LECH LECHA
Yeshaya 40:27–41:16
Hashem’s Hidden Agenda

We live in a world where Hashem’s goodness is generally hidden. Statistics attest to the decline of morality, worsening by the day. In such times, how can we continue to hope for the final redemption? How can we look forward to a world totally filled with goodness? How can we anticipate a world of perfection where Hashem’s sovereignty is displayed? Yeshaya Hanavi foresaw these overwhelming challenges and responded to them in this week’s Haftarah with repetitive words of hope about Hashem’s hidden agenda.

The Cry of the Suffering Jew

Yeshaya began our Haftarah with sharp words of reprimand to the Jewish people for their disgraceful attitude towards Hashem. Yeshaya asked, “Why does Yaakov say [that] ‘My path is concealed from Hashem and my judgment eludes Him’”? (Yeshaya 40:27) With these words, Yeshaya admonished the Jewish people for their mistaken perception that Hashem has lost interest in His people. The Jewish people’s desperate cry reflects the tight control that the world powers exercise over Hashem’s beloved nation during its seemingly endless years of galus- exile. They often ask in bewilderment, “If Hashem truly cares about us, why does He allow the world to continue its present course? Where is the Jewish nation’s reward for their superhuman dedication to Hashem’s Torah and mitzvos throughout the ages? Why doesn’t Hashem respond to world nations’ brutal cruelty and give them the punishment they truly deserve?” These emphatic cries reflect the Jewish people’s deep-seated feelings of pain and anguish during their darkest moments of exile. The sad reality is that the mighty world powers truly feel this way about their control over the Jewish people. They consider Hashem aloof from His world and disinterested in responding to their vicious treatment of His precious nation.

Master Plan Behind the Scenes

In this week’s Haftarah, Hashem responds to the world powers’ abhorrent attitude and calls them to task. Hashem invites them to defend their audacious position about His mastery over His world. Hashem says, “Be silent distant nations and recharge yourselves, mighty powers. Draw near and speak; come together for judgment.” (41:1) Hashem challenges the nations and asks, “Who inspired the [dweller] from the east to proclaim [My] righteousness with his every step? Who delivered nations into his hands and gave him control over the kings [and] rendered [his enemies into] dirt through his sword and chaff through his bow?…the one who declares the generations from the
beginning, I Hashem.” (41:2, 4) Chazal explain that the “dweller of the east” refers to our patriarch Avraham. (Bereishis Rabba 43:3) In this moving dialogue, Hashem proved His involvement in world affairs through Avraham’s overwhelming success. Yeshaya revealed the secret
behind Avraham’s unprecedented accomplishments. The truth is that Hashem appointed Avraham to redirect all of civilization onto a proper course. Hashem inspired the lone soul, Avraham, to reject the universally accepted practice of paganism that had distorted the perception of almost every human being. Hashem kindled the fire within Avraham to convince humanity of its perversion. Avraham faithfully followed his inner call and preached the unpopular to the disapproving masses. Hashem protected Avraham against every attempt to thwart his sacred undertaking. In addition, Hashem assisted Avraham in his miraculous war against the mighty world powers, and in fact that victory
resulted in the universal acceptance of Hashem by all monarchs. (ibid 42:3; Rashi on Lech Lecha 14:17)

Hashem’s Constant Control

The above words send a resounding message to world powers about Hashem’s active role in world affairs. Historically speaking, Avraham’s generation could have brought anyone to total despair. The entire world, with the exception of a hidden pocket of Semites, had no clue of Hashem’s existence, and, because of this, they involved themselves in aggressive idolatry. Yet, even during those times, Hashem retained control over His world and ministered its spiritual development. Foreseeing the world’s potential spiritual emptiness, Hashem arranged for our patriarch Avraham to be born in that dark era.
Hashem armed Avraham with an incredible mind, capable of opposing a completely misguided generation and prepared to launch a single-handed campaign to bring it to the belief in the one, true Hashem. Meiri writes that through lectures, writings and personal example, Avraham convinced the majority of world population about Hashem’s existence and involvement in His world. (Meiri intro. to Avos) This incredible accomplishment, against all odds, clearly attests to Hashem’s interest in world development. The fact that one lone soul convinced most of his generation to abandon its previous beliefs speaks for itself. The fact that the opposing powers did not execute him for his “foreign” beliefs, but instead, he was miraculously victorious against the mightiest world powers completes the message. The only explanation for this is that
Hashem maintains interest in His world and leads it towards its ultimate objective. When the time called for it, Hashem pointed the world in its proper direction and planted Avraham, the greatest of all human thinkers, in the generation that needed him most.

World’s Purpose — Hashem’s Sovereignty

With these words, Yeshaya addressed the Jewish people and emphatically expressed Hashem’s concern for them. Yeshaya said in Hashem’s name, “You Israel… whom I have chosen, descendants of My beloved Avraham… do not fear because I am with
you…I strengthened you and assisted you…Do not fear wormlike Yaakov, tiny Yisrael. I helped you…I [am] your redeemer.” (Yeshaya 41:8, 10, 14) Hashem informed the Jewish people that although they were exiled from their homeland because of their sinful
practices, they remain scions of His beloved Avraham and will always be the central focus of His world. Even if they appear to world powers as tiny in number and wormlike in power, Hashem will never forsake His people and will always respond to their sincere plea for His assistance. (based on Radak 41:14) Ramchal places Yeshaya’s message in perspective and explains that Hashem is
always leading world affairs. Overtly, Hashem operates His world through a system of reward and punishment, allowing for free will and for good and evil. Through this system, one can at times, erroneously believe that Hashem stands removed from His world and has distanced Himself from His people. He permits evil to reign in untold proportions and allows His dearest to suffer for their most minute transgressions. However, behind the scenes Hashem is constantly engaged in bringing His world to its completion with the Jewish people leading the way and, in His concealed manner, is always directing world events towards the day that He will be recognized by all as Master of the Universe.
(Daas Tevunos, section 48)
Avraham’s era was the prototype of this trend. On the surface, the world was as far from its purpose as it could ever have been. Civilization had already experienced partial destruction during the days of Enosh and came close to complete destruction through the devastating flood. Total world population forfeited its blessing of unity and was dispersed throughout the world in response to its rebellious erection of the infamous Tower of Bavel. Yet, even after all of this, humanity did not get the message and returned to its repulsive idolatrous practices. This was the world’s experience within the system of free will and reward and punishment. However, as stated, Hashem conducts His world
through an additional system of sovereignty. In accordance to this additional system, the time had come for Hashem’s truths to illuminate the world.

Chazal explain that Hashem’s world-plan calls for six thousand years of existence divided into three equal segments. The first of them allows the world to remain spiritually void, the second demands the dissemination of the Torah’s truths and the final segment is set aside for the era of Mashiach. (Avoda Zara 9a)

Avrohom — Disseminator of Truth

Immediately prior to Avraham’s birth, the first segment of the world was reaching its end with almost no trace of Torah ideal. The sad reality was that virtually no one qualified to be trusted with the sacred task of developing the world’s spirituality. Suddenly, out of nowhere, emerged the perfect candidate. Avraham, although born to a family of idolaters, discovered the truth of Hashem and rapidly developed into the pillar of the world. His contagious and uncontrollable love for his newly discovered Creator of the Universe inspired everyone who associated with Avraham to sign up for his program. Within a short fifty-year span there was not a person in the world who had not heard of Avraham and his principles of faith. Before Avraham appeared in this world, one could have never imagined the world shaping up. Yet, Hashem’s system of sovereignty called for the world’s accelerated upswing and immediate action transpired. Hashem inspired, guided, and protected Avraham throughout his superhuman struggle of truth until the entire world pointed towards ultimate perfection. With these words, Yeshaya reminded the Jewish people that their destiny is never out of Hashem’s sight and program. The world is constantly moving towards its ultimate purpose and the Jewish people are always playing the lead role in this development. Hashem spares no effort to accomplish His goal. As we have learned from the emergence of Avraham, whenever the need arises, Hashem steps in and points the world towards its ultimate spiritual climax.

Mashiach’s Times

This insight is so apropos for our times. Our generation’s rapid moral decline, together with our people’s mass rejection of observant Judaism is definite cause for despair. The descending direction of world population through secularism and immorality projects ultimate detachment from Hashem. However, Hashem proclaims that He never loses sight of His world and His people. He states to His children that in the same manner that He inspired Avraham to successfully lead his relentless campaign, Hashem prepared for the salvation of the world through the eventual appearance of Mashiach. Hashem has pledged to send an individual of Davidic descent, wiser than Shlomo Hamelech and
blessed with a level of prophecy close to that of Moshe Rabbeinu in order to fulfill the task. Mashiach, like Avraham, will educate and inspire the entire world to accept the absolute truth of Hashem and to follow the precepts of Torah. (Rambam Hilchos Melachim 12:4 and Hilchos Teshuvah 9:2). As in Avraham’s success, Mashiach’s incredible success will ultimately display Hashem’s total sovereignty over all world’s inhabitants.
May we merit to witness this day very soon.