Parashat Yitro 5786, 2026: "Am Segulah"

​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Our parasha contains a pasuk that strikingly underscores the unique relationship of Klal Yisrael with Hashem: “And now, if you obey Me and keep My covenant, you shall be to Me segulah out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire earth.” (Sefer Shemot 19:5, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In his Commentary on the Torah on this verse, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch zatzal (1808-1888) examines the meaning of segulah in light of our relationship with Hashem:
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Consequently, “segulah” is a singular possession to which no one else may lay claim. It, therefore, has no connection whatsoever to anyone other than its owner. A fundamental condition thus emerges in reference to “segulah;” namely, this concept demands of us in reference to our relationship with Hashem, that we will be His sole possession in a total and complete sense, in the very fiber of our spiritual being, in every aspect of our persona and with our entire desire and lives. In addition, we must see ourselves as depending upon Hashem alone, and never upon some other power or being. Then, too, this principle must shape the trajectory of our lives and influence the essence and approach of all our actions. (Translation from the Hebrew edition my own)
 
Rav Hirsch presents a treasure trove of ideas regarding the definitional structure and conceptual underpinnings of “segulah:”

1. Segulah is a singular possession to which no one else may lay claim, and by definition, has no connection to anyone other than its owner.
2. When viewed in reference to our relationship with Hashem, segulah demands that we will be His sole possession in the very fiber of our spiritual and physical beings.
3. Segulah requires that we depend exclusively upon Hashem, rather than upon some other power or being.
4. Application: “This principle must shape the trajectory of our lives and influence the essence and approach of all our actions.”

 
In sum, for Rav Hirsch, the concept of “segulah,” must define who we are and positively inform every encounter we have with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and the world at large.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and disciples, presents a complementary approach to Rav Hirsch’s position when he defines “segulah” as “singularity”:

The word “singular” means “being only one,” “exceptional,” “extraordinary” and “separate.” The word segulah in Hebrew similarly connotes singularity. In Exodus (19:5), the Torah enunciates the doctrine of the election of Israel [Am HaNivchar] as a cardinal tenet of our faith. (Rabbi Abraham R. Besdin, Reflections of the Rav: Lessons in Jewish Thought adapted from Lectures of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, this, and the following citations, are from page 119, brackets and underling my own)
 
The Rav continues this line of reasoning and emphasizes that “segulah” is not solely a theological construct. Rather, it plays a crucial role in human interaction:

Segulah may also describe relationships between people. For example, Jacob loved Rachel, but he did not hate Leah, despite the verse, “And the Eternal saw that Leah was unloved” (senuah, Sefer Bereishit 29:31). His bond to her merely suffered by comparison with Rachel… his relationship with Rachel was singular.” There was a segulah dimension in this special love. It involved an intertwining of souls, a union beyond verbal description. It was more than emotional love; it was a oneness achieved, which is the highest rung of identification.
 
Significantly, Rav Soloveitchik notes that Hashem’s unique relationship with the Jewish people is parallel to Ya’akov’s marital bonds with Rachel and Leah:
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Similarly, the people of Israel are a segulah people, singularly valued by God; this involves no denigration of other nations. It is a specialness—a nation, one of its kind, which God has designated to preserve and disseminate His Divine teachings. This is singularity.
 
Clearly, for the Rav, the segulah nature of the Jewish people does not translate into a declaration of superiority over, or a rejection of, the other nations of the world. Instead, each nation has its unique part to play in Hashem’s grand plan.
 
May we, soon be zocheh to witness the fulfillment of Zechariah’s stirring words: “And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall Hashem be one, and His name one.” (14:9) V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
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