In this week’s reading, the first verse says that because we listen to the Torah and follow it, “Hashem your G-d will guard the Covenant and the kindness which He swore to your fathers” [7:12]. And in the next verse, it speaks of the blessings which Hashem will give us “on the land which He swore to your fathers to give to you” [7:13].
What is the purpose of this repetition? It is clear that Hashem guaranteed our forefathers to give us the Land of Israel, that that is part of the Covenant. So why repeat that Hashem “swore to your fathers” when describing the blessing on the land?
Hashem is reminding us that we are connected to holy forebears, and it is because of them that Hashem made these promises that He keeps with us. We must consider how holy they were, how connected they were to Hashem, and what they did to deserve such promises. And we should try to emulate their holiness, their connection, and their deeds, to be worthy of receiving the blessing that Hashem promised their descendants would receive.
There is a well-known story of two elderly gentlemen sitting next to each other on an international flight. One was a rabbi, and the other was a professor, and they engaged in a long conversation. The rabbi, however, was frequently interrupted by a grandchild coming over to ask if there was anything he needed, whether a drink, a blanket, or anything else.
After several such interruptions, the professor marveled at the attention the rabbi’s grandchildren were giving him. He said that he was lucky to hear from his own grandchildren once every few weeks, while the rabbis’ were clearly doting on him. And he asked the rabbi why that was so.
The rabbi thought for a moment, and explained: “when my grandchildren look at me, they see someone two steps closer to Sinai. But when your grandchildren look at you, they see someone two steps closer to a monkey!”
The Torah is, of course, the source of that first model. We have to look back at the previous generations, especially our forefathers and mothers, as the reason why we are special and unique today. This is why a convert is considered a child of Avraham and Sarah, because they have truly joined the family, and to the source of our blessings!
