"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ"/2

"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ"

Exegetical Approaches

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Consolation

The prophecy constitutes a small island of comfort among a sea of rebuke.

Sources:Targum YonatanYirmeyahu 2:2-3About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, RadakYirmeyahu 2:2-3About R. David Kimchi, AbarbanelYirmeyahu 2:1-3About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, MalbimYirmeyahu Beur HaInyan 2:1-3About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, ShadalYirmeyahu 2:2-3About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto

Context – As the verses surrounding this prophecy are all filled with rebuke and tell of calamity that is to befall Israel, these sources must explain the placement of a prophecy of consolation in their midst.

• According to Radak, Hashem is comforting the people that despite the hardships which they are to suffer, they should know that they will not be destroyed totally and that their enemies, too, will be punished. Shadal similarly writes that Hashem wants the people to recognize that all his rebukes and punishment stem from love.
• Abarbanel adds that after Yirmeyahu's initiation in which he was told of the imminent catastrophes to befall the nation, Yirmeyahu requested that his first prophecy to the people not foretell destruction and evil, but be a promise of good.

"חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ" – These sources disagree regarding the nature of this "חֶסֶד " and whether the phrase refers to acts done by the nation for Hashem, or Hashem for the nation.

• Faith in Hashem – Targum Yonatan and Radak claim that the "חֶסֶד" spoken of refers to Israel's faith in Hashem.  It is not clear, though, why belief should be referred to as a an act of kindness. It is possible that "חֶסֶד" here relates to the word  "חָסִיד", which refers to someone who is loyal to another and is often used to refer to followers of Hashem.¹
• Devotion to Israel – Shadal argues that a person cannot do an act of "חֶסֶד" for Hashem. The term is limited to acts between two people or from Hashem to man; after all, it is the stronger party who does "חֶסֶד" to the weaker party, not vice versa.² As such, he claims that the verse speaks of Hashem's love and devotion to Israel.
• Kindness to others – Radak also raises the possibility that the verse refers to the acts of kindness done by our Avot in general, actions aimed at those around them.

Relationship between the clauses of vs. 2

• According to Targum Yonatan and Radak, all three terms refer to Israel's deeds and speak of her devotion to Hashem throughout the Wilderness period.
• Abarbanel and Shadal, in contrast, assume that the verse speaks of both sides of the relationship.  While the first two clauses (חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ and אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ) refer to actions done by Hashem, the last clause refers to the deeds of the nation.³

"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ" – According to these sources, Hashem is saying that He remembers the nation's earlier devotion to Him (Radak) and the positive relationship they had (Shadal) and views this as a merit for them (לָךְ).

Relationship between verses 2-3 – The two verses are a cause and effect.  Because Hashem remembers the earlier period with affection, he views the nation now as holy, like the first wheat which is dedicated to Hashem and prohibited from eating. Thus, anyone who "eats" and harms Israel will be punished.  The verse does not contradict the later prophecies of calamity since Hashem does not say that Israel will not be attacked, but rather that those who do so will later be punished.

Call to Repent

Sources:RashiYirmeyahu 2:2-3About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki

Scope of the prophecy – According to this approach the entire prophecy is but 2 verses long, and is distinct from the rebuke n the continuation of the chapter. [It reads the words, "שִׁמְעוּ דְבַר י"י בֵּית יַעֲקֹב" in verse 4 as a new opening.]

Context – Due to the context of rebuke, Rashi prefers not to read the verses as total comfort, but as a call to repent.  According to him, the promise of vengeance on enemies is conditional on the people returning to God and serves to encourage them to do so.  It will not be fulfilled despite their evil ways, but only if they change.

"חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ" – According to Rashi, this phrase is explained by the later clause "לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר".  Hashem says that the nation's following Him into an unknown, unsettled wilderness without food or drink constituted a "חֶסֶד".  It was not a given that they would do so, and is therefore perceived as an act done for Hashem.

Relationship between the clauses of verse 2 – Rashi is somewhat ambiguous and might be saying either of the following:

• While the first and last clauses of the verse refer to acts done by the nation, the second clause, "אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ" refers instead to Hashem's love and gathering of the nation to their bridal canopy.  This presumably symbolizes His choosing them as His nation and giving them the Torah.
• Alternatively, all three verses refer to deeds of the nation and "אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ" speaks of the nation's love for Hashem when Hashem took them in marriage.

Relationship between verse 2-3 – According to Rashi, too, the verses are a cause and effect. Because of Hashem's fond memories of the nation's earlier relationship with Him, even though now they are sinning, Hashem desires to give them a chance to repent so that he can punish their enemies.

"העיקר חסר מן הספר" – The main weakness in Rashi's reading is that the call to repent is not explicit in the text. If this is meant as encouragement to change, one would have thought that the fact should be stated.

Chastisement

Sources:R. Yosef KaraYirmeyahu 2:2-9, 17Yirmeyahu 2:2-8About R. Yosef Kara

Scope pf the prophecy – R"Y Kara does not view the first three verses of the chapter as an independent unit, but rather as an introduction to the prophecy that follows

Context – The fact that the rest of the chapter is filled with chastisement is likely part of what motivates RY Kara to assume that the first few verses also constitute rebuke.

"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ" – R"Y Kara translates this phrase not as "I remember" but "I remind you".

Relationship between the clauses of verse 2 – The entire verse speaks only of actions done by Hashem for the nation:.

• "חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ" – These clauses refers to Hashem's kindness to the nation in taking them out of Egypt and caring for them in the Wilderness.
• "לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר"– This clause is a time marker; the verse should be understood as if written: "בלֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר".  Thus, Hashem is not highlighting the people's faith in following Him, but explaing when he showed them love and care.

¹ See, for example,Tehillim 4:4, 31:24, and 50:5.  See also Divrei HaYamim II 32:32 (and Divrei HaYamim 35:26 similarly) "דִּבְרֵי יְחִזְקִיָּהוּוּ וַחֲסָדָיו" where "חֲסָדָיו" might refer to his faith in Hashem, and the accompanying reformation. See also Nechemiah 13:14, "זׇכְרָה לִּי אֱלֹהַי עַל זֹאת וְאַל תֶּמַח חֲסָדַי אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּבֵית אֱלֹהַי" where the term "חֲסָדַי" might also mean belief in and acts done for Hashem.

² He claims that it is only in later books, such as Divrei HaYAmim and Nechemiah, that the term is borrowed and used to refer also to acts of devotion to God.

³ According to Abarbanel each clause refers to a distinct time period.  Hashem showed mercy to the Avot in the period of Israel's "youth", blessing then with "land" and "seed".  He further showed His love to them when he "wed" them and gave them the Torah.  Israel, for her part, showed her loyalty by following Hashem in the Wilderness.  According to Shadal, in contrast,  the entire verse speaks of the Wilderness period.