The answer, according to our tradition, is complex, but at its heart lies a profound connection between God and Israel, a bond so strong that it influences even divine judgment.
The Bamidbar Rabbah, specifically Bamidbar Rabbah 5, delves into this very question, exploring the verse "For My name's sake, I will defer My wrath and for My praise, I will exercise forbearance with you, so as not to eradicate you" (Isaiah 48:9). This verse, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teaches us, speaks directly to the relationship between God and Israel.
"For My name's sake, I will defer My wrath," the Midrash explains, refers to Israel, upon whom God designated His name, as in "I am the Lord your God" (Exodus 20:2). God, in essence, joined His name, El, with theirs, creating Yisrael. Because of this profound connection, God deferred His wrath, choosing not to completely eliminate them, but instead, as the text delicately puts it, “collected from them little by little in exile in order to absolve them.” He didn't want His own name desecrated because of their destruction. When Israel sinned in Egypt, and when they rebelled in the wilderness, God could have eradicated them. But (Ezekiel 20:8-9) tells us, "I acted for My name’s sake, so that it would not be profaned before the eyes of the nations." The same pattern repeats itself, according to (Ezekiel 20:13-14) and 20:21-22, a constant tension between divine justice and the preservation of God's reputation.
The Midrash offers another compelling interpretation of "I will exercise forbearance [oḥotam] with you" (Isaiah 48:9). It suggests that Israel was created specifically to sing God's praises. As (Isaiah 43:21) proclaims, "This people, I formed for Myself; they will recite My praise." To ensure that His name would be praised, God seals it [ḥotma] for good, like a seal [hotam] upon the heart, echoing the (Song of Songs 8:6): "Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm." This "seal" prevented their complete annihilation in exile.
But here's where it gets even more interesting. The Midrash takes a surprising turn and connects this verse to the Kehatites [hakehati], a specific family within the tribe of Levi, responsible for carrying the Ark of the Covenant. To illustrate, the Midrash tells a parable: a king whose son joined a band of robbers. When the robbers were caught, the king couldn't execute them because his own son was among them. For his son's sake, he had to spare them.
Similarly, the Levites, including the Kehatites, were the bearers of the Tabernacle. God foresaw that Korah and his followers, descendants of Kehat, would challenge Moses and Aaron. But God couldn't simply destroy them, as they were intermingled with righteous Levites.
So, what did God do? According to the Midrash, God took half His name, represented by the letters yod and heh (ya), and added them to the name Kehat, creating hakehati, with a heh at the beginning and a yod at the end. This was a divine act of protection, ensuring their survival until their destined time. It’s a fascinating interpretation, suggesting that even seemingly small details in the Torah’s language can hold profound meaning.
What does this all mean for us? It suggests a deeply intertwined destiny between God and the Jewish people. It implies that God's actions are not solely based on strict justice, but also on a desire to preserve His own name and to uphold the purpose for which Israel was created: to be a light unto the nations, a testament to God's presence in the world. It's a responsibility, yes, but also a source of enduring strength and hope. A reminder that even in the darkest times, the connection remains.
“The Kehatite,” that is what is written: “For My name's sake, I will defer My wrath and for My praise, I will exercise forbearance with you, so as not to eradicate you” (Isaiah 48:9). It is speaking of Israel. “For My name's sake, I will defer My wrath,” this is Israel, upon whom the Holy One blessed be He designated His name: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). And He joined His name10El. with their name, Israel. That is why He deferred His wrath against Israel, that He did not eliminate them, but rather, He collected from them11He punished them. little by little in exile in order to absolve them. He did not seek to eradicate them, so his name would not be desecrated because of them. As we find when Israel was in Egypt, they rebelled against the Holy One blessed be He and the Holy One blessed be He wished to eliminate them, but He deferred His wrath with them for His name’s sake and did not do so, just as it says: “I said to pour My fury upon them, to spend My wrath upon them within the land of Egypt. But I acted for My name’s sake, so that it would not be profaned before the eyes of the nations” (Ezekiel 20:8–9). Likewise, when Israel departed, in the wilderness they rebelled against Him, and the Holy One blessed be He sought to eradicate them but He deferred His wrath with them for His name’s sake, as it is stated: “I said to pour My fury upon them [in the wilderness to eradicate them. But I acted for My name’s sake, so that it would not be profaned before the eyes of the nations…]” (Ezekiel 20:13–14). Likewise, the generation of the wilderness rebelled against the Holy One blessed be He and He sought to eradicate them, but He deferred His wrath with them for His name’s sake, and He took an oath that He would exact retribution against them with the servitude of the kingdoms, but he did not effect eradication, as it is stated: “I said I would pour My fury [upon them…in the wilderness]. But I restrained My hand, [and I acted for the sake of My name, that it not be profaned]” (Ezekiel 20:21–22). “I also raised My hand [to them in the wilderness, to disperse them among the nations and to scatter them through the lands]” (Ezekiel 20:23). “For My praise, I will exercise forbearance with you” (Isaiah 48:9), so that the name of the Holy One blessed be He will not be profaned through them; He will bring them the sealed redemption, as it is stated: “I will sanctify My great name that was profaned among the nations… I will take you from the nations…[and I will bring you to your land]” (Ezekiel 36:23–24). Another matter, “I will exercise forbearance [oḥotam] with you” (Isaiah 48:9), because Israel was created to recite the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, just as it says: “This people, I formed for Myself; [they will recite My praise]” (Isaiah 43:21). For that purpose, so that His name would be praised in their midst, the Holy One blessed be He seals it [ḥotma] for good. Just as it says: “Place me as a seal [hotam] upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm” (Song of Songs 8:6). That caused them not to be eliminated in exile. That is, “so as not to eradicate you.” Another matter, “for My name's sake, I will defer My wrath” (Isaiah 48:9), it is speaking of the Kehatites [hakehati]. To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who had a son who joined robbers. They were apprehended and his son was apprehended with them. The king said: ‘What shall I do? Shall I execute the robbers? That is impossible, as my son is with them. For the sake of my son, I will free them now.’ So, the Levites were the bearers of the Tabernacle. The Holy One blessed be He was looking at Koraḥ and his congregation, who were destined to dispute with Moses and Aaron. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘What shall I do to these? To kill them now is impossible, as they are intermingled with the other righteous ones.’ So as not to harm all of them with the attribute of justice, the Holy One blessed be He took half His name, and added ya [yod heh] to it [the word kehat], the Holy One blessed be He rendered it hakehati, heh at the beginning and yod at the end, that is ya, in order to provide them with protection until their day would come. That is, “for My name's sake, I will defer My wrath…” That is why hakehati is written here.
