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Isaiah Chapter 42 Wed, May 19, 10 |
Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster - Length: 21:42 |
 Text Pages |
"That Deaf, Dumb and Blind Nation..."
By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
G-d says: My servant Israel is not like the other nations. Israel is My chosen one, upon whom I have placed My spirit. They will serve as an example to the nations. They will neither weaken nor tire before establishing justice in the land.
This is the word of G-d, Who created Heaven and Earth and Who gave life to humanity. He called Isaiah and will strengthen him in his mission; G-d made him a light to the nations. (In this case, Rashi says the "nations" means the Tribes of Israel.) People have become spiritually "blind," like prisoners sitting in the darkness of a prison. Isaiah will enlighten them.
G-d is the only One; His praise is not to be shared with idols. The promises He made to Abraham came true, now G-d shares more promises of the future exile and redemption.
Sing a new song to G-d from the ends of the Earth. The desert and cities will raise their voices to Him. Deserts now occupied by tents will become permanent settlements and the deceased, who are currently under the ground, will praise G-d (an allusion to the revival of the dead). G-d will go forth to redeem Israel like a mighty warrior, overpowering Babylonia. For a long time, G-d restrained Himself; no more. Now He will destroy all His foes as one. He will destroy mighty kings and rulers (compared to mountains and hills) and all their followers (compared to the grass that grows on these mountains and hills).
G-d will lead those who had been spiritually "blind" on a new path, making the darkness into light and straightening the crooked road. Those who worship idols will be ashamed. Those who were "deaf" to G-d's word will listen and those who were "blind" will see. The people will claim that it is G-d's prophet who is blind and deaf. There is much to see and hear, if people would only be receptive to it! G-d wants us to be receptive for the sake of His righteousness; He increases Torah and magnifies it. (This verse is the closing phrase of the prayer "U'va L'Tziyon.")
The people have been robbed and plundered; they have been hiding in dungeons, with nobody coming to save them. Who will now hear the promise of future redemption? Who gave Israel over to their enemies? It was G-d, because we refused to listen to His Torah. He poured out His anger; it burned all around them, but they refused to listen.
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Isaiah Chapter 41 Tue, May 18, 10 |
Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster - Length: 28:08 |
Text Pages |
"Worm of Jacob?"
By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
G-d now tells the nations to be silent in order to hear His words. After that, they may approach and speak if they wish to appeal their judgments. G-d was the One Who sent Abraham, who preached righteousness, from the East. Abraham confronted the four kings (in Genesis 14) and G-d caused Abraham to rule over them. Their weapons were ineffective against him. Abraham pursued them unerringly, despite the unfamiliar path. G-d did all this for him; He was the first to act with Adam and is also the last, with us in latter days.
The nations will see the deeds of G-d and shake with fear. They will gather together to make war, encouraging one another with faith in their idols. The various craftsmen - carpenters, metal smiths, etc. - whose work makes the idols encourage one another that that it is good. Israel, however, are the descendants of Abraham, who loved G-d. G-d took Israel from the other nations to serve Him. Israel shall not be afraid because G-d is with them. He encourages, strengthens and supports Israel. Those who gather against Israel will be thwarted. Go look for them, but you won't find them, because they'll be reduced to nothing.
Isaiah tells us that G-d metaphorically holds Israel's hand, telling us not to fear. He has always helped us. He has made us like a new, sharpened tool; we will raze mountains (referring to mighty rulers). We will crush them fine and they will blow away in the wind. We will rejoice in G-d.
The "poor" seek "water" and don't find it. (Water is a metaphor for Torah as in Amos 8:11, "not a thirst for water but to hear the words of G-d.") G-d will answer them. He will open rivers of Torah in a spiritual desert, causing all kinds of "trees" to grow. (Rashi says the trees represent wisdom, goodness and peace.)
The nations will see all this and they will understand that it was G-d Who did it. They will be invited to come and present their case. Their false prophets will speak their words and we'll see how right they are. They're nothing; they only mislead people. G-d motivates rulers, like Cyrus of Babylonia who rebuilt Jerusalem. (Still a future event when Isaiah wrote this.) He will trample princes underfoot. What "prophet" of Baal ever gave a true prophecy? Not one. Cyrus will start the redemption (though he won't finish it) and Chagai and Zechariah will encourage Darius to build up Jerusalem. No prophet of Baal will ever give a true prophecy. They've got nothing and their idols are nothing.
One odd phrase in this chapter is calling Israel the "worm of Jacob" in verse 14. That seems rather harsh in a chapter that praises and consoles Israel! Rashi explains that a worm has no strength, except in its mouth. As the Radak points out, worms can bore through the mighty cedars of Lebanon! Similarly, Israel only has strength through G-d, Whom they beseech and praise through the power of prayer.
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Isaiah Chapter 40 Mon, May 17, 10 |
Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster - Length: 29:10 |
Text Pages |
Nachamu, Nachamu Ami
By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
This chapter is the famous "Nachamu," read as the haftarah the Shabbos following Tisha b'Av. Often translated as "be comforted, My people," Rashi informs us that such is not really the case. Grammatically, G-d is speaking to the prophets and telling them, "comfort My people." This is a prophecy for Messianic times, or for the return following the Babylonian exile.
"Speak to the heart of Jerusalem," G-d says, "because her punishment is over. She has paid for her sins and then some!" A voice calls out that there is a clear path in the desert, by which the exiles may return. The mountains and valleys will be as if smoothed out in order to make travel easier. People are like grass which ultimately cut and dries up, but the word of G-d endures forever. Ascend to Jerusalem and call out to the nation "Behold your G-d!" G-d comes with a strong hand and He's bringing reward for the righteous with Him. G-d is like a shepherd, caring for His flock and carrying the lambs. He measured out the waters, the Heavens and the earth; He put His word in the mouths of the prophets. If He can do all that, He can surely keep this promise!
All the nations are like a single drop that falls from a bucket, like dust in the wind (that is, they are insignificant). All the forests of Lebanon are not enough for the fire on G-d's altar and all the animals are not enough for His sacrifices. All the nations combined are nothing compared to G-d.
What can be compared to G-d? Idols are the product of a workman's hand - worship the One Who made the world! G-d sits above the world and people are like insects before Him. He stretches out the Heavens like a canopy over us. He reduces the haughty to nothing, as if they were never planted or sown. They're like a tree whose trunk never took root; He can just blow them down. They're blown away like straw in a storm.
To whom will one compare G-d? He created the stars in the sky. He calls them by name and none of them are absent. (This means that they last for extremely long periods of time, unlike human beings.) Don't think that G-d is unaware or that He ignores the reward of the righteous. G-d is everlasting and untiring - there's simply no way we limited beings can understand His ways. He gives strength to the weary. Those who put their faith in G-d will have renewed vigor, as eagles' wings. They will walk and run back to the land without tiring.
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Isaiah Chapter 40-Special Mon, May 17, 10 |
Isaiah and the Haftarah
By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
The haftarah is a weekly portion from a book of Neviim (the Prophets), that is read after the Torah reading on Shabbos and on many other special days. Typically, the haftarah has a thematic connection to the Torah reading, as it was originally introduced as a substitute for the regular reading at a time when public reading of the Torah was banned by the secular authorities. Despite the similar-sounding names, "haftarah" is not related to the word "Torah." ("Haftarah" is spelled with a Hebrew letter tes for its "T" sound; "Torah" has a taf.)
More haftaros come from the Book of Isaiah than from any other Book of Prophets. Out of 54 parshiyos, 15 are from Isaiah (according to Ashkenazic tradition). Additionally, the haftaros for Yom Kippur morning, the last day of Pesach, a Rosh Chodesh that falls on Shabbos, and fast days at Mincha are all from Isaiah.
In the summer, we have a long series of haftaros that come from this Book. These are called the shiva d'nechamta, the seven of consolation. They begin with the Shabbos following Tisha B'Av, which is called Shabbos Nachamu. The Shabbos actually receives its name from the haftarah, which begins, "Nachamu, nachamu, ami," "Be comforted, be comforted, my people." This comes from Isaiah chapter 40, which is read as the haftarah for parshas Va'eschanan. The following weeks are from the subsequent chapters, although not in strict chronological order. They are:
* Eikev - from the middle of chapter 49 through the start of chapter 51
* Re'eh - middle of chapter 54 through the start of chapter 55
* Shoftim - middle of chapter 51 and most of chapter 52
* Ki Seitze- - the first part of chapter 54
* Ki Savo - chapter 60
* Nitzavim - the end of chapter 61 through the start of chapter 63
(It may be curious that haftaros frequently start and end mid-chapter. The chapter and verse system was invented by Christian scholars. It's a very useful tool, but it doesn't always jibe with our tradition as to where topics start and end. That's why aliyos and parshiyos frequently don't line up with the chapter breaks a verse or two off.)
Unlike most haftaros, the "seven of consolation" do not relate to the content of the weekly Torah reading. They are meant to comfort klal Yisroel after the sadness of Three Weeks commemorating the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Temples. They are all taken from Isaiah, as the last third of his book focuses heavily on the theme of consolation.
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In Depth: II Kings Chapter 1-2 Mon, Apr 05, 10 |
Rabbi Menachem Leibtag - Length: 20:36 |
From Eliyahu to Elisha - From Din to Rachamim