Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, offers a fascinating perspective on this, likening the people of Israel to a vine. Rabbi Tanhuma bar Abba begins with a verse from Psalms (80:9): "You transported a vine from Egypt." Why a vine, of all things?
Well, think about it. What do you do when you want a vine to really thrive? You carefully dig it up and move it to a better location, right? A place where it can get more sunlight, richer soil, and stronger support. Shemot Rabbah suggests that this is precisely what God did with Israel. To make them known to the world, God uprooted them from Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. And there, amidst the challenges, they began to flourish. They received the Torah, affirming, "Everything that the Lord spoke we will perform and we will heed" (Exodus 24:7). Their reputation, their beauty, spread throughout the world, as Ezekiel (16:14) says, "Your renown went forth among the nations for your beauty."
But the metaphor goes even deeper. The text points out that a vine, though very much alive, often relies on dead branches for support. It climbs and sprawls across them, drawing strength and stability. So too, Israel, though vibrant and enduring, finds strength and solace in the memory of the deceased – particularly the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (also known as Jacob).
We see this idea echoed in the stories of Elijah on Mount Carmel. He prayed and prayed for fire to descend, as it says, “Answer me, Lord, answer me” (I Kings 18:37), but initially, nothing happened. But when he invoked the names of the patriarchs, saying, "Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel" (I Kings 18:36), the fire immediately descended (I Kings 18:38).
Now, some commentaries, like Yefe To’ar, note a slight textual issue here: Elijah’s mention of the patriarchs actually comes before his general plea in the verses. But the point remains – there's power in remembering our ancestors.
Similarly, when the Israelites committed the grave sin of the golden calf, Moses pleaded with God for forty days and forty nights, but his prayers seemed to fall on deaf ears. But as Shemot Rabbah points out, when Moses invoked the covenant with the patriarchs, saying, “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” (Exodus 32:13), God relented. "The Lord reconsidered the evil" (Exodus 32:14).
According to Ginzberg’s Legends of the Jews, this was a pivotal moment. Moses' appeal to God’s promise to the patriarchs, his appeal to lineage and legacy, swayed God’s judgment.
So, what does this all mean for us? It suggests that even when we're thriving, when we're reaching for the sky, we're not doing it alone. We're supported by the memory and the legacy of those who came before us. They are the "dead branches" that give us strength, that allow us to climb higher and bear more fruit. They are the reason we can say, with hope and conviction, "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel." And in remembering them, we find the strength to face whatever challenges lie ahead.