Lech Lecha - Broken Swords and Unbroken Faith
Our haftarah describes a moment of global unease. The nations look out at the world and sense that something is shifting — that Hashem is emerging in history in a way that threatens their control. In response, they rally together: אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ יַעְזֹ֑רוּ וּלְאָחִ֖יו יֹאמַ֥ר חֲזָֽק׃ וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק חָרָשׁ֙ אֶת־צֹרֵ֔ף, Each man helps his fellow, saying to his fellow, “Take courage”…The craftsman strengthens the smith. The Malbim explains that this is not a scene of idol-making, but of frantic weapon-making. When the nations feel Hashem’s presence drawing nearer, they rush to prepare for battle. They craft swords and spears with such urgency that even broken weapons patched together with nails are considered “good enough.” Their confidence is shaky, yet their fear pushes them into action.
Here the Malbim offers a powerful insight: when light rises, resistance rises with it. The noise of the nations, their hurried alliances and makeshift weapons, do not signal Hashem’s absence — they signal His approach. The very existence of opposition becomes proof that history is bending toward redemption. The uproar is the shadow cast by advancing light.
This perspective reshapes how we view the uncertainties of today. When hostility toward Israel intensifies, when pressure mounts from every direction, when we feel surrounded by those who would undermine Jewish destiny, it is tempting to think that darkness is gaining strength. The Malbim teaches us to see the opposite: the pushback itself is a sign that God’s hand is moving events forward.
Our response, then, is not fear, but resolve. The nations reinforce broken swords with nails; we reinforce unwavering faith by strengthening one another. Their battle is fought out of desperation; ours is grounded in purpose and promise. Hashem declares, “I am the first, and I am the last” — the One who began this story and the One who will bring it to its fulfillment.
May we find courage in moments that feel unstable, confidence in moments that feel uncertain, and the wisdom to recognize that the clamor around us is not the collapse of hope, but its confirmation. Even as the world arms itself with fear, we anchor ourselves in the certainty that Hashem is guiding history toward its ultimate redemption.