Eternal Covenant: Hashem’s Unwavering Promise to the Jewish People
In the aftermath of October 7th and the trials thatfollowed, we are reminded of an ancient truth that has sustained our peoplethrough millennia of challenge and triumph.
The Promise That Endures
Throughout Jewish history, from the binding of Isaac to thedestruction of the Temples, from the Spanish Expulsion to the Holocaust, andnow in the wake of October 7th, one truth has remained constant: Hashem’scovenant with the Jewish people is eternal and unbreakable. The words of theprophet Isaiah echo through time:
כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶינָה וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתֵּךְ לֹא־יָמוּשׁ וּבְרִית שְׁלוֹמִי לֹא תָמוּט אָמַר מְרַחֲמֵךְ יְהוָה׃
(Yeshayahu 54:10):
“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, butMy kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace beremoved, says the Lord who has mercy on you.”
Tested But Never Broken
The events of October 7th shook the Jewish world to itscore. In those dark hours, as families were torn apart and communitiesdevastated, it would have been easy to question divine providence. Yet, as ourancestors learned in Egypt, in Babylon, and in countless other moments ofcrisis, these trials do not represent abandonment—they are the crucible throughwhich our people’s faith is refined and our national purpose clarified.
Our greatest moments of spiritual elevation often emergefrom our deepest challenges. October 7th was not a sign of divine absence, butrather the beginning of another chapter in our people’s eternal story ofresilience and renewal.
Signs of Divine Providence
Even in the darkness of that terrible day and itsaftermath, we witnessed unmistakable signs of Hashem’s protective hand:
Miraculous Survivals: Stories emerged of individuals whoshould not have survived but did—a child hidden for hours, a family shelteredby the most unlikely circumstances, communities that banded together withsupernatural strength.
Global Jewish Unity: Jews worldwide, regardless ofdenomination or political affiliation, united in ways not seen in generations.This unprecedented solidarity itself reflects the divine promise:
כשישראל נתונים בצרה אני עמהם בצרתם
Midrash Tehillim 91:15):
“When Israel is in distress, I am with them in theirdistress.”
Strength in Crisis: The Israeli people and Jewishcommunities globally demonstrated resilience that defied human explanation—thecapacity to mourn deeply while continuing to build, to grieve while maintaininghope, to face uncertainty while holding fast to faith.
The Vision of National Resurrection
The restoration of Israel finds its most powerfulexpression in the prophet Yehezkel’s vision of the dry bones. In Yehezkel37:1-14, we witness not merely a prophecy about תחית המתים (theresurrection of the dead), but rather the divine promise of the rebirth of theJewish nation itself.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי בֶּן־אָדָם הָעֲצָמוֹת הָאֵלֶּה כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה הִנֵּה אֹמְרִים יָבְשׁוּ עַצְמוֹתֵינוּ וְאָבְדָה תִקְוָתֵנוּ נִגְזַרְנוּ לָנוּ׃ לָכֵן הִנָּבֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנֵּה אֲנִי פֹתֵחַ אֶת־קִבְרוֹתֵיכֶם וְהַעֲלֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶם עַמִּי וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל־אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
(Yehezkel 37:11-12):
“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the wholehouse of Israel. Behold, they say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope islost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them: Thussays the Lord God: Behold, I am going to open your graves and bring you up fromyour graves, My people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.’“¹
The prophecy continues with the ultimate promise (Yehezkel37:14):
וְנָתַתִּי רוּחִי בָכֶם וִחְיִיתֶם וְהִנַּחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם עַל־אַדְמַתְכֶם וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי נְאֻם יְהוָה׃
“And I will put My spirit within you, and you shall live,and I will place you on your own soil. Then you shall know that I, the Lord,have spoken and acted,” says the Lord.
Historical Perspective and Divine Investments
Our sages understood that Jewish history follows a patternof exile and redemption, darkness and light. This pattern is exemplified in oneof the most powerful demonstrations of faith in Jewish history—when Hashemcommanded Yirmiyahu to purchase a field during the siege of Jerusalem.
וְהִנֵּה הֲנָמֵל בֶּן-שַׁלֻּם דֹּדְךָ יָבֹא אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר קְנֵה-לְךָ אֶת-שָׂדִי אֲשֶׁר בַּעֲנָתוֹת כִּי לְךָ מִשְׁפַּט הַגְּאוּלָּה לִקְנוֹת׃
Yirmiyahu 32:7):
“Your cousin Hanamel is going to come to you and say, ‘Buymy field at Anathoth; you have the right to redeem it.’“²
Who purchases real estate when the enemy is at the gates?Yet this seemingly irrational act carried the deepest message of hope: thisexile is not permanent. The Jewish people will return, life will be restored,and the land will once again flourish with Jewish life.
The vision of that restoration is beautifully captured in Zecharyah’s propheticwords:
כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת עוֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וְאִישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ בְיָדוֹ מֵרֹב יָמִים׃ וּרְחֹבוֹת הָעִיר יִמָּלְאוּ יְלָדִים וִילָדוֹת מְשַׂחֲקִים בִּרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ׃
Zecharyah 8:4-5):
“Old men and oldwomen will again sit in Jerusalem’s streets, each with a cane because of theirgreat age. And the city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing.“³
Today, anyonevisiting the Old City of Jerusalem can witness this prophecy fulfilled. Thereis a plaque near Jaffa Gate that quotes this very verse, positioned whereelderly people sit on benches watching children play safely in the courtyards.The sight never fails to move those who understand they are witnessing divinepromise made manifest.
Three young boysembrace joyfully beneath the Hebrew inscription of Zechariah’s prophecy: “Oldmen and old women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem… and the streets of thecity will be filled with boys and girls playing in her streets.” Thefulfillment of ancient prophecy captured in a single moment.
The Lesson of RabbiAkiva
The power ofunwavering faith in Hashem’s eternal promises is perhaps best illustrated inthe famous story of Rabbi Akiva and his companions. When they saw a fox emergefrom the ruins of the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount, the other sages wept,but Rabbi Akiva laughed.
As recorded in theTalmud (Makkot 24b), when asked why he laughed, Rabbi Akiva explained:
כשם שנתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה כך עתידה להתקיים נבואתו של זכריה
(Makkot 24b):
“Just as theprophecy of Uriah [regarding destruction] was fulfilled, so too will theprophecy of Zechariah [regarding consolation] be fulfilled.”
He then quoted theverse from Zecharyah about the elderly and children in Jerusalem’s streets.⁴
Rabbi Akivaunderstood that witnessing the depths of destruction actually strengthened thecertainty of future redemption. The fox running through the Temple’s ruins wasnot evidence of abandonment, but proof of the precision of divine promises—boththe painful and the comforting ones.
The State of Israelitself stands as the greatest proof of divine faithfulness in modern times.After nearly two millennia of exile, the Jewish people returned to theirancestral homeland, revived their ancient language, and built a thrivingnation. No other people in history has experienced such a restoration. Thisreturn was not merely political—it was the fulfillment of countless biblicalprophecies.
The Covenant Renewed
In Jewish tradition,every generation must see itself as if it personally experienced the Exodusfrom Egypt. Similarly, every generation must recognize its role in the ongoingcovenant between Hashem and the Jewish people. October 7th was our generation’stest, and in the response—both immediate and ongoing—we see evidence of thatcovenant’s continuing vitality.
The way Jewishcommunities rallied to support one another, the outpouring of chesed(loving-kindness), the renewed commitment to Jewish values and practice, thestrengthened connection to Israel—all these responses demonstrate that thedivine spark within the Jewish people burns as brightly as ever.
Looking Forward withFaith
As we move forwardfrom October 7th, we do so not as a broken people but as a people whosebrokenness has revealed our unbreakable core. The prophet Jeremiah, speakingduring one of our people’s darkest hours, conveyed Hashem’s eternal promise:
(Yirmiyahu 30:11):
כִּי אִתְּךָ אֲנִי נְאֻם־יְהוָה לְהוֹשִׁיעֶךָ כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה בְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הֲפִצוֹתִיךָ שָׁם אַךְ אֹתְךָ לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה
(Yirmiyahu 30:11):
“For I am with you,declares the Lord, to save you. I will make a full end of all the nations amongwhom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end.”
This promise extendsbeyond mere physical survival to encompass our spiritual mission in the world.The Jewish people’s role as “a light unto the nations” continues, perhaps moreurgently than ever. Our response to tragedy, our commitment to justice and compassioneven in the face of hatred, our refusal to be consumed by bitterness—theseserve as testimony to the world of what it means to live in covenant with theDivine.
The EternalPartnership
October 7th remindedus that our covenant with Hashem is not passive—it requires our activeparticipation. We are partners with the Divine in perfecting the world, inbuilding communities of justice and mercy, in ensuring that “never again”remains more than a slogan but a sacred commitment.
Every act ofkindness performed in memory of those lost, every Jewish child taught ourtraditions, every moment of Torah study, every mitzvah observed—these are ourresponses to October 7th, our way of declaring that no act of hatred can severthe eternal bond between Hashem and the Jewish people.
Conclusion
The message is clearand eternal: Hashem’s faithfulness to the Jewish people is not contingent oncircumstances, not diminished by tragedy, not weakened by the passage of time.It is the foundation upon which our past rests, the strength that sustains ourpresent, and the promise that illuminates our future.
As we commemoratethose we lost on October 7th and honor those who continue to defend and buildour communities, we do so with the knowledge that we are part of an ancientstory that has no ending—only new chapters of challenge, growth, andultimately, redemption.
The vision ofYehezkel reminds us that what appears to be death and destruction is actuallythe prelude to renewed life. The dry bones that seemed beyond hope weretransformed into “a very, very great multitude” (חֵיל גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד).Similarly, October 7th, for all its horror, has already begun to reveal signsof that divine breath (רוּחַ) that brings renewal—in the unprecedentedunity of our people, in the heroism displayed under fire, in the renewedcommitment to Jewish values and the State of Israel.
For those who doubtthe reality of divine providence, let them spend time by the Jaffa Gate of theOld City, in the Rova (Jewish Quarter) where children play, and finally at theKotel. There they will witness the fulfillment of prophecies spoken millenniaago, the evidence of Hashem’s eternal watchfulness over the Jewish people.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃
Devarim 6:4):
“Hear, O Israel: TheLord our God, the Lord is one.”
This declaration,spoken by countless generations of Jews in times of joy and sorrow, remains oureternal truth. After October 7th, as always, we are not alone.
Footnotes:
1. Yehezkel(Ezekiel) 37:11-12, 14
2. Yirmiyahu(Jeremiah) 32:7
3. Zecharyah(Zechariah) 8:4-5
4.Talmud Bavli, Makkot 24b