The haftara for Parashat Eikev, which is taken from Sefer Yeshayahu (chapter 49), begins with Benei Yisrael’s lament that God has eternally forsaken them, and then proceeds to deliver God’s response to their mournful cries. In this prophecy God declares, “Chomotayikh negdi tamid” – which literally means, “Your walls are opposite Me at all times.” In its narrowest sense, this phrase means that the ruins of Jerusalem are constantly on God’s mind, so-to-speak. Whereas the people feared that God has forsaken and forgotten them, in truth, He is forever mindful of the shattered walls of Jerusalem and its Mikdash, and guarantees their eventual restoration. (See Radak and Metzudat David.)
Rav Mendel Hirsch, in his commentary to the haftarot, adds that the term “walls” in this verse may also be understood figuratively, as a generic reference to all sources of Benei Yisrael’s protection and strength. God promises to personally fortify all the nation’s “walls,” everything to which they look for security. This promise includes as well Benei Yisrael’s spiritual “walls,” the Torah which serves as their primary source of pride and protection. God here guarantees that the Torah, like Zion’s physical walls, will ultimately survive the attempts of those who try to destroy it by distorting its meaning and messages. As long as the Jewish people themselves work to preserve the integrity and authentic meaning of the Torah, God will do His share in ensuring the failure of all attempts to distort it. Rav Hirsch writes:
These words contain an infinitely comforting assurance to all those who, amidst the struggles and turmoil of the times, make the Torah their task in life, that it – for it is the life-soul of Zion – will be protected from being forgotten and misunderstood, but rather it will be brought to be realized and recognized. When we consider how gloomy the prospect in this direction seems to be up to this day, how little, even in the circles of the sons and daughters of Zion, there is a clear conception of the nature of Judaism, what misunderstandings, what hostility and insinuations he who dares to stand up unreservedly for the Torah is subjected to from the most different sides, sides most widely opposed to each other, Jewish and non-Jewish, then the full meaning of this assurance stands out in all its clarity: Do not allow yourselves to be misled by any lack of success! is what these words say…
So long as we continue working to building and fortifying the “walls” of Torah, by continuing the ongoing process of transmitting and elucidating our scholarly tradition, then the Almighty will guarantee the success of this most crucial endeavor, and protect the Torah from being forgotten and misconstrued.
Courtesy of Yeshivat Har Etzion - www.etzion