{"id":66262,"date":"2019-11-27T15:53:23","date_gmt":"2019-11-27T13:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=66262"},"modified":"2023-06-19T18:12:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-19T15:12:28","slug":"faithfulness-over-fatefulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/faithfulness-over-fatefulness\/","title":{"rendered":"Faithfulness Over Fatefulness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At the beginning of chapter 26 Isaiah describes Jerusalem and the Jewish nation at the time of the final redemption to come, and in so doing refers to the people as the \u201cguardians of faith (<\/span>shomer emunim<\/span><\/em>).\u201d\u00a0 After all of their battles, corrupt Kings, the destruction of their Temple and exile from their land, here is a nation that, however tenuously at times, \u201ckept the faith\u201d that redemption would come.<\/span><\/p>\n

The word for faith \u2013 <\/span>emunah<\/span><\/em> \u2013 relates to its root word \u201c<\/span>amen<\/span><\/em>\u201d as Rav Schwab points out in <\/span>Rav Schwab on Yeshayahu<\/em> <\/span>as does<\/span> Jeremy Benstein in\u00a0<\/span>Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes<\/span><\/em><\/a>.<\/span><\/i> How many times a day does that word get uttered by Jews? A multitude of times in prayer and in blessings over food and on performing mitzvot, we utter that faithful word. And outside of religious observance contexts we use it colloquially in answer to our hope and faith for the future: \u201cYou should have a year of good health. AMEN!\u201d; \u201cMay you have success in your new business. AMEN!\u201d Our faithfulness is indeed a hallmark of the Jewish personality and we express it constantly. Even when the odds don\u2019t seem great, Jew end their Passover seder, year after year with the words \u201cNext year in Jerusalem.\u201d We collectively never lose faith that our redemption is almost upon us.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contrast that faithfulness that Isaiah highlights with the fateful response of the people, in Chapter 22 when they are being forewarned of the catastrophe to come. At that moment they lost faith not just in redemption but in their own ability for repentance. With the words \u201cEat and drink for tomorrow we die (22: 13)\u201d they succumbed to hopelessness. This was not an expression of jovial nonchalance, as it is spoken in modern day usage, but was, according to our Sages, the ultimate degradation of God. So much so that the verses that follows warns \u201cthis sin will not be forgiven until you die (22:14).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Talmud (Makkot 24a) relates the prophet Habakkuk\u2019s assertion that faith alone, absent any other merits, will be sufficient for our reward of redemption: \u201cHabakkuk came and established the 613 <\/span>mitzvot<\/span><\/i> upon one, as it is stated, \u201cThe righteous person shall live by his faith.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

May we all find ways to continually express our faith in the future and the speedy fulfillment of God\u2019s promise for redemption. 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