FOR THE TIMES Selter OF THE Fellow, RIETS Kollel

ACTUALIZING : MAN’S OBLIGATION OR GOD’S?

ny attentive member of a full of boys and girls playing in the broad these prophetic visions play in a Religious Zionist youth places thereof. halakhic life? Are eschatological group will immediately smile Zekharyah 8:4-5 merely descriptive in uponA seeing an elderly couple sit on a nature, telling us of hopeful times, Tanakh is saturated with prophecies park bench or children run that ostensibly foreshadow the where we may find comfort amidst SOMETIMES LAUGHTER REALLY around Gan Sacher. These seemingly Jewish People’s rise from the ashes terrible years of exile and persecution, insignificant occurrences in truth IS THE BEST MEDICINE. of the Holocaust, its return to the yet not demanding anything from carry with them an over 2,000 year Land of Israel, and its creation of a us in addition to a life committed promise: 1 to mitzvot? Moreover, perhaps When a child faces an uncomfortable or painful procedure, a smiling face or silly joke sovereign state. Any Religious Zionist that the State of Israel prophecies and their fulfillments כֹה recognizesאָמַר ה'צְבָ אֹות עֹד יֵשְ בּו זְקֵ נִים ּוזְקֵ נֹות can make all the difference. The Dream Doctor medical clowns at Shaare Zedek Medical 2 ”,does not exist in a vacuum; rather, it are ‘’the secrets of the Holy One בִרְ חֹבֹות יְרּושָ לִָם וְאִ יש מִשְ עַ ֹונְ תבְ יָדֹו מֵ רֹב apathetic to or even discouraging of plays a critical, metahistorical role in יָמִים. ּורְ חֹבֹות הָעִ יר יִמָ לְאּו יְלָדִ ים וִילָ דֹות Center in Jerusalem found that when they engage and distract patients, the children human involvement. Or, on the other the fulfillment of the Jewish People’sמְשַחֲקִים בִרְ חֹבֹתֶיהָ . .report feeling less pain hand, are prophecies proscriptive, Thus says the Lord of hosts: There shall destiny, expressed and outlined in the For more than a century, Shaare Zedek’s medical staff has been helping patients heal charging the Jewish People to yet old men and old women sit in the words of our ancient prophets. actively through advanced medical treatments and compassionate care – even those that the messianic vision and broad places of Jerusalem, every man pursue Aside from perhaps putting a smile bring about its fulfillment? Is a Jew include squeaky toys and red noses. with his staff in his hand for very age. on our faces, what function do obligated to actualize prophecy and And the broad places of the city shall be

I would like to thank Dr. Yosef Bronstein whose shiurim on “The Rav, the , and Rav Kook,” and more specifically on this topic, inspired me to write this article. His and his family’s Aliyah to Israel greatly inspired and continues to inspire many of his students who are passionate about doing the same. www.acsz.org | [email protected] | 212.764.8116

21 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5780 .Israel והמריעים לישראל, אילו לא רצה להרע להם take part in the realization of the הרשות בידו, שלא גזר על איש ידוע אלא Jewish People’s destiny, even in the Ramban5 rejects Rambam’s view and הודיעו שסוף זרעו עתיד להשתעבד בארץ לא absence of or in a perceived conflict offers his own: להם, וכבר אמרנו שאין כח באדם לידע היאך with halakhic obligations? This article והרב נתן טעם בספר המדע . . . ולא נתכנו ידע הקב"ה דברים העתידין להיות will explore the different approaches דבריו אצלי, שאפילו גזר שאחד מכל האומות to this question, specifically in relation In regard to the Egyptians, each and יריע להם בכך וכך, וקדם זה ועשה גזרתו של to fulfilling the vision ofBerit Bein every one of the Egyptians who caused הקב"ה זכה בדבר מצוה . . . HaBetarim, the dreams of Yosef, and hardship and difficulty for Israel had the eschatological prophecies of the choice to refrain from harming them, if The [Rambam] gave an answer in Sefer ultimate redemption. he so desired, for there was no decree on a Madda . . . but his words have not settled particular person. Rather, [God merely] with me, for even if God decreed that one I. Berit Bein HaBetarim: informed [] that, in the future, of the nations cause hardship for [Israel] Egypt’s Role in Fulfilling God’s his descendants would be enslaved in a through any means, and a certain Decree land which did not belong to them. nation arose and fulfilled that decree, that nation has merited performing a Rambam asserts that Pharaoh and the . If the descendants of Avraham were Egyptians had no place in determining destined to undergo persecution in a Had they not taken things too far, 3 how prophecy was to be manifest, foreign land for 400 years, how could especially when it entailed persecuting Egyptians could have performed Egypt have deserved punishment for another people. A human is not meant a mitzvah by running to enslave bringing this prophecy to fruition? In the Israelites before anyone else 4 to intervene with the secrets of the a discussion about free will, Rambam supernal worlds. Egypt should have did. Prophecy or Divine decrees asks this very question and answers: waited until God’s decree was fulfilled are analogous to the decrees of any through another nation enslaving human king—the ruler wants his המצריים, כל אחד ואחד מאותן המצירים

22 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5780 constituents to actively fulfill his moment, however, Yosef can continue this secondary goal. command and not tarry in bringing it neglecting his responsibility to contact 10 to fruition. Ramban, unlike Rambam, his father. III. Actualizing Eschatological understands there to be a value Rabbi Yitzchak Arama11 strongly Visions: The State of Israel or perhaps obligation in fulfilling objects to Ramban’s assumption that 6 by prophecy, even in face of sinning human action should be directed to This debate presented above has persecuting another nation7. Aligning fulfill divine prophecy: continued to pervade the discussion one’s destiny with God’s promises has about our relationship with the State of Israel today. When asked ותמהני ממה שכתב הרמב"ן ז"ל שעשה .real halakhic consequences whether prophecies or Kabbalistic כדי שיתקיימו חלומותיו כי מה תועלת לו בשיתקיימו ואף כי יהיה תועלת לא היה לו II. Yosef and his Dreams ideas that foretold of redemption’s secular, anti-religious beginnings לחטוא כנגד אביו. אבל היה לחשוך עצמו provided any legitimacy to the מחטוא לו והחלומות העושה יגש פתרונם גם Commentators struggle with Zionist project, Rabbi Yitzchak Ze’ev שתראה סכלות עצומה שישתדל האדם לקיים determining Yosef’s course of action Soloveitchik12 (the Brisker Rav) called חלומותיו שהרי הם הדברים אשר יעשו שלא as the viceroy of Egypt in relation to upon Berakhot 10a, which discusses מדעת הבעלים: his brothers. Accusing the brothers of espionage, not contacting his I am bewildered at Ramban’s King Chizkiyah’s sudden illness father for years, as well as Yosef’s explanation that Yosef did what he did and subsequent conversation with other erratic behavior motivate in order to make his dreams come true. Yeshayah: commentators to explain Yosef as What did this benefit him? And even if it ראֲמַ לֵיּה: מַ אי כּולֵי הַאי? אֲמַ ר לֵיּה:מִ ּׁשּום profited him, he should not have sinned דְלָא עָסְקַתְבְפִרְ יָה וְרִ בְ יָה. אֲמַ ר לֵיּה:מִ ּׁשּום slyly encouraging repentance, testing 8 against his father. As for the dreams, דַחֲ זַאי לִי בְרּוחַ הַ קֹדֶ ש דְ נָפְקִי מִ ינַאי בְ נִין דְ לָ א .his brothers, or even taking revenge 9 leave it to Him Who sends them to make מְ עַ לּו. ראֲמַ לֵיּה: בַהֲדֵ י כְבָשֵי דְרַחֲמָ נָא לְמַ ה Ramban, however, understands that Yosef had a different goal in mind: them come true. It seems infinitely foolish לְָך? מַאי דְמִפַקְדַתְאִ יבְעִילְָך לְמֶעֱבַ ד, ּומַ ה for a man to strive to fulfill his dreams דְ נִיחָא קַמֵיּה, קּודְשָ אבְרִ יְך הּוא לִעְבֵ יד. .which are matters beyond his control ולפי דעתי . . . כי בראות יוסף את אחיו Hezekiah said to him: For what משתחוים לו זכר כל החלומות אשר חלם ?transgression am I being punished להם וידע שלא נתקיים אחד מהם בפעם Isaiah said to him: Because you did הזאת . . . וכיון שלא ראה בנימן עמהם חשב .According to Rav not marry and engage in procreation זאת התחבולה שיעליל עליהם כדי שיביאו Kook, a Jew acts in Hezekiah said: I had no children because גם בנימין אחיו אליו לקיים החלום הראשון I envisaged through divine inspiration תחילה. It seems to me . . . when Yosef saw his tandem with God’s that the children that emerge from me brothers bowing to him, he remembered Hand rather than will not be virtuous!? Isaiah said to him: his dreams that he dreamt about them Why do you involve yourself with the and understood that at present one of passively wait for secrets of the Holy One, Blessed be He? them was not fulfilled (because not all the Redemption to That which you have been commanded, of the brothers had bowed down) . . . the mitzva of procreation, you are when he saw Binyamin was not with the come. required to perform, and that which is brothers, Yosef conjured up this plan to acceptable in the eyes of the Holy One, accuse the brothers so they would bring Blessed be He, let Him perform, as He Binyamin to him to fulfill his dream. Like Rambam above, Rabbi Arama has so decided. understands dreams and prophecy to Yosef actively pushes to fulfill his exist outside of the realm of human The Brisker Rav’s proof comes dreams, which he realizes have decision making. Furthermore, were from Chizkiyah’s original plan: foretold his ascent to power in Egypt. there even some value in actualizing by neglecting to fulfill the vision Only once all the brothers bow down prophecies, Yosef could not have of having kids and instead opting to him will Yosef be able to reveal his bypassed real halakhic obligations to avoid something halakhically identity and contact his father. For the such as honoring his father to achieve reprehensible (i.e. raising unvirtuous

23 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5780 children), Chizkiyah clearly fulfillment one must contribute to that they may become a part of it, to settle it displayed that prophecy cannot achieving full realization: with enterprises and buildings, to purchase property, to plant and sow, to do everything ועתה מי הוא העור שלא יראה בזה יד ד' overrule halakhically problematic actions. Similarly, prophecies necessary for the foundation of life of a stable .and organized settlement הנוהגת אותנו, ומי לא יחוש חובה לעצמו להיות פועל עם אל ועתידה בת קול להיות hinting at secular being According to Rav Kook, a Jew is מפוצצת בראשי ההרים ואומרת: כל מי שפעל the harbinger of Messianic times obligated to react to historical shifts עם אל יבא ויטול שכרו.16 מי יוכל להפטר do not sanction an individual to act on the world stage and recognize their מלסבב מצדו תוספת ברכה ומהירות ישועה, in support of secular Zionists who 18 significance for Jewish destiny. A Jew לעורר לבות רבות לשוב אל אדמת הקודש, clearly expressed their opposition to acts in tandem with God’s hand rather לנחלת ד', להאחז בה, לישבה בעסקים Torah values (something the Brisker Rav considered a formal halakhic than passively wait for the redemption ובבנינים, בקנית קרקעות, בנטיעות ובזריעה, 13 .to come ובכל דבר שהוא מקור חיי ישוב נכון ומסודר prohibition). Metahistorical values emerging from Tanakh and And now, who is so blind that he does not Even Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveichik— cannot compete with the technical see the Lord’s hand guiding us in this, and who articulated his own hesitancy laws laid out in the Shulkhan Arukh. does not feel obligated to work along with of an over-fervent Messianic God? A heavenly voice in the future will cry The consistent opinion of the Zionism19—expresses a similar Ramban14 reflects the attitude of aloud from the top of the mountains and say, ‘Whoever has wrought with G-d, let perspective on fulfilling prophecies: many Religious Zionist leaders at the him come and receive his reward.17’ Who Halakhic man discerns in every divine movement’s founding until today. For can exempt himself from doing his part in pledge man’s obligation to bring about example, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak bringing additional blessing and swifter its fulfillment, in every promise a specific Kook writes15 that upon witnessing salvation; from awakening many hearts to norm, in every eschatological vision an the beginnings of prophetic return to the Holy Land, to the Lord’s legacy, everlasting commandment.20

24 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5780 According to the Rav, one does not have the capabilities of reeling the addresses how Yosef neglected his father live halakhically if messianic visions redemption closer to the present day : ‘’How is it that Yosef, after living many do not translate to commands by and have those very same prophecies years in Egypt, having attained a high and influential position in the house of an which one lives his/her life. Active realized in the present. important Egyptian official, did not send his building and working the Land, as In our days, the ancient visions do father even one message to inform him (that well as perhaps playing or sitting in the he was alive) and comfort him? Egypt is only perhaps foreshadow our current streets of Jerusalem, fulfill obligations six days' travel from Chevron, and respect for situation; the history of Zionism and as they realize the visions of old. his father would have justified even a year's the modern State of Israel may very journey! ... [It would] have been a grave sin to well have the potential to fit into the torment his father by leaving him in mourning IV. Conclusion: But How do we prophetic narrative. Only we can and bereavement for himself and for Shimon; Know? even if he wanted to hurt his brothers a decide whether to actualize them. little, how could he not feel pity for his aged father?’’ (Ramban Bereishit 42:9) Ramban and Rav Kook have won out Endnotes in the Religious Zionist world against 11 Akedat Yitzchak Sha’ar 29:9. those who argue that metahistorical 1 See for example: Yeshayah 11:11-12, 12 Quoted in Shu’’t Teshuvot V’hanhagot sensitivity and the realization of Yechezkel 37, Michah 4:8 and Malbim there. 2:140. dreams are not essential in living a 2 See Berakhot 10a. 13 It is unclear how exactly the Brisker Rav proper halakhic life. Nonetheless, understands the end of the Gemara where 3 one glaring question remains: how Bereishit 15:13-14. Yeshayah clearly disapproves of Chizkiyah’s can anyone be audacious enough 4 : Hilkhot Teshuvah 6:5. tactics. to postulate that the visions of the 5 Bereishit ad loc. Interestingly, Ramban 14 Ramban remains consistent in yet another prophets specifically refer to our also disagrees with another assumption example of fulfilling prophecies. According to Ramban (Bereishit 49:10), the prophecy of generation and this State of Israel? Rambam makes. Rambam, as we saw above, understands the decree to be open for any lo yasur shevet M’Yehuda (Bereishit ad loc.), Can we really know with certainty? which confirms that the kingship is reserved 21 nation to fulfill. Ramban (Bereishit 12:10) The Gemara relates: asserts that the decree was destined to be for the tribe of Judah, halakhically binds all fulfilled through the Egyptians alone. of Israel to not ascend to the throne if they do not come from Judah. The Hasmoneans אמר רבי אלכסנדרי רבי יהושע בן לוי ,Meshekh Chokhmah (Bereishit 15:13) (2nd century B.C.E) , who were kohanim 6 רמי כתיב )ישעיהו ס:כב( ׳׳בעתה׳׳ וכתיב asserts that the by persecuting Israel, were ineligible to be kings and violated this ׳׳אחישנה׳׳ זכו אחישנה, לא זכו בעתה. Rabbi Alexandri said: Rabbi Yehoshua Egyptians formally violated the Noahide prophecy. This set up their ultimate downfall. command of setting up courts and a justice Ben Levi posed a contradiction: The I thank Efraim Wagner for pointing this out system (dinim). to me. verse (Isaiah 60:22) says God will bring 7 Ramban ad loc. also extends this ,(הקריאה הגדולה) ,the redemption in “its fixed time,” and 15 Kook, The Great Call principle to the actions of Sanheriv and 1907. then the verse states God will “hasten Nebuchadnezzar who were both called upon the redemption?” If Israel merits the by prophets to persecute Malkhut Yehudah. 16 Rav Kook is referencing Vayikra Rabbah redemption, God will “hasten it.” If they Both rulers were punished since they did not 27:2. do not merit it, God will bring it “in its act to fulfill the divine decrees but rather to 17 See previous footnote. glorify their names and kingdoms. I thank affixed time.” Rabbi Mayer Twersky for pointing this out to 18 See, for example, Orot HaMilhama where me. Rav Kook writes about World War I and its There is a fixed time in history that implications for ushering in the Messianic Era. redemption is destined to come; at 8 Radak Bereishit 42:1, Seforno 44:2, Keli 19 that point, the visions of old will be Yekar 42:7 for different explanations. See Community, Commitment, and Conversation, 163-164, for an articulation realized. Nevertheless, R. Yehoshua 9 Ramban Bereishit 42:9. See also Aderet of the Rav’s stance towards the religious Ben Levi tells us that prophecy and Eliyahu of the Gra and Netziv ad loc. who say significance of the State of Israel. See alsoKol redemption are flexible, and each can similarly to Ramban. Netziv writes that Yosef Dodi Dofek (also known as Fate and Destiny). fit into different periods of history; only had to fulfill the prophecy because he was the prophet. A prophet cannot “give up” 20 Halakhic Man, 100. while eschatological visions will on his prophecies (See Sanhedrin 21 Sanhedrin 98a. describe a redemption fixed for, say, 11:5). the year 6000, the Jewish People 10 For Ramban, this answer directly

25 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5780