Thank you, RoB.
Re: the Chasam Sofer I referenced:
We all know the psukim in Yirmiyahu (part of the Haftora on the second day of Rosh Hashana) “Kol berama nishma”, which describe how Rachel is heard, weeping for her children who have been sent into Galus. Hashem then answers her saying that she should cease her weeping as there _is_ hope – “Veshavu Banim l’gulam” – the children will return to their home in E”Y.
The Medrash on these psukim explain that when the Jews went into Galus when Bayis Rishon was destroyed, all of the Avos and Imahos came to HKBH to ask for mercy, but were rejected – after the Jews had set up idols in the Beis HaMikdash, HKBH decided that they were not worthy of His Midas HaRachamim. Rachel then stood up and said, “When my sister was substituted for me when I was supposed to marry Ya’akov, not only did I not object, I gave her the secret codes that had been aranged with Ya’akov so as not to embarass her. Therefore, the same way I showed mercy when a rival was brought into my house, you should show mercy even though a rival was brought into yours.” Upon hearing this, HKBH conceded, and responded that yes, V’shavu Banim l’gvulam.
The Chasam Sofer has a serious question on this. Yirmiyahu was not the only Navi at the time of the Churban – Yeshaya and Yechezkel were Nevi’im at that time as well, and they too predict that there will be a Churban, a Geula, and the Jews will then return to E”Y – with no reference to Rachel needing to intercede to get this promise of Geula from HKBH. The question therefore is, what is Yirmiyahu telling us with this Nevu’a – what concession did Rachel “win” from HKBH?
The Chasam Sofer’s answer is beautiful. He says that in analyzing Yeshaya and Yechezkel, we find that they both say essentially the same thing – there will be a Churban, then a Ge’ula, then a return of the Jews to E”Y. The psukim in Yirmyahu, though, are different – there is _no_mention_ of there being a Ge’ula before the pasuk of “V’shavu Banim l’gvulam”. What Rachel had “won” with her arguement was a promise from HKBH that the Jews will begin returning to E”Y even _before_ there is a Ge’ula Shelema.
This was all written by the Chasam Sofer well before there was a Zionist movement, and in fact, the Chasam Sofer is generally considered the father of modern Chareidism. He is the “author” of the Chareidi mantra that “Chadash Assur min HaTorah” – and yet, this is his Vort. Based on this, can one still say that the ingathering of Jews made possible by the establishment of the State of Israel is really a “Ma’ase Satan”? HKBH uses many messangers; it seems, to my simple eye, that the secular Zionists were His unwitting messangers, and the State a tool in His hand, to accomplish His will.
May we be Zoche to the final Ge’ula Shelema B’Karov.
an Israeli Yid