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Bang the Rabbi, "Shabbangitout Shalom" Series, Presents:

Parshat Vaera:
Unlikely Savior or Brady Bunch Father?

by intergalactic talmudic dancer, Avi Korn

Va'era is the great turning point for the Jews from slavery to salvation: Hashem recognized the Jewish suffering, and recounts the covenant struck with the Forefathers. Which leads to the big question: What does Leon Uris have to do with Yitzchak Avinu? Answer: They both are responsible for the Exodus. The Ba’al HaTurim explains that the gematriah (numerical value) of the word “Va’era” is equal to “Yitzchak”, evidencing that the Jews were rescued from Egypt due to the merits of Yitzchak. This may seem to be an obscure linkage at first glance, but in fact there are many deep connections between Yitzchak and the Exodus.

The redemption from Egypt, as described in the Bris Bayn HaBsarim, was calculated 400 years from the birth of Yitzchak. Gemara Rosh Hashana (11a) notes that Bnai Yisrael left Egypt exactly on the day of Yitzchak’s birth, Pesach. Yitzchak was also the only of the Forefathers not to enter Egypt because of famine. Hashem expressly told Yitzchak not to go down to Egypt.

Also, the Medrash states that Yitzchak’s actual name was “Yitschak” (with a ‘Shin’, not a ‘Tzade’) as seen in Tehillim and Jeremiah where his name is spelled with a ‘Shin’. The medrash says that Yitzchak Avinu agreed to have his name spelled with a ‘Tzade’, to reduce the gematriah of his name by 210 (from a ‘Shin’=300, to a ‘Tzade’=90, 300-90=210) so that Hashem would reduce Bnai Yisrael’s sentence of exile to 210 years.

So, if indeed Yitzchak and the Exodus go together like bubby and vaseline, why is Yitzchak the meritous one? Avraham symbolizes Chesed, Yaakov symbolizes Emes. Yitzchak is the symbol of ‘Din’ (judgement). The Bnai Yisrael were on an extremely low level and were not deserving of leaving Egypt on their own merits. 'Din’ seems to be the quality least desirable to exhibit on their behalf, leaving us with the same question: Why Yitzchak?

The Maharal provides a possible answer. Yitzchak’s inherrent trait of ‘Din’ is indeed effective to redeem Bnai Yisrael from suffering because Yitzchak represents “Omek Din”, deep, or rather true and pure judgment. True judgment looks deep into the matter leaving no stone unturned, inevitably finding reason to acquit the accused party. Omek Din is the form of judgment used by the Bais Din. As Gemaras Maccos states, a Bais Din that gives a death proclamation once every seventy years is considered a murderous court. It was based upon this trait of 'Din' that Bnai Yisrael were acquitted.

But a medrash based on a Posuk in Yeshayahu yields an even more interesting answer. The commentaries explain that neither Avraham nor Yaakov prayed for mercy when learning of the Jewish exiles (Avraham in the Bris bain HaBsarim, and Yaakov when dreaming of the ladder). We see that both Avraham and Yaakov lived their lives according to Din and expected the same should be the case for their children. But what about Yitzchak?

Gemaras Shabbos (89b) brings a parable related to the above posuk. When the time comes for Bnai Yisrael to be rescued from their sins, Hashem will go to both Avraham and Yaakov who will reply to punish Bnai Yisrael for the honor of Hashem. Hashem will then look to Yitzchak, who will beg for mercy on behalf of Bnai Yisrael, successfully sparing them from punishment. So, why does Yitzchak beg for mercy, doesn’t he represent ‘Din’? The answer as explained by the Ain Yaakov is that Yitzchak lived his own life according to ‘Din’, but showed mercy to his children at the same time.

Both Avraham and Yaakov used ‘Din’ when dealing with their children as well as themselves. Avraham sent away his son Yishmael with his mother Hagar, and Yaakov denied a portion in Israel to both Shimon and Levi for destroying Shechem. Only Yitzchak, even after learning that Esav was in fact a ‘Rusha’, had mercy on his son, and blessed him as well.

Yitzchak possessed an important trait from which we can all learn. The importance of being the best one can be should not be confused with requiring others to conform to those same personal standards. Holding oneself to a high level includes the objectiveness to understand the separate positions of others as well. Yitzchak understood the importance to use 'Din' for himself and not become judgmental of others. It is with this trait that the Jews merited the Exodus (and, eventually, the 1958 novel by Leon Uris)

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