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TORAT MIZRACHI
T ORA T MIZRA CHI
Rabbi Doron Perez
R
abbi Doron P
erez
e Covenant
e Extraordinary Relationship Between a People and a Land
s there another people on earth who one is the ה ָ לי ִ מ תי ִ ר ְּ ב, the Covenant of As Rabbi Sacks zt”l defines it:
has a deeper relationship with and Circumcision, where G-d commits
Istronger claim to a tract of land, himself to a number of things: to make “Covenant occurs when two individ-
than the Jewish people’s claim to the Abram’s progeny into a great people, to uals or groups, differing perhaps in
Land of Israel? This relationship is a change his name to Avraham, meaning power, but each acknowledging the
deeply spiritual one and expresses itself a father of many nations, and then two integrity and sovereignty of the other,
in four convincing claims – religious, everlasting pledges – to be a G-d to him pledge themselves in mutual loyalty
historical, moral and legal. and his people and to grant them the to achieve together what neither can
Land as an eternal inheritance. achieve alone... A covenant is not a
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All are rooted in a powerful paradigm, contract. It differs in three respects.
in one of the most transformational To understand the meaning of this con- It is not limited to specific conditions
and revolutionary concepts in all of nection, we need to understand what and circumstances. It is open-ended
religious history – תי ִ ר ְּ ב, covenant. a covenant is. Let us first distinguish and long-lasting. And it is not based
between two similar yet very different on the idea of two individuals, other-
Covenant types of agreements, a covenant and a wise unconnected, pursuing personal
contract.
From a spiritual point of view, the rela- advantage. It is about the ‘we’ that gives
tionship between the Jewish people and Contract or Covenant identity to the ‘I’. There is a place for
the Land is unique in that it is presented contracts, but covenants are prior and
in the form of a Divine Covenant. It is A contract is when both sides enter into more fundamental. They form the
quite remarkable that G-d initiates and an agreement because it is mutually matrix of mutuality within which con-
enters into covenants with his creations. beneficial. When the agendas align to tractual relationships can exist. 3
the extent that the agreement can serve
The first such covenant G-d makes both parties, a contract is signed. The Religious Claim
with humanity is after the flood – a
Divine commitment never to destroy A covenant goes much deeper. It is not It is this type of relationship which G-d
the world again. Then with Avraham based on interests but on shared values. created between the Jewish people and
Avinu, He makes two covenants, both It is not built on what each party can get the Land. A covenant not dependent on
about granting the Land of Israel to but on what each party ought to give. any conditions or circumstances. A cov-
his (and His) children. The first one is It is not based on personal gain but on enant unlimited by time and one which
known as םי ִ ר ָ ת ְּ ב ַ ה ןי ֵּ ב תי ִ ר ְּ ב, the Covenant a greater good, where the goal is best is built on a fundamental relationship
of the Pieces, which is exclusively about served by the sum total of the parties rooted in the spiritual mission and
this: “On that day, G-d made a covenant entering into the agreement. destiny of the world and of the Jewish
with Abram saying, to your descendants A contract is about Me and You, a cov- people in particular. It is for this reason
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have I given this Land…” The second enant is about Us and We. our Sages have framed the relationship
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