Yeshaya 54:1–55:5

Affluence in Our Times

Hashem blessed our generation with unprecedented affluence. Why do we, the lowliest of all generations deserve such blessing? This week’s Haftarah helps us understand the intended purpose of our wealth and its everlasting potential.

Flood Waters and Redemption

Yeshaya Hanavi presented a breath-taking picture of the Jewish people’s glorious future. Amid his incredible vision, he made a reassuring statement about the final redemption. He compared the Jewish people’s exile to the devastating flood of Noach’s times and then quoted Hashem saying, “For a brief moment of anger I concealed My countenance from you, but with everlasting kindness I will show My compassion to you.” Hashem continued, “As with Noach’s waters that I swore [after that] never to flood the world, so have I sworn never again to be angry with you.” (54:8, 9) With these words, Hashem reassured the Jewish people of their permanent redemption (including the ingathering of their exiles) and He displayed His commitment to them through the fact that the devastating flood never re-occurred.

The link between the devastating flood and the Jewish people’s exile requires reflection. It seems that Hashem told the Jewish people to be as certain about their final redemption as they are about the permanence of the world. When contemplating this reassurance, numerous questions come to mind. First, since Yeshaya clearly stated that Hashem swore never to exile the Jewish people again, why did Hashem find it necessary to prove His level of commitment? Second, what proof did He show from the flood? Certainly, one cannot compare the Jewish nation’s exile to the entire world’s destruction! Third, Hashem found it necessary to reassure the world of His commitment to them through the rainbow sign that reflects that He will never again bring a devastating flood. Since Hashem did not display any sign regarding the Jewish people’s redemption, what reassures them that their exile will not reoccur? 

In order to answer these questions and to appreciate Hashem’s message, let us briefly review the era of the flood and Noach’s role in rebuilding the world. The Torah describes the pre-flood times in the following words, “And the land was corrupt before Hashem and full of robbery.” (Bereishis 6:11) Chazal explain that although humanity had sunk to unprecedented levels of immorality, its most serious offense was theft. (Sanhedrin 108a) During that era, practically every human being was absorbed in self-pursuit and did not take his fellowman into consideration. The law of the land was that everyone’s possessions, wives included, were permissible to all. Seforno explains that humanity was on such rapid decline that it was inevitably coasting towards total self-destruction. (Seforno on Bereishis 6:12)

Preoccupied with Kindness and Selflessness

Noach and his family rose above the corruptive mode of their time and became the only family on earth who deserved to exist in Hashem’s world of goodness. Hashem charged them with the awesome responsibility of preserving and rebuilding civilization, and of recreating an appropriate moral and ethical fiber for all future generations. Their task began in the Ark, wherein the overriding policy was selfless kindness and compassion. Noach and his family spent virtually every waking moment caring for and sharing with others. Their overwhelming chore was to provide for and to tend to the needs of every resident of the Ark. They meticulously attuned themselves to the varied feeding schedules of every living species in the Ark; during that time, they were completely engrossed in acts of loving kindness. In fact, Chazal quote Noach’s son, Shem attesting that the family never formally went to sleep throughout their twelve-month stay in the Ark. (Midrash Tehillim 37)

This total reversal of priorities, focusing exclusively on the needs of others, reestablished morality in the world. During the year of the flood, all of existence was engaged in selflessness, providing or receiving kindness, in place of its previous selfishness. Indeed, Chazal reflect that Noach’s selflessness was the basic merit that ended the flood and that granted the Ark’s inhabitants permission to reenter the world. (based on Bereishis Rabba 33:3)

Upon reentry, Noach immediately travelled from Mount Ararat in Turkey to Yerushalyim with numerous species of animals and birds and offered them to Hashem as an expression of thanks for sparing Noach and his family. (Pirkei D’Rebbe Eliezer 23:13 according to Radal) Instead of resting for a day after twelve intense months of preserving every being in the Ark, Noach chose to initiate all world activity with a total act of thanks and selfless devotion. Our Haftarah reveals that Hashem responded favorably to Noach’s sacrifice and benevolence, and He swore never to destroy His world again. 

Noach through his first act upon reentering the world set the course of mankind for all subsequent acts of kindness and benevolence. Hashem reciprocated to Noach’s selflessness with an unconditional pledge of kindness for mankind. Malbim reflects that Hashem’s kindness differs by nature from compassion or mercy. Compassion and mercy are subject to the worthiness of the receiver, whereas kindness is solely subject to the benevolence of the giver. Since the essence of kindness is an unconditional display of goodness, it is never based on or limited to the recipient’s worthiness. (Malbim 54:7, 10)

Unconditional Benevolence

Malbim continues and says that it stands to reason that Hashem’s pledge of kindness to the world was, by definition, unconditional. Throughout the year of the flood, Noach was totally engaged in providing selfless kindness to all of existence. In response to this kindness, Hashem promised to be forever engaged in providing kindness to the entire world, irrespective of its worthiness. That promise translated into Hashem’s unconditional guarantee to preserve the world at all times. (based on comments of Malbim 54:10)

We learn from this that Hashem responds to acts of selflessness with an unconditional commitment of kindness. As a rule, Hashem’s pledge of blessing for goodness and prosperity, is subject to the worthiness of its recipient. After one becomes worthy of Hashem’s blessing, He pledges to shower the person with His goodness. Chazal reveal that this pledge is subject to the recipient’s ongoing, outstanding conduct. If he upholds standards of perfection and piety, he remains worthy of receiving Hashem’s blessing. However, if he lowers his standards, he no longer qualifies for his blessing. (Berachos 4a) This is the general rule of Hashem’s commitment made in response to one’s level of piety and perfection. However, when Hashem makes a commitment in response to selflessness, it follows a different set of rules. Since such selfless acts are not based on the recipient’s worthiness, Hashem responds to those acts in a similar fashion with an unconditional commitment of blessing irrespective of the recipient’s ongoing worthiness.

Unconditional Commitment

Vilna Gaon explains with this, the contrasting attitudes of our patriarchs, Avraham and Yaakov towards the blessings they received from Hashem. The Torah tells us that Yaakov was gravely concerned about his pending encounter with his brother, Eisav. Chazal ask: Since Hashem committed to guard Yaakov and safely return him home, why was he so concerned about the encounter? They answer that Yaakov feared that after Hashem’s commitment to him he may have erred in his service to Hashem and thereby forfeited Hashem’s miraculous protection. (Berachos 4a) Vilna Gaon points out that Avraham had a totally different approach to his blessing. After Hashem promised Avraham that he would merit a multitude of descendants like the stars of the sky the Torah states, “And he [Avraham] believed in Hashem[’s commitment] and regarded it as an act of benevolence.” (Bereishis 15:6) Vilna Gaon explains that Avraham did not feel worthy of Hashem’s blessing, and he therefore considered it a total expression of Hashem’s benevolence. Since Avraham did not view his blessing as one based on his worthiness, he placed total trust in Hashem that it would materialize under all circumstances. (Vilna Gaon on Mishlei 25:15)

With this thought, we return to Hashem’s pledge of redemption. Yeshaya quoted Hashem telling His cherished people, “[Although] the mountains may jar and the hills may shift, My kindness will never leave you and My covenant of peace will never falter.” (54:10) Yeshaya informed the Jewish people that Hashem made His commitment to them for their redemption as an expression of His kindness. As we have learned, such commitments are unconditional and are not subject to the recipient’s worthiness. Accordingly, even if the Jewish people would deviate from their perfect state of redemption, they would never experience another exile.

The Rainbow and Redemption

Hashem demonstrated this fact through His similar guarantee never to repeat the devastating flood. Chazal teach us that every generation can gauge its worthiness through the absence or the appearance of a full (inverted, according to Seforno, Bereishis 9:13) rainbow. They explain that Hashem displays His treaty sign of the rainbow to inform the world of its total unworthiness. The appearance of the rainbow means that although the world is losing its right to exist, Hashem’s unconditional guarantee of kindliness will not allow for a repeat of the devastating flood. As we have learned, Hashem made that commitment in response to Noach’s selfless devotion to Hashem and all of mankind. Since Noach was totally absorbed in setting the world on the course of selflessness, Hashem reciprocated with His total commitment of unconditional kindness.

We can now explain Hashem’s message to His people about their final redemption. Hashem told them to study the rainbow to gain confidence in their permanent redemption. They should learn from the rainbow that Hashem’s commitment of kindness is, by definition, unconditional. Since the Jewish people’s return to Eretz Yisroel will be an expression of Hashem’s kindness, nothing will ever cause them to leave their precious homeland. Even if they become completely undeserving of Hashem’s blessing they will, nevertheless, continue to receive it. As in the case of the flood, when Hashem makes a commitment out of kindness, it is, by definition, unconditional, and He honors it under all circumstances.

Contemporary Kindness

After answering all of the questions posed earlier, one point is still unclear. In what merit will the Jewish people ultimately receive Hashem’s unconditional commitment of kindness? One could suggest that Hashem’s commitment to kindness will come in response to the Jewish people’s kindness. This means that there will be an enormous increase of acts of kindness prior to the era of Mashiach. Indeed, Chazal express this idea and state, “The Jewish people will merit their return to Tzion through acts of tzedakah.” They draw proof to this from Yeshaya’s prophetic words, “Tzion will be redeemed through justice and those who return to her [will merit it] through charitable acts.” (Yeshaya 1:27, Shabbos 139a, Rambam Matnas Aniyim 10:1)

With this thought, our lesson is complete. Although Hashem’s commitments are generally conditional and subjective, His commitment to kindness is the exception to this rule. Hashem’s unconditional pledge to Noach teaches us that Hashem responds to acts of selflessness with unconditional kindness. Indeed, Hashem’s response to Noach’s selfless devotion and kindness reassures the Jewish people that Hashem will respond to their kindness in a similar manner. Yeshaya predicts that the Jewish people will ultimately merit their return to Eretz Yisroel through an unprecedented increase of acts of loving-kindness. Upon their return, Hashem will respond to the Jewish people with an unconditional commitment to gather in their exiles and never to exile them from their land.

Benevolence and Redemption

Our present generation distinguishes itself as the potential launching pad for Mashiach’s era. Undoubtedly, the era before that will be blessed with all necessary resources to bring the Jewish nation’s trying exile to a close. As we have learned, this final era will merit Hashem’s unconditional pledge through unprecedented acts of charity and kindness. In order to facilitate this, Hashem graced the final generation with abundant resources. Undoubtedly, the objective of those resources is to utilize them in unprecedented levels of kindness and charity. In fact, Yeshaya informs the Jewish people that Hashem has already responded to those future acts of benevolence with His unconditional commitment to the Jewish people’s everlasting redemption.

Let us take full advantage of our opportunity and help shape the sterling character of the world’s final era. May the day come soon when the entire Jewish nation will merit returning to Eretz Yisroel, never to be exiled again from its cherished homeland.