The Years 5780 - 5784
President Trump is an Oheiv Yisrael. However, he has a bad reputation when it comes to his personal behaviors. Of course, Biden is not much better, but Trump's indiscretions have been much more public and known for many years already.
It is therefore no coincidence that he was found guilty for something that all began with another one of these indiscretions (albeit in a sham trial with a biased judge and an out-to-get-him DA) on the day that corresponds to גבורה שביסוד. Vehameivin Yavin.
With the beginning of Covid19 in 5780, suffice it to say that the years 5780-5784 have not been good to President Trump or, for that matter, to the Jewish people either. Both are looking forward to better days ahead in the end of 5784 going into 5785.
I was struck by this verse in last week's parasha:
כה וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרֶב, נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם-בְּרִית, וְנֶאֱסַפְתֶּם, אֶל-עָרֵיכֶם; וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי דֶבֶר בְּתוֹכְכֶם, וְנִתַּתֶּם בְּיַד-אוֹיֵב. | 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant; and ye shall be gathered together within your cities; and I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. |
- וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרֶב - Murder on October 7th
- נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם-בְּרִית - this ברית can be interpreted in various ways. The simple explanation is vengeance for not keeping the Torah. It could also be vengeance for not being עמלים בתורה (engrossed in the Torah) or allowing others to be (as per Rashi near the beginning of the parasha). Alternatively, it is vengeance for not guarding the Berit Milah.
- וְנֶאֱסַפְתֶּם, אֶל-עָרֵיכֶם - Residents of both the South and North needing to leave their homes and go to hotels in larger cities.
- וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי דֶבֶר בְּתוֹכְכֶם - Covid19
- וְנִתַּתֶּם בְּיַד-אוֹיֵב - The hostages
מג וְהָאָרֶץ תֵּעָזֵב מֵהֶם וְתִרֶץ אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתֶיהָ, בָּהְשַׁמָּה מֵהֶם, וְהֵם, יִרְצוּ אֶת-עֲוֺנָם; יַעַן וּבְיַעַן--בְּמִשְׁפָּטַי מָאָסוּ, וְאֶת-חֻקֹּתַי גָּעֲלָה נַפְשָׁם. | 43 For the land shall lie forsaken without them, and shall be paid her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them; and they shall be paid the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected Mine ordinances, and their soul abhorred My statutes. |