"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ"/2

"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ"

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Consolation

The prophecy is one of consolation.

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 all constitute 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 adds that Hashem wants the people to recognize that all his rebukes and punishment stem from love.
• Abarbanel, in contrast, suggests 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 whether the phrase refers to acts done by the nation for Hashem, or Hashem for the nation.

• For Hashem – Targum Yonatan claims 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
• For 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.
• 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) mention actions done by Hashem, the last clause refers to the deeds of the nation.³

"זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ" – All these sources translate this word according to its simple sense to mean, "I remember".  Hashem is saying  that he remembers the natiion's earlier devotion to Him (radak) and the positive relationship they had (Shadal).

Relationship between verse 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, as 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

Chastisement

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

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.