Toldos - Praying for Redemption, Big and Small

The inevitable Jewish experience of antisemitism, the longest hatred, has returned with a vengeance, expressing itself in the multi-front war against Israel, in innumerable political and legal forums, and in frightening acts of hate everywhere from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam to America’s streets. The images of the heroic and beautiful soldiers of Tzahal killed in recent battles, along with the recently confirmed shocking murder of UAE Chabad shaliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan, are deeply painful reminders of the ongoing price we pay for this plague. We hope and pray that their families somehow find strength and comfort.

“For it was not only one who intended to destroy us, but rather in each and every generation they attempt to destroy us and the Holy One, Baruch Hu, saves us from their hands.” The continuity of this plague has its roots in the Torah readings of these weeks, where Yishmael’s claim to our land combines with Eisav’s opposition to our very existence to deny us peace, while we pray at every opportunity, in every Amidah and when we bentsch after our meals, for the ultimate “happy ending” of complete redemption. That final stage is symbolized in this week’s Parsha by Yaakov’s grand entrance into the world while gripping Eisav’s heel, indicating that while Eisav will initially be the one to dominate the world, Yaakov’s descendants will eventually prevail, fulfilling our mission to uplift mankind with the knowledge and way of God and delivering peace to the world and appreciation to our people.

Yet, even as we eagerly await the ultimate redemption, we must deploy our prayers in the here and now in the face of our daily challenges, as praying for redemption is not limited to pleas for the complete geulah, for the times of Mashiach. As we learn in the parsha, for Yaakov and his descendants the voice raised in prayer – the kol Yaakov – is our counterpart to the hands and material efforts of others, the yedei Eisav, such that anything we work to achieve must also be pursued with meaningful prayer. Our work to combat the antisemitism that is endemic to our non-redeemed world includes everything from the IDF’s heroics to political lobbying to security cameras, training volunteers, and hiring guards, but does not start or stop there. We need to daven, to seek God’s help.

And we do. Three times each day we ask Hashem to take note of our suffering and join us in our struggles. Re’eh na b’anyainu v’riva riveinu. And while in this blessing we ask the Redeemer of Israel to speedily redeem us, this is not a request for geulah writ large, for the ultimate and complete redemption, but – as Rashi (Megillah 17b) taught - it is a plea for little bits and rays of geulah, for protection and relief from the daily afflictions and struggles endemic to our unredeemed world. 

Typically, it is the requests for health and wealth – refa’einu and bareich aleinu – found in the daily Amidah that command much of our attention, consistent with our investment of effort in these two areas of life here and now. We would do well to similarly elevate the attention we focus on the preceding blessing, re’eh na b’anyainu.

Study it. Dwell on it. Share with God our angst and our struggles. Pray for those bits and rays of redemption from the ongoing cuts and bruises of our galut. And never stop praying for the ultimate geulah.