"ON KVETCHES & PROPORTIONS"- Haftarah of Vayikra

YeshivaThe torah world Gateway

Beit Midrash

קטגוריה משנית

Torah Portion and Tanach
Vayikra
Vayikra

Jews have an understandable tendency to Kvetch, but Yishayahu teaches us in the Haftara of Vayikra that in the process of ge'ula, we must learn to appreciate and focus on the positive and not complain so much. We should not tell G-d how to run His redemption, and in fact, we can understand the complaints about 3 AM sirens to shlep down 3 flights to the shelter with a child on each arm and a third on your shoulders on an average of once a night, but don't forget that just 2 weeks ago it used to be several times a night (and thank G-d we have shelters!). For decades the worst scenario imagined in Israel was a full-scale war with Iran, our largest, most sophisticated enemy with the most oil, Russian aid and nuclear plans. Well, that day is here, and we must profusely thank G-d and the IDF for pre-empting them with unprecedented intelligence, and professionalism to take out their entire leadership, anti-aircraft missiles and blow up their boats, planes and launchers pitifully uncontested. Our complaining shouldn't hide the glory of the G-d-sent victory, which COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY EASIER (except were more Jews willing to share the burden).

To dedicate this lesson

Female Lesson Parashat Hashavua Series'Library Piskei Din (Hebrew)Test Yourself

As we approach Pesach, imagine if during the Ten Plagues, someone complained they can't sleep because the Egyptians are crying too loudly, or about the pain of asking neighbors for wealth and Oy, having to pack for a long journey of Matzah! I would guess the complainer is a little child who doesn't fathom the greatness of freedom from slavery which will be celebrated forever.
I remember overhearing a stewardess grumble that the flights to Israel are particularly trying because Jews tend to be real Kvetches. Some may even remember the SNL sketch about "The Weiners" (Whiners), who you couldn't miss were distinctively Jewish! That's the 40 years in the desert!
We see in this week's Haftarah, "This nation [Israel] I created for Myself; they shall recite My praise" (Yishaya 43, 21). I think the pshat is that in the ge'ula, EVEN the Jewish Kvetches will have no choice but to recognize and praise G-d. He's addressing 2,000 years of neurotic Jews, "And now, listen, Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. So said the Lord your Maker, and He Who formed you from the womb shall aid you. FEAR NOT, My servant Jacob, and Yeshurun whom I have chosen. As I will pour water on the thirsty and running water on dry land (sound familiar from the 40 desert years, 44)."
Despite all the anti-Semitism until this very day, which apparently gives us a "right" to be nervous and kvetch, G-d again allays our fears, "Fear not and be not dismayed; did I not tell you way back… and you are My witnesses; is there a god besides Me?!" (ibid). We have seen over the last century that MOST of the prophecies of redemption have already been fulfilled, so we Jews better get used to not kvetching. Mention at this year's Seder: the Netziv stresses that G-d told the kvetching Moshe, "DON'T TELL ME HOW TO RUN MY REDEMPTION!, and adds that this message is for modern anti-Zionists, as well! (Shmot 4, 13 and Shivat Tzion, p. 17).
"But the State of Israel & the IDF are not 100% religious!" they kvetch (ignoring that neither were our fathers in Egypt, & most Jews and people in the western world aren't either…), but G-d teaches us patience, " This one shall say, "I am the Lord's," and this one shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and this one shall write [with] his hand, "To the Lord," and adopt the name Israel" (ibid).
Keeping proportions is particularly important for Jews in general, and especially in Israel today. One can understand the complaints about 3 AM sirens to shlep down 3 flights to the shelter with a child on each arm and a third on your shoulders on an average of once a night, but don't forget that just 2 weeks ago it used to be several times a night (and thank G-d we have shelters!). Feel PAIN but NOT DESPAIR when remnants of exploded Iranian missiles meet up with Israeli Iron Dome shells and rain debris breaking windshields and an occasional home, but would we rather not have worked decades to discover the Iron Dome, Arrow and David's Sling & have to deal with the missiles themselves?!

For decades the worst scenario imagined in Israel was a full-scale war with Iran, our largest, most sophisticated enemy with the most oil, Russian aid and nuclear plans. Well, that day is here, and we must profusely thank G-d and the IDF for pre-empting them with unprecedented intelligence, and professionalism to take out their entire leadership, anti-aircraft missiles and blow up their boats, planes and launchers pitifully uncontested. We must thank Hashem for an American leadership, aid and military support, and for their generous replenishing of our shells (which was one of the biggest kvetches in the war against Hamas, that BH we eliminated our enemies at will, but were running low on ammo)! Others kvetch that we have to kill so many enemies, but that surely isn't up to us.
Let's be honest and objective, just 2 generations from the Holocaust. We have no right to complain about our sons being called up for the 5th time to go and conquer Lebanon as far as we want (how many armies know that victory is BH guaranteed?!), and we must still thank G-d and the IDF for those victories & consistent motivation. But we DO have a right to kvetch that many Jews (in Israel and abroad) belittle and don't appreciate the years of research, and hundreds of days and nights of soldiers' service, and don't share the burden in the army. I think we can justifiably demand that they at least educate their children to participate in the next war, so that eventually we may ALL not have to run to shelters!
Our complaining shouldn't hide the glory of the G-d-sent victory, which COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY EASIER (except were more Jews willing to share the burden). Let's not forgot that we’re winning. Some people feel uncomfortable thanking G-d, and begrudgingly the IDF and the State of Israel whom He uses as His shlichim, for it may legitimize drafting yeshiva boys. Well maybe it does, but that doesn't mean not to give credit, praise & thanks where it is due! Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Vayikra