when we dominated the high classes of German society for an extensive period. Many of these times when the Non-Jews treated us well, it was because they saw the value in having the Jews as active citizens in their countries. They realised that which Lavan realised many centuries earlier, when he appreciated that his blessings where due to Yaacov’s presence. In all the aforementioned societies the Jews rose to the top becoming influential government ministers, leaders of the economy and highly acclaimed philosophers. This is by no means a negative thing, but rather it allowed for Judaism to flourish although in alien surroundings and enabled for it to evolve and remain applicable to the ever developing world.
However, this success we and previous generations have enjoyed even though in Golus would never have been possible if we were not recognisably good citizens. The Jews became exemplary citizens wherever they went and were a people who respected others along with conforming to that which their hosts demanded of them. The nations who realised this tremendous citizenship utilised their ‘new friends’ to the avail of their own countries and in return let the Jews remain as practicing Jews. This requirement to conform to and respect our host countries, which in return highly increases our chances of religious survival in Golus, is what Yirmiya is telling us when he says, “דרשו את שלום העיר” – “Seek out peace in the city.” It is imperative we know our differences and appreciate that our plane of existence differs from theirs, but we must also take extreme caution that we remain exemplary citizens and valuable members of the wider society. Being Jewish does not permit us to violate the law, when it is not consistent withhalacha, because the halacha demands us to follow the law as ‘דינא דמלכותא דינא’. We cannot isolate ourselves and pretend that we live within our own dominion because we rely somewhat on our hosts. Acting in a fashion which creates a קידוש ה' is not only a ‘good thing’ to do but also actively enhances this notion of ‘seeking out peace in the city’ i.e. ensuring that the natives see us in a positive light.
Furthermore, not only must we not be provocative but we have to also be actively positive citizens as the possuk carries on, “...והתפללו בעדה אל ה' כי בשלומה יהיה לכם שלום” – “...And pray to Hashem for its peace, because its peace is your peace.” Every Shabbos morning when we make the Prayer for the Queen and her Government we are fulfilling these words. Yirmiya is saying that we must daven for security and peacefulness of our host nations because we will be affected by a lack of these just as much as they will be.
Another brilliant perek we learn in the last week was Chapter 31 in which we had a string of famous pesukim, pertaining particularly to Rachel’sbeseeching to Hashem and His acceptance of it. These pesukim are found in a Rashi in parshas Vayechi (Chapter 48 possuk 7) where Yaacov is explaining to hi son Yosef that although it appears ‘wrong’ that he buried Rachel on the way side but in truth this was the desire of Hashem. Rashicomments by quoting from Yirmiya 31 and explains that Hashem wanted Rachel’s Tomb to be the place that her descendants could pray at as they were exiled from Israel. On this Rashi the Maharal in his commentary on Chumash, Gur Aryeh, brings out two beautiful ideas which I would like to share with you here.
The Maharal asks, why Rachel ‘cries’ more than any other of the Imahos? Answers the Maharal quoting the Midrash Eicha that Rachel says toHashem, how can you blame my children for the punishments brought upon? Since if it due to their idolatrous practices, which is called צרה, surely my husband Yaacov who loved me intensely, worked for seven years in order to marry me and in the end my father gave him my sister (which the Torahcalls צרה). Yet, says Rachel, I put my love for Yaacov to one side and gave over the signs to my sister. I who am merely flesh and blood [did this selfless act], You Hashem who is the All Merciful King how much more so you can have mercy on the Jewish people. To which Hashem replies (Yirmiya31:15), “ושבו בנים מארץ אויב יש שכר לפעולתך” – “There is reward for your actions and your sons will return from the enemy’s lands.” The Maharalexplains this Midrash as follows. Rachel knew that Yaacov was to marry two wives because this world, which is a world of division and separation, is not conducive to there being oneness and would Yaacov have only had one wife than Klal Yisrael would have been united and there would have never been Yehuda (one Kingdom) from Leah and Ephraim (another Kingdom) from Rachel. This unity is saved for the time of Moshiach but until such a time we must be fractured. Understanding this, Rachel therefore accepted her fate with love and therefore she proposes that Hashem forgive his people in a similar fashion that she was forgiving even though in her impossible situation. She was highlighting that this world is intrinsically fragmented and hence idolatry is rife and this is what caused Yisrael to serve idols.
The Maharal brings another Midrash which comments on our possuk of, “רחל מבכה על בניה”, which says that Yisrael is called after Rachel and not only after Rachel but also after the name of her son as the possuk in Amos 5:15 says, “אולי יחנן ה' צבקות שארית יוסף” and not only that but also after her grandson as the possuk later on in Yirmiya 31 says, “הבן יקיר לי אפרים”. This Midrash is telling us something extremely profound, says the Maharal, that Klal Yisrael is called after Rachel because she was the bedrock of Yaacov’s home and all else was subsidiary to her. Therefore she represents theבית יעקב, and is the source of כנסת ישראל which gives the ability for the Jewish people to once again be gathered (meaning of the word כנסת) in their Land. Even though we now find ourselves flung in all four corners of the globe, we still feel a sense of togetherness and this comes from the fact that we are all part of the בית יעקב which is rooted in Rachel. The is why Rachel is buried on the way-side rather than with the other Avos in Mo’oras Hamachpeila because she in some way remains to this day ‘with her children’ as after all it is her who represents the hope that we will all again be one nation in one land. Happy learning, Shmuli