Opinion & Comment
To Call in Hashem's Name
by HaRav Yehoshua Shklar

The Alter of Kelm writes (Or Rashaz, parshas Toldos, 132) that it took him many weeks to understand the above pesukim correctly. Why did HaKodosh Boruch Hu rely only on what He swore to Yitzchok's father Avrohom? Why was Yitzchok's own zechus insufficient, and it was only "My servant Avrohom's sake" helped? The answer to this he found in the following explanation of the Sforno (v. 5):

"Hashem, in this instance and similarly later (26:24), when Hashem said `I will multiply your seed for My servant Avrohom's sake,' helped Yitzchok in the zechus of others. Neither Yaakov nor, surely, Avrohom needed to rely on others' zechuyos.

"This was before Yitzchok awakened himself to call in the name of Hashem, but after he called in the name of Hashem (`And he built an altar there and called upon the name of Hashem' -- v. 25) the Torah writes (v. 26-29) `then Avimelech went to him from Gerar . . . We indeed saw that Hashem was with you . . . you are now the blessed of Hashem.' After that Yitzchok did not encounter hardships from fanatics or suffer from quarrels as before.

"Yaakov, however, did not need to rely on the zechus of others at all, since from the time he was young he sat within the tents of study and taught others da'as. In particular he studied in the tents of Shem and Ever, where all those who truly loved Hashem came."

We ourselves would have been apprehensive even to suggest such an explanation. The Sforno was, however, a gaon who would write what seemed correct to him no matter how innovative it was. He understood clearly that all the quarrels of Avimelech's shepherds with Yitzchok, Yitzchok's being chased away, and Hashem's relying only on Avrohom's zechus and not on Yitzchok's zechus, were all because Yitzchok had not yet started calling in Hashem's name -- publicizing the existence of Elokim. Only afterwards did Avimelech come and say, "we indeed saw that Hashem was with you," after which Yitzchok did not suffer as before.

This is an amazing point! We are talking about Yitzchok Ovinu after Akeidas Yitzchok, when he was called an oloh temimah. Nonetheless, since Yitzchok did not yet publicize the "awareness of Elokus" he was harshly punished, and Hashem relied only on his father's zechus and not his own.

But does it really matter to someone that HaKodosh Boruch Hu relies on the zechus of others and not his own merit? Does it bother him? One would think that what is really important is that the yeshu'ah came.

When the King of Ashur threatened Yisroel, Chizkiyah was mortally sick. Yeshaya came to Chizkiyah and told him that he would soon die. Chizkiyah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Hashem, saying, "I beseech You, Hashem, remember now how I have walked before You in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in Your sight" (1 Melochim 20:3, see also Yeshaya 38:2-3). HaKodosh Boruch Hu, however, did not answer Chizkiyah's prayers in his own zechus but in the zechus of others: "I will add to your days fifteen years, and I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Ashur, and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David's sake" (1 Melochim 20:6 and Yeshaya 38:5). "This is according to what R' Yehoshua ben Lokish said: The posuk `Behold for in peace I had great bitterness' (Yeshaya 38:16) means that even when HaKodosh Boruch Hu had sent peace it was bitter for him" (Brochos 10b). Such a yeshu'ah, although truly needed, is felt as being something bitter.

"We are talking," adds the Alter of Kelm, "about Yitzchok, who was one of the Ovos -- `Remember for us the bris Ovos and the akeidah of Yitzchok.' Perhaps Yitzchok thought that there was no need to call in Hashem's name, to proclaim His Elokus, since Avrohom, his father, had already done so. Nonetheless, despite Yitzchok being an oloh temimah the Torah writes as if he did not have his own zechus, and it was `bitter' for him as is written concerning Chizkiyah."

It is astounding how much reward there is for helping others reach yiras Shomayim. Although Avrohom, Yitzchok's father, had already been active in that area, there is great reward for bringing about every additional amount of yiras Shomayim.

According to the Sforno, Yaakov's "teaching others da'as" is what caused Hashem to rely on his own zechus and not on that of others. The significance of teaching da'as, and its tremendous zechus, is further seen from what the Or HaChaim writes at the beginning of Vayikro.

"If a man of you bring a korbon to Hashem, from the cattle shall you bring your korbon, from the herd, and from the flock" (Vayikro 1:2). The Or HaChaim explains that "a man" alludes to someone of importance. He is a prominent person since he is bringing someone closer to Hashem (yakriv, bringing a korbon, literally means bringing closer) -- someone who is mikem (literally of you, but here "of you" means "part of you," the lesser part), the lowly among you, one who has sinned to Hashem and distanced himself from Him. HaKodosh Boruch Hu considers doing this as bringing a korbon to Hashem "since he is bringing His sacred scion back to his source." Such a person does not need to bring a korbon neder or nedovoh. He will in reality not need even to bring a chattos or oshom, as Chazal z'l tell us: `Anyone who causes the public to have zechus does not sin' (Yoma 87a), and if he has not sinned even beshogeig he does not need to bring a korbon."

Zikui horabim, augmenting the masses' Torah observance, is not only a notable mitzvah, it is like bringing a korbon to Hashem, by causing a Jewish neshomoh to come closer to Hashem. It is as if one has, even today that the Beis Hamikdash is destroyed, offered a korbon. Such a Jew is rewarded with such Divine Assistance that he does not even have the possibility to sin.

"Even if HaKodosh Boruch Hu has decreed a gezeira against someone, if he teaches Torah to the son of an am ho'oretz Hashem annuls it, as is written (Yirmiyohu 15:19), `If you bring out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth' (Bovo Metzia 85a)." The Maharsha explains that this boy would normally not become proficient in Torah, since he is the son of an ignoramus. The general rule is that a person gives birth to someone similar to himself, and therefore that boy lacks the natural disposition to study Torah. A person who, nonetheless, studies with this boy is revoking that boy's nature and elevating him to the level of a baal Torah. The teacher is zoche that HaKodosh Boruch Hu will give him "measure for measure": He will annul the gezeira against him, as is written, "If you bring out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth' -- meaning that you will have the strength to cancel the gezeira through what you have done."

Those mezakei horabim who bring those nearer to Hashem who would otherwise be distant from Him, those who are not inherently expected to become bnei Torah, are zoche to a unique zechus of being able to nullify a gezeira of Hashem!

It is impossible not to mention another point that we learn from a passage of the gemora in that same daf. "Rav Yosef fasted for forty days (so that the Torah would not cease from his children -- Rashi) and it was said about him, `My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth' (Yeshaya 59:21). He fasted another forty days and it was said about him, `. . . [they] shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed.' Rav Yosef fasted another hundred days and it was said about him `. . . [they] shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of the seed of your seed.' [Rav Yosef] said that it was not necessary [to fast] any more, since from that point on the Torah will always return to its lodging."

What is the significance of fasting for forty days? The Maharsha explains that when bnei Yisroel received the Torah, Moshe Rabbenu remained on Mount Sinai for forty days and neither ate nor drank there. Rav Yosef therefore fasted for forty days, similar to what Moshe Rabbenu had done, to gain the zechus for Torah.

When a person's son continues to study Torah, it is like a new kabolas HaTorah on Mount Sinai for his father. Just as Moshe Rabbenu fasted for forty days to be zoche to kabolas HaTorah on Mt. Sinai, so did Rav Yosef. We see to what degree a father must devote himself to the success of his children and descendants in Torah.

"R' Yeivo said that anyone who teaches his grandson Torah is as if he had received the Torah on Mt. Sinai, as is written, `But teach them to your sons and your sons's sons' (Devorim 4:9), and right afterwards is written, `The day that you stood before Hashem your Elokim on Chorev' (Kiddushin 30a)." Studying Torah with a grandson is a new kabolas HaTorah for his offspring.

We are not living in the generation of R' Yosef. People could then fast for forty consecutive days, another forty days, and then an additional hundred days. This does, however, teach us how much we must cry out to Hashem, pray, and beseech Him that our descendants should succeed in Torah and attain yiras Shomayim. It is told about a godol beTorah zt'l who once asked the Brisker Rav zt'l how he was zoche to have children who were gedolei Torah. He answered that for each of his sons he poured out a spring of tears and tefillos and through this he was zoche to such children from HaKodosh Boruch Hu.

One of the most important ways to insure a boy's being engrossed in his Torah study and studying diligently is to imbue him with a feeling of pleasure and joy in his study. This can be done by accustoming him to occasionally tell some chidush that the boy exceptionally likes and encouraging him to do so frequently. His son's study will then be full of simcha -- "The statutes of Hashem are upright, rejoicing the heart" (Tehillim 19:9). This feeling will inspire him to continue studying with ever more enthusiasm.

The Vilna Gaon (Even Sheleimah 60:6) writes that a person is given a "spirit from Above" in everything he does. This spirit cannot rest until that person does similar things, and in that way this spirit gains satisfaction from both mitzvos and aveiros. This is the explanation of what Chazal (Ovos 4:2) write: "A mitzvah pulls with it another mitzvah and an aveira pulls with in another aveira." According to the size of the mitzvah or aveira the power of attraction to it grows.

The Gaon adds that if the spirit from Above enjoys the mitzvah or aveira that one does, if it derives satisfaction from it, then it will not stop until that man does another mitzvah or aveira, as the case may be. Studying Torah -- the greatest mitzvah -- attracts the spirit of kedusha more than any other mitzvah, since it is a true enjoyment and will surely provide greater enjoyment than what any spirit of tumah can provide. "If he wants to toil over the Torah he will feel sweetness, and through this will achieve love of the Torah."

We see from the Gaon the tremendous power a person can create for himself -- for the spirit within him. Through the pleasure he has when studying Torah a person creates a "spiritual enjoyment," which is the greatest and the truest enjoyment that exists. The spirit feels real satisfaction and is endlessly attracted to it. The spirit thus demands more spiritual enjoyment.

The Haflo'oh explains in its Introduction that, "they will all be satisfied and delighted with Your goodness" (Shemoneh Esrei of Shacharis for Shabbos) means that by being more satisfied with studying Torah, one derives more "delight from Your goodness" -- from the Torah.

Enjoying eating is just the opposite. After a person is satisfied he cannot eat more. But when the spirit enjoys the Torah a person studies, it demands more satisfaction from Torah, "and according to the size of the mitzvah . . . the power of attraction to it grows."

When either the father, the rosh yeshiva, or the melamed, imbues his son or his talmid with spiritual enjoyment, the spirit will awaken within that talmid a genuine spiritual enjoyment to which he will be endlessly attracted.