פרשת ויצא - אין הבטחה לצדיק בעולם הזה

Jacob then made a vow, saying, “If God remains with me, protecting me on this journey that I am making, and giving me bread to eat and clothing to wear,

אם יהיה אלהים עמדי IF GOD WILL BE WITH ME — if He will keep for me these promises which He has made me that He would be with me, even as He said to me (v. 15), “Behold, I am with thee” (Genesis Rabbah 70:4),

Another matter, “Jacob was very frightened and distressed” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: The fright and the distress are not the same. Rather, he was frightened lest he kill, and distressed lest he be killed. He said: ‘If he overcomes me, he will kill me, and if I overcome him, I will kill him.’ That is: He was frightened lest he kill, and distressed lest he be killed. He said: ‘All these years, he [Esau] has been residing in the Land of Israel; say that he comes against me by virtue of his residence in the Land of Israel. All these years, he has been residing and honoring his parents; say that he comes against me by virtue of his honoring father and mother, as so he said: “The days of mourning for my father will approach” (Genesis 27:41). Say that this old man died and he will come against me to kill me.’ Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: This is what the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Return to the land of your fathers, to the land of your birth” (Genesis 31:3). Say that the stipulations were until here: “And He will protect me on this path” (Genesis 28:20), and not beyond that. Rabbi Yudan said: The Omnipresent said to him: “Return to the land of your fathers,” but nevertheless, “Jacob was very frightened”? Rather, from here [we learn] that there is no promise to the righteous in this world. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: “Behold, I am with you” (Genesis 28:15); “if God will be with me”? (Genesis 28:20). Rather, from here [we learn] that there is no promise to the righteous in this world. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: “He said: For I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12) and nothing evil will harm you, and it is written: “It was on the way, in the lodging, [the Lord encountered him and sought to kill him]” (Exodus 4:24). Rather, there is no promise to the righteous in this world. Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori: “Benayahu son of Yehoyada answered the king and said: “Amen; and so may the Lord, God of my lord the king, say” (I Kings 1:36). But is it not already stated: “Behold, a son is born to you, he will be a man of rest” (I Chronicles 22:9) – rather, he said: ‘Many adversaries may arise from here to Giḥon.’

IF (‘IM’) G-D WILL BE WITH ME. Rashi comments: “If He will keep for me these promises which He made to me.” The reason for the condition is lest the sin cause the abrogation of the promises. And so the Rabbis said in Bereshith Rabbah, “Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Acha, ‘And behold, I am with thee, and yet it is written, If G-d will be with me! However, from here you infer that there is no assurance to the righteous in this world.’”In line with the simple meaning of Scripture it is further possible that the word im does not indicate a doubt in the matter, but such is the way of Scripture when referring to future events, such as: until ‘im asithi’ (I have done). And so also: ‘Ve’im’ there shall be the jubilee of the children of Israel. In all these cases it means if there will come a time when the condition is satisfied, then the deed will be fulfilled, that is to say, ve’im does not mean “if it occurs,” but rather “when it occurs.”