Sicha, Shabbos Parshas Vayelech 5742
A. The Light Within the Darkness
The Torah foretells of a time when the Jewish people will abandon G-d and He will in turn abandon them: “I will abandon them and hide My face from them.” Rashi explains that “hide” means “as if I do not see their distress.” (Source 1)
The Rebbe asks: What does Rashi add here? The verse is understandable on its own. Furthermore, how does Rashi know this is only “as if” and not a complete concealment?
The Rebbe explains that when reading the verse a question arises: Now that G-d has abandoned the Jewish people, what does the end of the verse – that He will hide His face – mean? Isn’t He already gone? Rather, when a person leaves someone, they can still look on from a distance. Here, the verse is telling us that in addition to “abandoning,” G-d will also hide His face.
Why are the Jewish people deserving of such a harsh punishment?
G-d is following the “measure-for-measure” doctrine (Source 2). Being that the Jews abandoned G-d, He too will abandon them.
And on this, Rashi says that from the wording “and I will hide My face” rather than “I will cover My face”, we learn that the intention is not to completely cover His face in a way that He would not see them. On the contrary, He will continue to watch them from a distance, but He will do so in a hidden manner.
This provides us with great comfort. In difficult times for the Jewish people, when we are suffering and afflicted, it may seem as if G-d does not see our distress. However, the truth is that He is present and shares in our sorrow.
Since G-d’s withdrawal is in response to the Jewish people’s abandonment of Him, as soon as we repent, G-d will return to us.
B. The Jews’ Counterclaim
There is an ongoing debate between the Jewish people and G-d about who should make the first step in reconciliation. G-d says to the Jews, “return to Me,” and then “I will return to you.” The Jewish people counter,”return us to You, O G-d,” and then “we will return.” (Source 3)
Here, the debate focuses on who is responsible for the current situation. G-d accuses the Jews of abandoning Him, and therefore He had to leave them. However, the Rebbe presents the counterargument from the Jews to G-d: G-d is to “blame” because the distancing only occurred due to Him taking Moses away from them.
Moses was a unique and highly effective leader, both spiritually and physically. Thanks to him, Israel received manna from heaven to eat, a well of water to drink, and clouds of glory to preserve their clothes in the desert (Source 5). If Moses had continued to lead them, they argue, the distancing would not have occurred.
