Eternal Promises
Now, included in Hashem’s eternal thoughts are His promises to us. That’s
absolutely included in אֶהְיֶ≠ה†אֲשֶׁר†אֶהְיֶ≠ה†because it’s apparent from Hashem’s reply
to Moshe, that the Bnei Yisroel wanted to know whether the Elokei Avosam, the
G-d of their Fathers, had altered His love for them.
And so included in Hashem’s response – “Tell them that Ehe-yeh Asher Eheyeh
sent you” – is that just like I am forever, My principles are forever. ‘I will be what
I will be’ means that ‘My love for the Avos and their descendants will always
continue unchanged and whatever I promised is going to take place. If I chose you
as My nation, I told your ancestor Avraham Avinu that you will be My nation, so
you're My nation forever and ever. And the fact that you're in Mitzrayim, a poor
enslaved group in the power of a wealthy and domineering nation and they're
utilizing you for avodas parech and they look down on you and despise you, that
should mean nothing to you because אֶהְיֶ≠ה†אֲשֶׁר†אֶהְיֶ≠ה†. What I promised that's
going to happen; just like I will be forever, you will be with Me forever.’
And so when Hashem told Moshe His name, He was giving a besurah tovah,
good tidings, that it was out of the question that He should ever reject us. And the
people were fortified by that. When Moshe Rabbeinu reported back to them with
this name, they were fortified forever because it’s more than a besurah tovah – it’s
an eternal promise that is bound up in the essence of Hashem, in the eternity of
Hashem.
Fortified Forever
And so, that name is absolutely a fortress. Because whatever happens,
whatever seems to be, the truth is actually that He’s not going to change. The
Rambam says that in his Iggeres Teiman. He says there that just as it is impossible
that Hakadosh Baruch Hu should stop existing, so it is impossible that we should
go lost from the world. It’s included in His existence, in His name
And the Rambam quotes a possuk in Malachi (3:6): אֲנִי†ה߆לֹא†שָׁנִיתִי†– I, Hashem,
don’t change. וְאַתֶּם†בְּנֵי†יַעֲקֹב†לאֹ†כְלִיתֶם†– and you, the children of Yaakov,
will not cometo an end.
What’s the connection between the first half of the possuk and the second?
It means just like I am forever, you are forever. ‘I will forever be what I shall be’ is
a declaration that the Am Yisroel is chosen forever because He is forever. When I
tell you what I'm going to be, that's what I'm going to be forever.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t change His principles. He doesn’t change His
loyalty. If He makes a covenant, וַיַּעֲמִידֶהָ†לְיַעֲקֹב†לְחֹק†לְיִשְׂרָאֵל†בְּרִית†עוֹלָם†, then it’s an
everlasting covenant.
Escaping the Promise
Now that also needs a peirush because yes, the Am Yisroel is forever, but you
must be part of the Am Yisroel. If someone wants to slip out of the Jewish people
and get lost, so if they try they’ll succeed. הַבָּא†לְטַמֵּא†פּוֹתְחִין†לוֹ†–
Hakadosh Baruch Huopens a lot of hatches, escape hatches.
A Jew who moves out, far away from Jewish communities – he doesn’t want
to be in a Jewish ghetto, he likes to be among goyim – so Hashem says, “Alright, if
that’s what you want then ואַבֲ†דְַתםֶּ†בגַּוּ†ֹ†יםִ†– You’ll go lost. You like to live in Hawaii?
Alright. You’ll have the same sof as the Hawaiians.” You want to escape from the
Jewish people, there are a lot of doors! It’s like a big ship at sea and there are a lot
of hatches at the side and when they’re open, anybody who is a little reckless can
jump out.
The Forever Nation
But there’s always going to be a Jewish people. Even though הִנֵּה†רְחֵקֶיךָ†יֹאבֵדוּ
– those who are far off from You, Hashem, will go lost, but Your people that You have
chosen and that are loyal to You will go on forever and ever.
Anyone who remains attached to the Torah nation, even though they’ll do
sins and they’ll transgress – human beings are human and many times we do
things; maybe we have things wrong with us right now too – but Hakadosh Baruch
Hu says, ‘Since you are loyal to Me in general, you’re not going to go lost.
I will be what I will be; and just like I’ll be forever, you too will never
go lost forever and ever and ever.’
That’s a migdal oz if there ever was one! The permanence of Hashem’s
principles, that He chose the Avos and will never forsake their children; that we
are eternal like Him!
And so the name of Hashem, אֶהְיֶ≠ה†אֲשֶׁר†אֶהְיֶ≠ה†, is absolutely a fortress for us
to run to. It’s a name that should be reflected on always because it demonstrates
so many ideals that perfect a person’s mind when he’s aware of them and thinks
about them.
Knowing His Name
The purpose of Hashem revealing His name to Moshe Rabbeinu was so
that we should study the peirushim of the name and live with those ideas
as much as possible.
This week I will bli neder spend two minutes every day reviewing the four
peirushim that we learned about. 1. That Hashem will forever be what He
will be and we cannot possibly understand His ways. 2. That everything,
all of existence as we know it is nothing but Him. 3. That He is forever. 4.
As a result of that, we, His Chosen People are forever as well. Eternal Promises
Now, included in Hashem’s eternal thoughts are His promises to us. That’s
absolutely included in אֶהְיֶ≠ה†אֲשֶׁר†אֶהְיֶ≠ה†because it’s apparent from Hashem’s reply
to Moshe, that the Bnei Yisroel wanted to know whether the Elokei Avosam, the
G-d of their Fathers, had altered His love for them.
And so included in Hashem’s response – “Tell them that Ehe-yeh Asher Eheyeh
sent you” – is that just like I am forever, My principles are forever. ‘I will be what
I will be’ means that ‘My love for the Avos and their descendants will always
continue unchanged and whatever I promised is going to take place. If I chose you
as My nation, I told your ancestor Avraham Avinu that you will be My nation, so
you're My nation forever and ever. And the fact that you're in Mitzrayim, a poor
enslaved group in the power of a wealthy and domineering nation and they're
utilizing you for avodas parech and they look down on you and despise you, that
should mean nothing to you because אֶהְיֶ≠ה†אֲשֶׁר†אֶהְיֶ≠ה†. What I promised that's
going to happen; just like I will be forever, you will be with Me forever.’
And so when Hashem told Moshe His name, He was giving a besurah tovah,
good tidings, that it was out of the question that He should ever reject us. And the
people were fortified by that. When Moshe Rabbeinu reported back to them with
this name, they were fortified forever because it’s more than a besurah tovah – it’s
an eternal promise that is bound up in the essence of Hashem, in the eternity of
Hashem.
Fortified Forever
And so, that name is absolutely a fortress. Because whatever happens,
whatever seems to be, the truth is actually that He’s not going to change. The
Rambam says that in his Iggeres Teiman. He says there that just as it is impossible
that Hakadosh Baruch Hu should stop existing, so it is impossible that we should
go lost from the world. It’s included in His existence, in His name
And the Rambam quotes a possuk in Malachi (3:6): אֲנִי†ה߆לֹא†שָׁנִיתִי†– I, Hashem,
don’t change. וְאַתֶּם†בְּנֵי†יַעֲקֹב†לאֹ†כְלִיתֶם†– and you, the children of Yaakov,
will not cometo an end.
What’s the connection between the first half of the possuk and the second?
It means just like I am forever, you are forever. ‘I will forever be what I shall be’ is
a declaration that the Am Yisroel is chosen forever because He is forever. When I
tell you what I'm going to be, that's what I'm going to be forever.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t change His principles. He doesn’t change His
loyalty. If He makes a covenant, וַיַּעֲמִידֶהָ†לְיַעֲקֹב†לְחֹק†לְיִשְׂרָאֵל†בְּרִית†עוֹלָם†, then it’s an
everlasting covenant.
Escaping the Promise
Now that also needs a peirush because yes, the Am Yisroel is forever, but you
must be part of the Am Yisroel. If someone wants to slip out of the Jewish people
and get lost, so if they try they’ll succeed. הַבָּא†לְטַמֵּא†פּוֹתְחִין†לוֹ†–
Hakadosh Baruch Huopens a lot of hatches, escape hatches.
A Jew who moves out, far away from Jewish communities – he doesn’t want
to be in a Jewish ghetto, he likes to be among goyim – so Hashem says, “Alright, if
that’s what you want then ואַבֲ†דְַתםֶּ†בגַּוּ†ֹ†יםִ†– You’ll go lost. You like to live in Hawaii?
Alright. You’ll have the same sof as the Hawaiians.” You want to escape from the
Jewish people, there are a lot of doors! It’s like a big ship at sea and there are a lot
of hatches at the side and when they’re open, anybody who is a little reckless can
jump out.
The Forever Nation
But there’s always going to be a Jewish people. Even though הִנֵּה†רְחֵקֶיךָ†יֹאבֵדוּ
– those who are far off from You, Hashem, will go lost, but Your people that You have
chosen and that are loyal to You will go on forever and ever.
Anyone who remains attached to the Torah nation, even though they’ll do
sins and they’ll transgress – human beings are human and many times we do
things; maybe we have things wrong with us right now too – but Hakadosh Baruch
Hu says, ‘Since you are loyal to Me in general, you’re not going to go lost.
I will be what I will be; and just like I’ll be forever, you too will never
go lost forever and ever and ever.’
That’s a migdal oz if there ever was one! The permanence of Hashem’s
principles, that He chose the Avos and will never forsake their children; that we
are eternal like Him!
And so the name of Hashem, אֶהְיֶ≠ה†אֲשֶׁר†אֶהְיֶ≠ה†, is absolutely a fortress for us
to run to. It’s a name that should be reflected on always because it demonstrates
so many ideals that perfect a person’s mind when he’s aware of them and thinks
about them.
Knowing His Name
The purpose of Hashem revealing His name to Moshe Rabbeinu was so
that we should study the peirushim of the name and live with those ideas
as much as possible.
This week I will bli neder spend two minutes every day reviewing the four
peirushim that we learned about. 1. That Hashem will forever be what He
will be and we cannot possibly understand His ways. 2. That everything,
all of existence as we know it is nothing but Him. 3. That He is forever. 4.
As a result of that, we, His Chosen People are forever as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment