We read an unusual verse in Isaiah that says;
Therefore thus saith HaShem, who redeemed Abraham, because of the house of Yaacov: Yaacov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale;( Isaiah 29:22)
Avraham was redeemed for the sake of Yaacov. What can that mean? Avraham who was called the friend of G-d needed the merits of Yaacov to be redeemed
We read the following in Divrei Hayamim/, Chronicles:
“Didst You not O our G-d, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Avraham Your friend for ever? ( 2 Chronicles 20:7)
In fact Isaiah says himself ” But thou, Israel, My servant, Yaacov whom I have chosen, the seed of Avraham My friend; (Isaiah 41:8) In this v erse it is clear that Yaacov was chosen because Avraham was the friend of Hashem ..not the other way around.
Furthermore what was Avraham redeemed from?
In Genesis we read “ Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim ( of the Chaldeans), to give you this land to inherit it.” Genesis 15:7
“What does the words Ur Kasdim mean ?” The world “Ur” actually means “fire.” Hence, the name of the city is best understood was “fire of Kasdim” which our sages believe refers to the fiery pit that Avraham was thrown into, but saved.
The Midrash Tanchuma related to Parshat Toldot explains “Rav Shmuel son of Yitzchak says Avrahamwas saved from the fiery of furnace. He was saved only on the merit of Yaacov. For the judgment came forth before Nimrod that Avraham be burned and it was known before HaShem that Yaacov was to be Avraham’s descendant and G-d declared it was important that Avraham be saved on the merit of Yaacov ( according to our tradition Nimrod threw Avraham into the furnace because he was afraid that his faith would deter his royal plans
We need to understand the meaning of this Midrash.
Are we to understand that without Yaacov, Avraham should have been burned?
Were all of Avraham’s deed, greatness and incredible faith and faithfulness all for naught?
What did Yaacov introduce into the world that could not have been realized through Avraham ?
Why did the creation of the Jewish people have to wait until Yaacov and did not start with Avraham?
The secret of the survivability of this people and their eternal destiny was fully revealed within the character of Yaacov… a process only begun with Avraham.
HaRav Kook writes the following in his book ” Midbar Shur”
There are two paths in worshiping HaShem. One is spontaneous revolutionary and radical.
Avraham that broke into pieces all that was his past. Avraham battled the kings in spontaneous response to an evil that was perpetrated .The man who accepted the command to do the Brit Mila and even went unto the ends of human ability when he undertook the task of the binding of Yitzchak .This was the way of Avraham.
The text ” Yifat Toar” explains that Avraham’s great faith and his faithfulness that led him in the past into the unknown would have led to Avraham desiring to sacrifice his own life in order to sanctify G-d’s name and to make the ultimate sacrifice and declaration of faith . This was Avraham’s way. The importance of Yaacov’s birth kept him away from that option.
Yaacov on the other hand was a simple man who dwelled in the tents .Yaacov as his name hints is the man who moves forward ( OKEV )step after careful step climbing the ladder of Yaacov ,rung after every rung.
According to the Mystics of Judaism the purpose of mankind and the goal of every soul is to reach higher and higher with deliberate effort and spiritual work. All this so that they would not have to be nourished by the NEHAMA KISUFA the bread of shame? This bread of shame is based on the shame
of :” receiving without giving” …. About receiving from the Divine source with no spiritual endeavors”
That is the deeper understanding of the verse
Therefore thus saith HaShem, who redeemed Abraham, because of the house of Yaacov: Yaacov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale;( Isaiah 29:22)
This is the secret of the Jewish people ensconced within Yaacov . The secret that ” The Eternal People Have No Fear of The Long Voyage”
The journey that Avraham began with his “Lech Lecha ( go forth) ” into the unknown, continued with Rivka the mother of Yaacov who told Eliezer, Avraham’s servant ” I will go” not knowing to where she was headed.
Yaacov forced to leave Israel wanders into the unknown and into his destiny.
Ruth the daughter of Moab who becomes Ruth the grandmother of King David when she declares to Naomi” wither you go I shall go”
The step by step journey into the unknown is the constant strength of Yaacov and of all his descendants.
Avraham was redeemed so that Yaacov would father the people of Israel Yaacov would be the one who would transmit and impart his character which was a blend of the passionate zeal of Avraham and the submissive obedience of Isaac, the great lovingkindness of Abraham( Hessed ) with the spiritual courage of Isaac (Gevurah).
This would be the truth of Yaacov (Emet) and the imprint on his people.
As the world sinks deeper into the unknown and into confusion our people and those that walk with us will continue to move forward and upward.