Did anyone get awakened last night? There was a storm. Maybe not as bad as the ones that have pounded Hawaii. Or Puerto Rico last year. Storms seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity.
Every time there is a major storm, not like last night’s thunderstorm, there is some preacher who says that it is G-d’s punishment for something or other. We’ve talked about that before.
Our haftarah addresses this directly this morning. 10 short verses packed with so much.
“For a while I forsook you, but I will take you back in great love. In vast love.”
What does that mean? What does that reference?
It is a great promise. That G-d in fact loves us. Something we Jews don’t talk enough about. G-d loves us unconditionally. No matter what we’ve done. And the example that is referenced in this Haftarah, is that even though the Israelites are in exile, G-d will take them back in love.
There are several words for love in Hebrew. This is not ahavah or rachamim although that word is mentioned as well in this portion. This is chesed, a very difficult word to translate that often is lovingkindness.
With great kindness…chesed olam. Everlasting kindness.
My colleague and friend, Rabbi Menachem Creditor wrote a song precisely about this for his daughter, right after 9/11, when it seemed like it did to the Israelites, that the world was falling about.
“Olam Chesed Yibaneh…yai dai dai dai. I will build this world from love. You will build this world from love. And if we build this world with love, then G-d will build this world from love.” He bases the text on Psalm 89:3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHp-jcPlKIY
It is an if-then statement. If you do this—build the world with love, then I, G-d, will build the world with love. This is an important message. It is part of the covenant. It becomes the theme song of the year, where we will be talking about covenant and what it means to live in a covenanted relationship.
And G-d, in Isaiah’s voice reminds us of that:
“For this is to Me, like the waters of Noah. As I swore that the waters of Noah would never again flood the earth, so I swear to you that I will not be angry or rebuke you.” (Isaiah 54:9)
Periodically, it seems that G-d needs to be reminded what G-d himself promised. Never to destroy the world again.
How, then, do we remind G-d? Is it presumptuous? It seems to be necessary.
You might think that the G-d who is all knowing doesn’t need to be reminded. However, it seems to be necessary. It seems to be part of the mutuality, the partnership that exists between G-d and each one of us. If you do X—in this case love Me, then I will do Y—love you and not destroy the world.
As much as we need G-d’s unconditional love, G-d needs ours.
And then G-d reminds us that there is a covenant in place. A partnership. This is really interesting language.
“Nor the mountains may move and the hills be shaken. But my loyalty shall never move from you. Nor my covenant of friendship be shaken, says the Lord, who takes you back in love.” (Isaiah 54:10)
How comforting on this seventh Shabbat of consolation. How reassuring. How wonderful. Even if there is a storm or an earthquake, G-d will love us.
G-d will offer us a brit shlomi, My covenant of friendship as the new JPS has it. I might have translated it as a covenant of My peace. How does friendship give us peace, since shalom can be translated as we know as hello, goodbye, peace, wholeness, completeness, fullness?
It seems to be that when we have friends, when we are not isolated, we feel less alone—that feeling of partnership, of community, of belonging, of being together is what, in fact brings us peace.
The text give us one other clue toward optimism. It begs us to enlarge our tent, to not stint. When Bar Mitzvah students have had this portion and we have looked at it together, they are confused by that word. What does stint mean. To not spare anything. To not hold back. My best example of not stinting is the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. It is large, palatial, beautiful and beautifully planted. It is so pleasant to sit on its wide veranda and rock away sipping iced tea or lemonade (or even something stronger). The service is impeccable—and so welcoming. They don’t hold anything back.
This is what G-d demands of us then—to love G-d fully, with a vast love, and G-d will love us. And the implication for us at CKI is bold. Don’t hold back love. Welcome everyone. Expand your tent. Build this world with love and G-d will honor His covenant—partner with us and build this world with love.