We’re so used to it, we don’t even notice anymore – the Jewish people have three fathers and four mothers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob paired with Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah shaped the destiny of Israel. But why? Wouldn’t it be simpler if God chose one great couple to parent His chosen nation? The answer reveals a stark truth about human nature and the Jewish mission in history.
Many ideologies have wreaked havoc on humanity – communism, socialism, wokeism. Their destructive power stems from a common source: each takes one element of truth and amplifies it into an absolute system. Communism correctly identifies the need for economic equality. Wokeism rightly points to historical persecution. But when these partial truths become the only truth, disaster follows.
Look at communism: by focusing exclusively on equality, it destroys the natural human drive to excel and achieve. When everyone must have exactly the same, no one has any incentive to work harder, innovate, or build something new. The result? Economic collapse and human misery on a massive scale.
Wokeism makes the same mistake from a different angle. By focusing solely on historical oppression, it automatically sides with whoever appears weaker – even when that group commits evil crimes against humanity. That’s why woke ideologues reflexively support Palestinians over Israel, refusing to condemn even the most barbaric acts of terrorism. Their singular focus on historical victimhood blinds them to present-day moral realities.
We live in a complex world where no single virtue can stand alone. Equality must balance with liberty. Capitalism requires charity. Love demands justice. The full truth emerges only through the proper balance of competing values.
This brings us back to our forefathers. Abraham’s kindness changed the world – he taught humanity about belief in one God, exemplified compassion, and opened his tent to all travelers. His chessed (the Hebrew word for loving-kindness and boundless generosity) was revolutionary and remains inspiring to this day. But kindness alone – even this awesome kindness – proved dangerous when not balanced by other virtues.
This explains why Abraham alone could not father Israel. Though chosen by God and unmatched in kindness (chessed), Abraham had a dangerous blindness. When God planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleaded repeatedly for their salvation, refusing to look evil in the eye and accept that these were truly wicked people deserving of destruction. The Bible shows this same pattern with his son Ishmael:
Abraham’s overwhelming compassion blinded him to Ishmael’s evil and the mortal threat he posed to Isaac. God had to intervene directly, telling Abraham to heed Sarah’s judgment.
This is why Isaac was essential as the second patriarch. Isaac embodied din (justice) and gevurah (strength), providing the necessary counterbalance to Abraham’s boundless kindness. A nation built purely on kindness would quickly perish – especially in the harsh reality of the Middle East. Justice must temper mercy; strength must balance compassion.
But even this combination wasn’t enough. The Jewish people needed Jacob, who embodied emet (truth) – the synthesis of his father’s justice and his grandfather’s kindness. As the prophet Micah declared: “You shall give the truth of Jacob, the loving-kindness of Abraham, which You swore to our forefathers from days of yore” (Micah 7:20).
This reveals Israel’s ultimate mission in world history: Ichud HaMiddot – the unification of all divine attributes. The prophet Isaiah describes this future:
Israel’s role is to unite the world, not by erasing differences but by helping each nation recognize the piece of divine truth that exists in other nations’ perspectives. “And he shall judge between the nations and reprove many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4). The verse reveals Israel’s true role: when it says God will “judge between the nations,” it means Israel must help each nation see the elements of truth in their enemies’ beliefs and philosophies. Only when nations recognize that their opponents hold pieces of truth – even while opposing other aspects of their worldview – can genuine peace emerge. This is Israel’s divine mission: to be the nation that helps others see beyond their own partial truths to achieve real harmony.
Today, many Jews embrace only Abraham’s attribute of kindness while forgetting Isaac’s justice and Jacob’s truth. These “Abraham Jews” refuse to acknowledge evil even when it directly threatens survival. Like Abraham defending Sodom, they search for good in sworn enemies. This mindset led to October 7th and to the Biden administration’s refusal to confront evil in Iran, Yemen, and beyond.
A nation cannot survive on kindness alone. Justice without mercy leads to cruelty, but mercy without justice leads to national suicide. This is why God chose three fathers and four mothers – their balanced attributes created the spiritual DNA Israel needs to survive and fulfill its mission of uniting humanity’s fragmented truths.
October 7th exposed what happens when Jewish leaders embrace Abraham’s kindness while forgetting Isaac’s strength and Jacob’s wisdom. This one-sided leadership, with its appeasement and self-delusion, has endangered our people. Israel365 Action, Israel365’s new party in the World Zionist Congress, is fighting to restore the balanced leadership our ancestors modeled.
We stand for three core principles: First, we need new, courageous Zionist leaders who will proudly speak the truth about Jewish rights without apology. Second, we assert the Jewish people’s eternal right to the entire land of Israel and categorically reject the dangerous two-state delusion. Third, we’re investing in strengthening bonds with Israel’s true friends worldwide, particularly faith communities who have steadfastly stood with us while establishment leaders pushed them away.
For 13 years, Israel365 has been a leading voice in Israel education and advocacy. Join us as we redirect Zionist resources to strengthen Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, launch programs to strengthen our global allies, and build a secure Israel where Jews can walk freely throughout our biblical homeland. The time for timid leadership is over. Register to vote in the World Zionist Congress elections, running from March 10 – May 4.
