וְאֵ֛לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֥ת "This is the story" of the generations' stretcher journey.
Parasha and its realization - Parshat Toldot and the 'Iron Swords' war 5784
Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald
Dedicated to the IDF soldiers' success, to safeguard them lest any harm come to them, to my son's speedy recovery - Mordechai Abraham ben Malka (may he live long), to the healing of all the wounded and the return of the abducted.
Since the outbreak of the 'Iron Swords' war, we have had the opportunity to meet and talk in the 'gathering areas' at the borders of Gaza, and in the training areas throughout the southern region, with thousands of soldiers and commanders, from various units, regular and reserve. Among them were those who had already participated in combat and those who had not.
Since the 1982 Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee, we have been privileged to participate in Israel's wars as IDF commanders, but we have always been in a certain region. For the first time, we had the opportunity to get a broad, diverse picture that represents the general cross-section of the fighting IDF soldiers.
The common denominator that we saw amongst most of them, is an absolute belief in the justice of the war, a strong determination to be partners in the fighting and to take responsibility for the fate of the nation and the country, with full awareness of the risks involved. Many of them could get away without being enlisted, for various reasons, and there were quite a few volunteers who fought the system to be recruited. They were not ready to bear the thought that they would stay at home while others were fighting to protect them, their families, the country and the nation.
Since the nation of Israel stepped onto the stage of history, it has been on a continuous journey towards the future, its own and the world's. The Patriarchs paved the way and charted the direction. Since then each generation contributes its part, and advances it as much as it can. But this is not an ordinary journey. This is a 'stretcher journey' in which part of the nation takes responsibility for its destiny and path 'carrying' the heavy stretcher on its shoulders, and the rest are 'carried' on that same stretcher. It is an arduous journey that takes place in a terrain full of bumps, ups and downs, and there is no 'burden sharing'. In every generation, Israel's enemies stand on the sides of the 'stretcher journey', עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלוֹתֵינוּ. "In every generation there have been those who have risen up against us to annihilate us…", and try to harm the stretcher carriers and those being carried on it, and divert them from their course. They use cultural and spiritual means, violent and warlike means. Naturally the 'bearers' of the stretcher are more vulnerable.
In the 'generations' journey', this is how the stretcher is passed - from one generation to the next. Each one taking responsibility in turn.
It is difficult to explain what motivates each of them to choose to be one of the 'carriers' of the stretcher, who seek to bear the spiritual and security responsibilities, without looking to stay away and find themselves on the stretcher. It is noticeable that they insist on being part of the 'carriers' and not of the 'carried'. If we put them on the stretcher they will rebel and find a way to get under the stretcher. Is this the result of the education they receive or is there a special DNA profile, which prepares some to be 'carriers', and a DNA of those that find themselves being 'carried'? Many times they don't even ask for recognition or appreciation, they feel that this is what they were meant to do.
In those assembly and training areas, I met thousands of the 'stretcher carriers' of our generation, despite the risks, and they deserve appreciation and recognition.
Parashat Toldot opens with the 'history' of the Patriarchs:
וְאֵ֛לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֥ת יִצְחָ֖ק בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֑ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־יִצְחָֽק׃
"These are the generations of Yitzhak, son of Abraham. Abraham begot Yitzhak". (Bereshit 25:19)
Later, the birth of Ya'acov is also mentioned:
וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַעֲקֹ֑ב
"Then his brother emerged, holding on to the heel of Eisav; so they named him Ya'acov". (ibid 26)
The emphasis on the 'history' between the patriarchs shows that there is continuity, consecutiveness, and partnership between them:
אברהם הוליד את יצחק. כלו' יצחק תולדתו וזרעו וממלא מקומו...
"Abraham begot Yitzhak - that is - Yitzhak is his beget and his offspring and substitute." (Bechor Shor Bereshit 25:19)
The similarity between them was in their shared ways and also Yitzhak's features resembled those of his father externally:
ואמר 'אברהם הוליד את יצחק', ולא אמר יעקב ועשו. להורות כי תולדותיו לא היו אלא היות בן אברהם, צדיק כאביו והולך בדרכי ה'. בענין שהיה ניכר במעשיו שהיה בן אברהם וכל הרואה אותו אומר בודאי אברהם הוליד את יצחק, כי הוא דומה לאביו במעשיו. ולזה רמזו ז"ל באמרם (תנחומא תולדות א) 'אברהם הוליד את יצחק, שהיה זיו איקונין שלו דומה לאביו, בענין שכל העולם יאמרו אברהם הוליד את יצחק'. וכ"ז להורות על מעשיו שהיו מתוקנים כמו שהיו דרכי אביו, וכמו שהיה דומה במעשיו כך היה דומה בצורתו"
"And he said, 'Abraham begot Yitzhak', and he did not say Ya'acov and Eisav. To teach that his history was the sole fact of being Abraham's son, righteous like his father and following Hashem's ways. Regarding the fact that it was evident in his actions that he was Abraham's son and everyone who saw him said that he was for sure his offspring, because he resembled his father in his actions. And this was alluded to when they said (Tanhuma Toldot 1) 'Abraham begot Yitzhak, as he was so like his father, the spitting image of his father. Because everyone who looked at him would say 'Abraham begot Yitzhak' since their countenances were so much alike." (Tzror HaMor)
Since our Patriarchs, we continue the 'generations' stretcher journey'. In the month of Kislev, we celebrate the Hasmonean generation's part in carrying on the generation's journey.
שאלמלא הם לֹא נִשְׁתַּכְּחָה תּוֹרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל
"Were it not for them the Torah would have been forgotten from the Jewish people" (Ramban Bereshit 45).
Blessed are those who have merited to be among the 'carriers' of the generations' stretcher.
In prayer for our success and safeguarding lest any harm come to us.