Bechukotai, Just Bechukotai

This week’s parshah, at first glance seems depressing. Upon more careful study it becomes clear that Parshat Bechukotai - even its tochachah - is filled with hope. The presentations of the tochachah in the Torah (Vayikrah (26:14 - 24 and Devarim 28: 15 - 68) generally follow the same formula. First, G-d tells us of the positive way that things will play out when we follow His ways. After that we’re told of the consequences of growing distant from G-d.

One major difference between the two presentations of rebuke concerns the lines of consolation which follow Parshat Bechukotai’s description of the punishment for straying from G-d . The nechamah consists of Hashem saying that he will remember Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. This endnote is absent from the tochachah in Parshat Ki Tavo. What is the meaning of these words of comfort? Under what circumstance does relief ensue in the wake of the fulfillment of the tochachah? In order to understand the consolation which may or may not follow the aftermath of not heeding the tochachah we need to delve into the concept of zechut avot, and to deal with the following issues.

Daily we pray to G-d in the merit of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. What right do we have to ask for things in their merit? The name Pirkei Avot means Chapters of the Fathers. Why is it called the words of the fathers and not the words of the rabbis? Why is each chapter introduced by a mishnah stating that “All of Israel has a share in the World to Come?”

Rav Nisson Alpert (1927-1986) explained that the conciliatory note on which this tochachah ends is hinged upon the Jewish People’s maintenance of an attachment to the values of the avot. If G-d sees that we have not severed our ties to the qualities of chesed, gevurah/avodah, and Torah - there is hope. In praying daily bizechut avot we invoke G-d's mercy based on the fact that the attributes of our forefathers live inside us, rather than simply based on the historical merit of their deeds.

Pirkei Avot is deliberately named because statements that we read in this book are not remote words of distant Sages. These are words of fathers that are heeded by their children. We must recognize and nurture this relationship if there is to be hope. This notion of connection is reinforced by the mishnah read before each chapter of Avot which assures our share in Olam Habah - the world in which all souls are linked. This idea comes up again in Avot 2:2 where we're told that the zechut of the community’ s predecessors helps the community's leaders and members.

A little boy was flying a kite. The wind was strong so it was a good day for it. He continuously released string, as the kite soared to the sky. An old man passed and asked what the kid was doing. The boy said he was flying a kite. The man pointed out that there was no kite in sight, only a taught string leading to the clouds. The boy insisted that his kite was at the end of the line. The man demanded: "How do you know the kite is there?" The boy replied, "I feel its tug."

We have the tug of our ancestors inside us. It would be wise to heed the spirit of the avot inside us. We must foster chesed, gevurah/avodah, and Torah in ourselves and our community. As long as we feel the tug, there is hope.

It takes effort to cultivate the good inside ourselves. In life we become what we make ourselves, not what we simply wish to be. And there is always competition for our attention. During this time of the Omer in particular we work on our midot and think seriously consider our choices. The cultivation of our connection to the Torah values of our parents, grandparents, and beyond is in our hands.

One evening a Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a battle going on inside him; "My son, it is between 2 wolves. One is evil: Anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson thought about it and asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee replied, "The one I feed."

May we be blessed to nurture the good inside ourselves and to merit great spiritual success.