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Monday 29 Cheshvan 5787

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Our parasha tells about a famine in the time of Yitzchak, which was “in addition to the one that was in the days of Avraham” (Bereishit 26:1). There was also a famine in the time of Yaakov and Yosef, which was preceded by Paroh’s dreams about it and was detailed prominently in the Torah (Bereishit 41:54-57). The latter famine is connected to the grave responsibility Yehuda took over the life of Binyamin. “I will be his guarantor; you may request him from me” (ibid. 43:9). When it appeared that Binyamin was indeed in danger, Yehuda cried out: “How can I go back to my father without the youngster with me, lest I see the bad that will find my father?” (ibid. 44:34). Why are famines so prominent in Bereishit? Pesikta Zutrata (on Bereishit 26:1) says that the second famine came because Avraham died. It brings the pasuk (Yeshayahu 57:1) that bemoans the situation where a righteous person dies and people do not realize the tragedy or realize that he died because of evil in the world. The midrash reads the pasuk in a manner that the righteous one died before the problems came. In other words, while Avraham was alive, he protected the world from famine. What is difficult is why Yitzchak’s righteousness did not protect the world. We will present another midrash (Midrash Shmuel 28:2): “Why were the forefathers tempered with famine? So that their offspring would merit Torah.” The midrash goes on to bring p’sukim on the famines that Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov experienced. It concludes with the three-year famine at the time of David (Shmuel II, 21:1). This midrash contains two major novel ideas. One is that the famines had a positive impact, in relation to Torah. [This is a good time to point out that Avraham, Yaakov, and David stood up militarily to their enemies, so we should learn from them the virtue of “the book and the sword.”] It is also instructive that David, the founder of the first Jewish state, is considered like a forefather and is thus listed along with the other three. According to this approach, David’s desire, discussed in the gemara (Sanhedrin 107a), was largely fulfilled, as he asked why in our daily prayers we turn to the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov” and not to the “G-d of David.” We also point out that the only other name found in Shemoneh Esrei is David, who appears twice (“Et tzemach David…”; “… v’chisei David …”). The pasuk that introduces Shemoneh Esrei was also penned by David, in his psalm on his repentance (Tehillim 51:17). On the coattails of Chazal, we can say that famine is one of the means that Hashem uses to connect Hashem’s creations to Him. It can serve as the background for a test, as it did for Avraham, a sign that a righteous person has passed, as it did in the times of Yitzchak, and a test to the extent he could continue his father’s legacy. Famine was also a prod to display responsibility toward others, as in the time of Yaakov, or to accumulate merit, as the midrash presented. We conclude that we must act and pray that all the factions in Israel will be strengthened in showing responsibility for others in the nation. In this merit, may we be blessed with rain, strengthened Torah study, and other wonderful blessings.
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Rabbi Yossef Carmel

Head of "Eretz Hemda" Dayanut Kollel
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