The Benoni

Introduction:

In the previous letter, I discussed Torah teachings which reveal that the story of our people represents the story of humanity and its diverse peoples. These peoples can therefore derive inspiration and hope from our story. I also suggested that the converts from all the peoples that join our people enhance our ability to serve as a universal model of the human story.

Hashem promised Abraham, our father, that a great nation will emerge from him and that this nation will become a source of blessing for “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3). In addition, we have a tradition that Hashem also promised Abraham that this chosen nation will include converts from all the families of the earth! In this letter, I will begin to discuss this Divine promise regarding the converts:

Dear Friends,

Within the Book of Genesis, we find the term, “the families of the earth” – a reference to the peoples of the earth. This term is mentioned in the following message that Hashem conveyed to our father, Abraham, when he living in Haran:

“Go to yourself, from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing! I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse; and through you, all the families of the earth will be blessed!” (Genesis 12:1-3).

The promise regarding the emergence of a great nation that will become a source of blessing to others was also given to Abraham’s son, Isaac (ibid 26:4), and to Isaac’s son, Jacob (ibid 28:15). Jacob – who was also given the name “Israel” (Genesis 35:10) – had 12 sons who became the founders of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. These tribes later became known as, Am Yisrael – the People of Israel.

As we know, a Torah verse can have several levels of meaning. In this spirit, I would like to discuss with you another interpretation of the statement, “through you, all the families of the earth will be blessed”:

The Hebrew word for “will be blessed” is v’nivrichu. This word can also mean “to be grafted on” or “to join”; thus, the Talmud interprets this statement in the following manner: “All the families of the earth will join you” (Yevamos 63a).

They will join the People of Israel – the people that will emerge from Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. In what way will the families of the earth join the People of Israel? The Talmud explains that this Divine promise is referring to converts from all the peoples that will join the People of Israel (ibid). As an example, the Talmud cites the following teaching of Rabbi Elazar regarding two righteous converts in the biblical period:

“What is the meaning of ‘all the families of the earth will join you’? The Holy One, Blessed be He, is saying to Abraham: ‘I have two good grafts to graft on to you – Ruth the Moabite (the great grandmother of King David) and Na’amah the Ammonite (a wife of King Solomon and mother of King Rehoboam).’ ”

The Torah describes how humanity evolved into diverse peoples (Genesis 10:1-32). According to the Divine plan, we, the People of Israel, are to absorb converts from these diverse peoples; thus, our people will be universal not only in its purpose, but in its very composition. When I was living in the United States, I began to discuss this insight with others, and it led me to think about the following Divine message to our people at Mount Sinai:

“And now, if you will earnestly hearken to My voice and keep My covenant, you will be a treasure to Me from all the peoples, because all the earth is Mine.” (Exodus 19:5).

I thought about another possible way of interpreting the words, “a treasure from all the peoples.” I realized that when the word “from” is used in speech or writing, it can have the following two definitions:

1.   The word “from” can refer to a select choosing which causes a separation. For example, someone may say, “I chose this coat from all the coats that were in the store.”

2.   The word “from” can also refer to an “inclusive” choosing. For example, someone may say, “I made the salad from all the vegetables that were in the refrigerator.”

If we understand the word “from” as an inclusive choosing, then the phrase, “a treasure from all the peoples,” is indicating that we are to become a “treasure” that will include representatives from all the peoples of the earth. The classic example, I thought to myself, are the converts from all the peoples that join us through accepting the covenant of the Torah. The above Divine message is therefore revealing that when we ourselves fulfill the covenant of the Torah, we become a “treasure” that will attract converts from all the peoples.

After I moved to Jerusalem, I found support for this interpretation in the commentary of the Netziv, a leading sage of the late 19th century who was the head of the famous Volozin Yeshiva. His talks on the weekly Torah portion were later published in a work titled, He’emak Davar. In his commentary on the words, “you will be a treasure to Me from all the peoples” (Exodus 19:5), he explains that Hashem is telling us that we are to be a treasure that will absorb converts from all the peoples of the earth. He also discusses this idea in his commentary on the following statement of Moshe Rebbeinu – Moses, our teacher:

“Hashem, your G-d, has chosen you to be for Him a ‘treasure people’ from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6).

In his explanation of the phrase, “from all the peoples,” The Netzv writes:

“Within Israel will be gathered all the gerei tzedek (converts for righteousness) that are found among all the peoples, and they will no longer serve Hashem by themselves; rather, they will be included within Israel, the people of Hashem.”

I will conclude this letter with a teaching about converts and the mission of our people. The Prophet Isaiah told our people in the Name of Hashem that our mission is to develop in Zion a model society which can serve as “a light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). I would like to suggest that having converts from all the peoples of the earth will enhance our ability to serve as a universal social model, for when the other peoples see our people with all the converts, they will be seeing themselves. The converts will therefore make it easier for the other peoples to identify with our people and thereby learn from our spiritual example. In this way, the following Divine promise to the people of Zion will be fulfilled: “nations will walk by your light” (Isaiah 60:3).

Shalom – for Israel and the World,

Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen (See below)

P.S. On Monday night, May 11th, we begin the celebration of “Lag B’Omer” – a day which is associated with a great revelation of the secret wisdom of the Torah. In honor of the converts who embrace the Torah, the “soul” of Zion, a letter regarding converts and the path of the Torah will go out, with the help of Hashem, on Lag B’Omer Day (Tuesday, May 12th). For further information on Lag B’Omer, visit: http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/omer/5755/vol1no22.html

Most of the previous letters in our series appear in the archive on our website

By Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

Dear Friends,

In this letter, I will review with you a universal Torah teaching which can help us to understand the universal role of the converts who join our people through accepting the path of the Torah. Before we review this teaching, we need to remember that the Hebrew term Adam can refer to the first man/woman, as well as to humankind. For example, the Torah states regarding the creation of the first human couple:

“He created them, male and female. He blessed them and called their name Adam on the day they were created” (Genesis 5:2).

The teaching that we are going to review is from the commentary of Ramban (Nachmanides), a leading sage, biblical commentator, and kabbalist of the 13th century. According to Ramban, the secret of human history can be found in the following statement of the Torah:

“This is the book of the descendants of Adam” (Genesis 5:1).

What “book” is this statement referring to? The Ramban explains:

“In my opinion, this alludes to the entire Torah, for the entire Torah is an account of the descendants of Adam.”

My main rebbe (Torah teacher and guide) is Rav Aharon Feldman, who is currently the head of Yeshiva Ner Yisrael in Baltimore, and who is a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel of America. A number of years ago, I asked Rav Feldman how he understands this explanation of Ramban, and he said:

“This means that the entire Torah – both written and oral – is the story of the reconstruction of humanity, from its fall in the Garden of Eden until its renewal in the messianic age.”

If the entire Torah is the story of the reconstruction of humanity, then why does the Torah focus on the story of the People of Israel? The beginning of an answer can be found in the following Divine statement to our people:

“You are Adam” (Ezekiel 34:31).

Hashem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, is revealing to us that the story of our people represents the story of the reconstruction of humanity, from its fall in the Garden of Eden until its renewal in the messianic age. In this spirit, it is written regarding Israel:

“But they, like Adam, have transgressed the Covenant” (Hosea 6:7).

The classical commentator, Rashi, offers the following explanation: Just as Adam was brought into the Garden of Eden and yet violated the Divine mandate, so too, the People of Israel were brought into the Land of Israel, and yet violated the Divine mandate. Rashi’s explanation is based on the Midrash which states: “Everything that happened to Adam happened to Israel” (Yalkut Shimoni on Eichah 1:1).

As we know, humanity evolved into diverse peoples, and the human story became the story of all these peoples. The story of our people’s exile and redemption therefore represents the story of the peoples of the earth, which is why all peoples can derive inspiration and hope from our story. I would like to suggest that having converts from all the peoples in our midst enhances our ability to serve as a universal model of the human story. This may be why the Divine promise regarding the future ingathering of the converts in the rebuilt Temple in Zion is followed by a Divine promise that the rebuilt Temple will be a house of prayer for all the peoples. These two related Divine promises appear in the following prophecy of Isaiah regarding the messianic age:

“The foreigners who join themselves to Hashem to serve Him and to love the Name of Hashem to become servants unto Him, all who guard the Sabbath against desecration, and grasp My Covenant tightly – I will bring them to My sacred mountain, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer; their elevation-offerings and their feast-offerings will find favor on My altar, for My House will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” (Isaiah 56:3.6,7).

According to our classical commentators, the “foreigners who join themselves to Hashem” are converts. Regarding these converts, Hashem says, “I will bring them to My sacred mountain, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer.”
And Hashem adds:

“For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

The Temple will not just be a house of prayer for our people and the converts who join us; it will be a house of prayer for all the peoples! (Commentaries of Rav Yosef Kara, Ibn Ezra, and Radak)

May we soon experience the age when there will be a joyous ingathering of the converts in Zion’s house of prayer, and when this sacred house will become a house of prayer for all the peoples.

Have a Good and Sweet Shabbos,
Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen (See below)

Related Teachings:

1.   As the commentators, Ibn Ezra and Radak, point out, the idea that the Holy Temple in Zion will attract pilgrims from other peoples is also found at an earlier stage of our history, when King Solomon offered the following prayer at the dedication of the Holy Temple:

“Moreover, concerning a Gentile who is not of Your people, Israel, but will come from a distant land, for Your Name’s sake – for they will hear of Your great Name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm, and will come and pray toward this Temple – may You hear from Heaven, the foundation of Your abode, and fulfill all that the Gentile asks of You; so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your Name, to revere You as does Your people Israel, and to know that Your Name is proclaimed upon this Temple that I have built.” (I Kings 8:41-43)

2.   “The Juggler and the King” by Rav Aharon Feldman, is an elaboration of the Vilna Gaon’s interpretations of the hidden wisdom of our sages. The following is a summary of certain teachings from this book which discuss how the journey of the Jewish people through history is a journey that is paving the way for humanity to return to the Garden of Eden:

Twenty generations after the Expulsion from the Garden, Abraham took up the challenge of returning the human being to Eden, of living according to the values for which the human being was created. The Jewish people are the descendants of Abraham who were given the task to complete his mission, and their story is the account of how they moved humankind toward its ultimate goal.
Each era of Jewish history represents a test for the Jewish people in the abolition of another element of the evil which has become part of the human being’s nature. These tests have often been extremely difficult; at times, the Jewish people were successful and sometimes they failed. When they failed, the only solution has been for the Jews to be placed in a situation where they would be forced to make an even greater effort, so that they might finally succeed.
The cumulative effect of all these tests will move the world towards the elimination of evil from the human being’s mentality and his society. This will sufficiently weaken the power of evil in the world to enable humankind to recognize its Creator as Sovereign. And this will usher in the Era of the Messiah, the great return to the Garden of Eden.

“The Juggler and the King” is published by Feldheim: www.feldheim.com

By Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen