The Land I Will Show You, sec. 5, chapter 7
The Land I Will Show You, sec. 5, chapter 7
If a Wall – Did the Congregation of Israel Pass the Test?
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7: If a Wall – Did the Congregation of Israel Pass the Test?
The decisive test of the Children of Israel is described at the end of the Song of Songs, the love song between Israel and Hashem:
We have a little sister, and she has no breasts; What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; And if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. [8:8-9]
The decisive test regarding whether the Shechinah would return to dwell among Israel is whether the Children of Israel would be like a wall. According to the opinion of Resh Lakish, the test is explained thus: If the Children of Israel ascended from the exile like a wall – they would merit the return of the Shechinah, and if not, they would not merit it. And indeed, they failed at the time when the opportunity arose. How is the test interpreted according to Rabbi Yochanan, who does not link all the greatness of Israel to ascending like a wall from the exile at the right time? Did they pass the test or not? This is explained in the Midrash of the Sages:
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion for I am coming to dwell amongst you, said Hashem” [Zechariah 2:14]. This is what was said through the Holy Spirit by Solomon: “If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver, and if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.” Corresponding to whom did Solomon say this verse? He said it only corresponding to the Congregation of Israel, for at the time when the Second Temple was built, the Shechinah did not dwell in it, as Hashem said: “If all Israel ascends, the Shechinah will dwell, and if not, they will only make use of a bas kol”... Rabbi Yitzhak said: “Why did the Shechinah not dwell in the Second Temple built by the exiles? Because it was built by Cyrus, king of Persia, who is from the seed of Japheth, for the Shechinah does not dwell in the works of the hands of Japheth; but in the First Temple built by the Children of Israel – the descendants of Shem – the Shechinah dwelled, as it is said: ‘God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.’” On them Solomon spoke and praised the Congregation of Israel saying: “A woman of valor who can find, for her price is far above rubies” [Proverbs 31:10]. The scripture speaks corresponding to Israel: That time when Israel was exiled from their land, the ministering angels said before Hashem: “Master of the Universe! When Israel dwelled in their land, they were attached to idolatry, now that You have exiled them among the nations, all the more so!” What did Hashem reply? “I trust my children that they will not abandon Me and cling to idolatry, rather they will give themselves up to die for Me every moment. And not only that they give themselves up to die, but they will also bring others under the wings of the Shechinah”... “She does him good and not evil all the days of her life” [Proverbs 31:12]... Therefore, Solomon praised the Congregation of Israel: “A woman of valor who can find.” Therefore, it is said “If a wall.”[1]
Let us understand these cryptic words in their full depth.
The Midrash explains why Zechariah's prophecy about the return of the Shechinah was not fulfilled. The first opinion presented is that of Resh Lakish: The expected return of the Shechinah was conditional, and the condition is detailed in Song of Songs. Everything is true, but only “if a wall.” The exiles must want to return. Rabbi Yitzhak disagreed and established, in line with the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan, that the reason the Shechinah did not dwell is because the house was built by a descendant of Japheth. The question that the Midrash began with remains open. Why was Zechariah's prophecy not fulfilled? What went wrong? Indeed, there is a good reason why the Shechinah did not dwell, but what was expected to happen differently and where did things go wrong? The Midrash then deals with the praise of the Congregation of Israel who did not serve idolatry in their exile among the nations, and unlike what the ministering angels expected, even brought others under the wings of the Shechinah and added converts (this is a Midrash on what is written in the continuation of the prophecy “Rejoice and be glad” – “And many nations shall be joined to Hashem in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee” [Zechariah 2:15]), and concludes by determining that the Congregation of Israel indeed deserves the title of praise “wall,” since they remained faithful to Hashem and were not enticed after other gods. They are "a woman of valor"; they are "a wall." Unlike the first opinion in the Midrash, which determines that the Children of Israel did not pass the test, according to this opinion they indeed passed their great test to be a fortified “wall” against the influence of the nations and did what was required of them and even more. According to this, it seems, the first question is strengthened. The Children of Israel did as per all that was commanded upon them and even passed the decisive test – so where did everything go wrong? What happened to Zechariah's prophecy promising the return of the Shechinah to Its people? And how do the words of the Midrash answer the question with which it opened?
The way to decipher the Midrash's hint will reveal a new approach to the history of the people of Israel and the divine plan carried out through it.
The ministering angels thought that undoubtedly the Children of Israel would serve idolatry in the exile, based on an a fortiori argument: If they clung to idolatry in their land, all the more so in the lands of the nations. But in fact, the Children of Israel did not serve idolatry, just as Hashem trusted in them. The key to understanding the intent of the Midrash is understanding this dialogue between Hashem and the ministering angels. Why indeed would the Children of Israel serve idolatry and why in fact did they not? This will be explained in conjunction with other Midrashim. This opinion – that they did not serve idolatry in Babylon – is explained in this Midrash:
Israel did not serve idolatry; how so? Nebuchadnezzar set up an idol and separated from each nation three people, and three people from all of Israel; and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were the three people from Israel, stood and protested for themselves and did not serve idolatry.[2]
The refusal of these righteous men to serve idolatry constituted the uprooting of the inclination to idolatry:
When was the inclination to idolatry uprooted?... These are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.[3]
And so these righteous men fulfilled what is written "I am a wall" [Song of Songs 8:10]:
"If she is a wall": This is Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Hashem said: "If Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah uphold their actions, we will build upon them the world and save them"; "And if a door": "And if their actions are unstable like this door" – "we will enclose her with boards of cedar": "...I will not establish but for one hour." "I am a wall": They said before Hashem: "We are a wall and we uphold commandments and good deeds like a wall."[4]
This is the answer to the convincing a fortiori argument of the ministering angels: Indeed, if the Children of Israel did not overcome the inclination to idolatry in their land, all the more so they will not overcome it in the lands of the nations, worshipers of other gods. This is true; but if they nullify the inclination to idolatry, they will be able to maintain faithfulness to Hashem. And not only that, but they will bring others under the wings of the Shechinah. For the way of serving Hashem that was inaugurated with the nullification of the inclination to idolatry is not unique to Israel. As long as the service of God was based on His knowledge – when this was the nature of the relationship to God, before the nullification of the inclination to idolatry, as explained above in Chapter 5 – only that nation that knew Hashem was His nation and his sole inheritance. The Children of Israel are those who recognized Hashem who revealed Himself to them in signs and wonders and with a strong hand; they knew Hashem, unlike the other nations who knew only other gods.[5] But when the nature of the relationship to God changed to a relationship of abstract and pure wisdom, theoretical and not experiential, in the language of the Sages: “From now on, incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,” from that moment every wise person is invited to serve Hashem, his understanding (that is, his experience) being whatever it may be.[6]
Now we can understand the Midrash's answer to the question with which it opened: What prevented Zechariah's prophecy from being fulfilled? The answer depends on understanding the reason why the Shechinah did not dwell in the Second Temple. The reason is because they nullified the inclination to idolatry, or in other words because non-Jews joined Israel and the Shechinah does not dwell on converts.[7] In truth, these two things are the same thing. The indwelling of the Shechinah, that is, prophecy, depends on the knowledge of Hashem; the knowledge of Hashem depends on a certain experience, namely the Exodus from Egypt and the history of the people of Israel; and so the Shechinah will not dwell on those who did not take part in it.[8] When the way to serve Hashem is not based on experiencing Him – so that even converts are invited to serve Him – His service is not accompanied by the indwelling of His Shechinah. Judaism has changed. Religion in general has changed. This is the depth of the meaning in the point first mentioned in the Midrash – that the Temple was built by the seed of Japheth. The religion of Judaism has become a universal matter, a world religion.
So, it is not surprising that the prophet's words were not immediately fulfilled: "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion for I am coming to dwell amongst you." Certainly, the Shechinah will return, but after a very long process – perhaps thousands of years – described in the following verse: "And many nations shall be joined to Hashem in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee." The history of Hashem's relationship to humanity took a turn; Hashem has become available to all nations, and therefore, until they all integrate well into the way of the people of Israel, things will not return to their original state, the state of the indwelling of the Shechinah, that is, the knowledge of Hashem. What is the process? How will people who did not know Hashem join the people who did know Him? In other words – what is the end of history, the purpose of the divine plan? We will discuss this later; for now, it is enough to understand that the Children of Israel did indeed pass the test and did what was required of them. They withstood the trial of idolatry, although in a wondrous manner of nullifying the inclination to it.
The nullification of the inclination to idolatry and the end of prophecy are intertwined in an inseparable way. After the inclination was nullified, a new and different period in the history of religion was inaugurated, a period of the absence of the indwelling of the Shechinah. This is the deep meaning in the marvelous description of the Midrash that tells of the deliberations of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and their hesitation whether to be thrown into the fiery furnace rather than to prostrate themselves to the idol that Nebuchadnezzar set up. They consulted with the prophet Ezekiel, and he received an untrue (!) prophecy that asserted that Hashem would not save them from the fire; nevertheless, they decided to give up their lives. This is the language of the Midrash:
Nebuchadnezzar set up an idol and separated from each nation three people, and three people from all of Israel; and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were the three people from Israel, stood and protested for themselves and did not serve idolatry. They went to Daniel and said to him: "Our teacher Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar set up an idol... what do you say to us? Shall we bow down to it or not?" He said to them: "Here is the prophet before you – go to him!" They immediately went to Ezekiel and said to him as they said to Daniel... He said to them: "And what do you say?" They said to him: "We want to put a blemish in it, that we will be there and we will not bow down to it..." He said to them: "If that is your opinion, wait for me until I consult the Mighty"... He said before Hashem: "Master of the Universe! Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah wish to give their lives for the sanctity of Your Name; will You stand up for them or not?" He said to him: "I will not stand up for them!... After you caused Me to destroy My house and burn My sanctuary and exile My children among the nations, you then come to inquire of Me?!" At that moment Ezekiel wept and lamented and wailed by himself... When he came, they said to him: "What did Hashem say to you?" He said to them: "He will not stand up for you." They replied to him: "Whether He stands up for us or not, we will give our lives for the sanctity of His Name!"... As they left Ezekiel's presence, Hashem revealed Himself to him and said: "Ezekiel, what do you think? That I won’t stand up for them?! Of course, I will stand up for them!... But leave them be and do not tell them anything, let them go in their wholeheartedness."... This is why people swear and say: "By He who established the world on three pillars”; some say these are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, while others say they are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.[9]
This is the meaning of this astonishing story: The self-sacrifice of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah inaugurated a new era. The three pillars of the old world were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; they brought the knowledge of Hashem to the world. But with the knowledge of Hashem comes the possibility of knowing other gods, the evil inclination “which destroyed the Temple, burned the sanctuary, killed all the righteous, and exiled Israel from their land”;[10] because of this evil inclination, Hashem decided to remove His presence from the world, not to be sought by those who seek Him through His prophets: "After you caused Me to destroy My house, burn My sanctuary, and exile My children among the nations, you then come to inquire of Me?!" According to the old paradigm, prevalent in the prophetic era, righteous people would consult a prophet who would bring them the knowledge that Hashem would save them. Certainly! But that era ended; accordingly, the prophet received a false prophecy, as if to say: Hashem no longer communicates with mankind. If they will do good, they will do so in simplicity and wholeheartedness, without expecting a promised reward, without knowing what lies ahead. The pillars of this new era are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who formed a faithful “wall” even in a time of concealment.
We learned that according to Rabbi Yochanan, the Congregation of Israel did stand strong in its great test. We were privileged to be the “woman of valor” for Hashem, and now we are waiting for the fulfillment of the process that has begun. What are the implications for the role of the Congregation of Israel today? What does this say about the status of Israel among the nations and what is expected of it in relation to exile, the return to the Land, and repentance in general? These questions will be discussed in the next chapter.
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[1] Pesikta d’Rav Kahana, 36:1.
[2] Song of Songs Rabbah, 7:13.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid, 8:10.
[5] As it is written, "If your brother entices you... saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your fathers'" (Deuteronomy 13:7); we did not know them, but other nations did.
[6] For more on this subject, see Mishnas Yaakov, Derush Beis Tefilah LeKol HaAmim, particularly sections 4-9.
[7] Thus said the Sages: "When the Holy, blessed is He, bestows the indwelling of the Shechinah, He bestows it only upon distinguished families of Israel" (Kiddushin 70b), and accordingly, they asked: "Why did Ovadiah merit prophecy? [For he was a convert and the Shechinah dwells only upon the distinguished of Israel]" (Sanhedrin 39b; bracketed text from Rashi). Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi decisively stated: "Nevertheless, a convert... is not equal to a native. For only natives are fit for prophecy" (Kuzari, First Essay, Section 110).
In light of what has been explained so far, we can resolve the contradiction raised earlier in chapter 4 regarding whether ascending to Eretz Yisrael frees one from the negative traits of the exile. We should distinguish between a public ascension during the period of recalling (i.e., during the Second Temple period) which includes converts who join, and the ascent of an individual after the end of this period. An individual who ascends alone can fully receive the holiness of Eretz Ysrael, free from foreign influence, unlike a community ascending with converts who inevitably influence its character.
[8] Above, in Chapter 4, we wrote that prophecy depends on good traits. This is not contradictory to what is said here, that knowing Hashem depends on a certain experience; because the experience itself depends on a person's traits. Only a person who straightens his heart – and anyone who straightens his heart – will know Hashem through the experience of his deeds. Such a person will know how to understand the deeds of Hashem truthfully, that is, according to His blessed good traits. He will come to know Hashem through experiencing His deeds, whereas someone with a crooked heart will not recognize His blessed good traits in His deeds, because these are not present in his own heart. This is not the place to elaborate on this important matter; see Oros Yaakov, Derush Da'as Hashem, particularly sections 6-7.
[9] Song of Songs Rabbah, 7:13.
[10] The terminology of the Talmud, Yoma 69b.