נֵ"ר תָּמִי"ד

בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם; וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאוֹר, כִּי-טוֹב; וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים, בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם, וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה; וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם אֶחָד. וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, וְכָל-צְבָאָם, בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם.

הָיָה דְבַר-יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָהָם, בַּמַּחֲזֶה, לֵאמֹר: אַל-תִּירָא אַבְרָהָם, אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ--שְׂכָרְךָ, הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד. וְהֶאֱמִן, בַּיהוָה; וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ, צְדָקָה. וַיֹּאמֶר, אֵלָיו: אֲנִי יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵחָרָן--לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, לְרִשְׁתָּהּ. וַיֹּאמַר: אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, קְחָה לִי עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת, וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת, וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ; וְתֹר, וְגוֹזָל. וַיִּקַּח-לוֹ אֶת-כָּל-אֵלֶּה, וַיְבַתֵּר אֹתָם בַּתָּוֶךְ, וַיִּתֵּן אִישׁ-בִּתְרוֹ, לִקְרַאת רֵעֵהוּ; וְאֶת-הַצִּפֹּר, לֹא בָתָר. וַיֵּרֶד הָעַיִט, עַל-הַפְּגָרִים; וַיַּשֵּׁב אֹתָם, אַבְרָהָם. וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא, וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל-אַבְרָהָם; וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה חֲשֵׁכָה גְדֹלָה, נֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו. וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָהָם, יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי-גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם, וַעֲבָדוּם, וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם--אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה. וְגַם אֶת-הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ, דָּן אָנֹכִי; וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן יֵצְאוּ, בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל. וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶל-אֲבֹתֶיךָ, בְּשָׁלוֹם: תִּקָּבֵר, בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה. וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי, יָשׁוּבוּ הֵנָּה: כִּי לֹא-שָׁלֵם עֲו‍ֹן הָאֱמֹרִי, עַד-הֵנָּה.

הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר-קָנָה אַבְרָהָם, מֵאֵת בְּנֵי-חֵת--שָׁמָּה קֻבַּר אַבְרָהָם, וְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ. וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה, מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים--שְׁנֵי, חַיֵּי שָׂרָה. וְאֵלֶּה, יְמֵי שְׁנֵי-חַיֵּי אַבְרָהָם--אֲשֶׁר-חָי מְאַת שָׁנָה וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה, וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וַיִּגְוַע. וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל, בָּנָיו, אֶל-מְעָרַת, הַמַּכְפֵּלָה: אֶל-שְׂדֵה עֶפְרֹן בֶּן-צֹחַר, הַחִתִּי, אֲשֶׁר, עַל-פְּנֵי מַמְרֵא. וַיָּקָם הַשָּׂדֶה וְהַמְּעָרָה אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ, לְאַבְרָהָם--לַאֲחֻזַּת-קָבֶר: מֵאֵת, בְּנֵי-חֵת.

וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אַבְרָהָם וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב יִצְחָק, עִם-בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי. וַיִּשְׁכְּן יִשְׁמָעֵאל מֵחֲוִילָה עַד-שׁוּר, אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי מִצְרַיִם, בֹּאֲכָה, אַשּׁוּרָה; עַל-פְּנֵי כָל-אֶחָיו ,נָפָל. וְאֵלֶּה, שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל--מְאַת שָׁנָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה, וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים; וַיִּגְוַע. וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַיהוָה לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ, כִּי עֲקָרָה הִוא; וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְהוָה, וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ. וַיִּתְרֹצְצוּ הַבָּנִים, בְּקִרְבָּהּ, וַתֹּאמֶר אִם-כֵּן, לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי; וַתֵּלֶךְ, לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת-יְהוָה. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לָהּ, שְׁנֵי גֹיִים בְּבִטְנֵךְ, וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים, מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ; וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ, וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר. וַיִּמְלְאוּ יָמֶיהָ, לָלֶדֶת; וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם, בְּבִטְנָהּ. וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי, כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר; וַיִּקְרְאוּ שְׁמוֹ, עֵשָׂו. וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו, וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו, וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ, יַעֲקֹב; וְיִצְחָק בֶּן-שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה, בְּלֶדֶת אֹתָם. וַיִּהְיוּ, יְמֵי יִצְחָק--מְאַת שָׁנָה, וּשְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה, וַיִּגְוַע. וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ, עֵשָׂו וְיַעֲקֹב בָּנָיו.

וַיֶּאֱהַב יַעֲקֹב, אֶת-רָחֵל; וַיַּעֲבֹד יַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל, שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים; וַיִּהְיוּ בְעֵינָיו כְּיָמִים אֲחָדִים, בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ אֹתָהּ. וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-רָחֵל; וַיִּשְׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ אֱלֹהִים, וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת-רַחְמָהּ. וַתַּהַר, וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן; וַתֹּאמֶר, אָסַף אֱלֹהִים אֶת-חֶרְפָּתִי. וַתִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ יוֹסֵף. וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת-יַעֲקֹב אָבִיו, וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה; וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב, אֶת-פַּרְעֹה. וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה, אֶל-יַעֲקֹב: כַּמָּה, יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיֶּיךָ. וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי, שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה: מְעַט וְרָעִים, הָיוּ יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיַּי, וְלֹא הִשִּׂיגוּ אֶת-יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי אֲבֹתַי, בִּימֵי מְגוּרֵיהֶם. וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב, אֶת-פַּרְעֹה; וַיֵּצֵא, מִלִּפְנֵי פַרְעֹה. וַיּוֹשֵׁב יוֹסֵף, אֶת-אָבִיו וְאֶת-אֶחָיו, וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזָּה בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ בְּאֶרֶץ רַעְמְסֵס. וַיְכַלְכֵּל יוֹסֵף אֶת-אָבִיו וְאֶת-אֶחָיו, וְאֵת כָּל-בֵּית אָבִיו--לֶחֶם, לְפִי הַטָּף. ויִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד. וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה; וַיְהִי יְמֵי-יַעֲקֹב, שְׁנֵי חַיָּיו--שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, וְאַרְבָּעִים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, וַיִּגְוַע

וּמוֹשַׁב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר יָשְׁבוּ בְּמִצְרָיִם--שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה, וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה. וַיְהִי, מִקֵּץ שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה, וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה; וַיְהִי, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, יָצְאוּ כָּל-צִבְאוֹת יְהוָה, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. לֵיל שִׁמֻּרִים הוּא לַיהוָה, לְהוֹצִיאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם: הוּא-הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיהוָה, שִׁמֻּרִים לְכָל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדֹרֹתָם

בַּחֹדֶשׁ, הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, לְצֵאת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם--בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, בָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי. וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה, אֶל-הָהָר; וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן, אֶת-הָהָר. וַיִּשְׁכֹּן כְּבוֹד-יְהוָה עַל-הַר סִינַי, וַיְכַסֵּהוּ הֶעָנָן שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים; וַיִּקְרָא אֶל-מֹשֶׁה בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן לֵאמֹר: וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ כָּתִית--לַמָּאוֹר: לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר, תָּמִיד. וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, כְּאֵשׁ אֹכֶלֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר, לְעֵינֵי, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן, וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים, אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה:
אָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים
לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת-שֵׁם-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לַשָּׁוְא: כִּי לֹא יְנַקֶּה יְהוָה, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִשָּׂא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ לַשָּׁוְא
זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁוֹ
וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ; וְשָׁכַנְתִּי, בְּתוֹכָם
כַּבֵּד אֶת-אָבִיךָ, וְאֶת-אִמֶּךָ
לֹא תִרְצָח
לֹא תִנְאָף
לֹא תִגְנֹב
לֹא-תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר
לֹא תַחְמֹד, בֵּית רֵעֶךָ. לֹא-תַחְמֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ, וְעַבְדּוֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ וְשׁוֹרוֹ וַחֲמֹרוֹ, וְכֹל, אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ

(Download here)

וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ
  י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

(Tehilim 22)

Hemshech Purim

We saw that we live in a time that the generational parameter n should have been four. That means that in the four years 3, 8, 11, and 19 of the cycle of 19 cycle, we have a special opportunity.

These are the four years per cycle that are a leap year that should have been moved up to the following year. In other words, we have Pesach one month late, and should have been what is currently 14 Adar Beth, or thereabout. That is Purim, or Shushan Purim, or, in rare cases, just before or after these days, and that seems more than a mere coincidence.

Let me suggest that it is proper to include into Purim festivities, a Pesach meal, with Matzot, on the day (evening) that should have been the first day of Pesach. The first such opportunity will be 14 Adar Beth 5779, after that it will be 16 Adar Beth of 5784, 14 Adar Beth of 5787, and 13 Adar Beth of 5795.

We call this day Hemshech Purim, and it appears that Hemshech Purim can be on the days 13, 14, 15, 16 of Adar Beth. Starting from year 7001 in can also fall in the month of Adar in a regular year, if by then we have not changed the calendar.

Actually, the dates 13, 15, 16 of Adar Beth are rare for Hemshech Purim to fall on. I counted that Hemshech Purim is 14 Adar Beth in 16 out of the 22 cases that will occur in the years 5779 - 5879. It will be 13 Adar Beth in 3 cases, 15 Adar Beth in one case, and 16 Adar Beth in 2 cases.

I found a total of six kinds of calendrical differences among the 22 cases, three of them corresponding to the same date for Hemshech Purim, 14 Adar Beth.

Shavuot Sameach!

אֱֽלֹהַ֗י אֶקְרָ֣א י֭וֹמָם וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֶ֑ה
  וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה וְֽלֹא־דֻֽמִיָּ֥ה לִֽי

(Tehilim 22)

Article Summary

We have shown how simple it is to change the Hebrew calendar, with the Gauss algorithm. There are now three options before us.

The first option is summarized by (S_M is the Metonic year)

S_E = S_M - 3K/1000 = 365.24216,

telling us that having the calendar change itself every 1000/3 years gives us the tropical year S_E.

The second option, is to have the calendar change itself every 360 years, which approximately gives the Gregorian year:

S_G ≅ S_M - 3K/1080 = 365.242505.

Of course, there is always the option of doing nothing, or

S_M = 365.24682.

What year do we want, S_M, S_G, or S_E? Surely S_E, and certainly the algorithm of section 9. It is the most natural calendar, with the deepest of roots, the most precise, and this calendar is waiting for its natural adoptor.

Blessed are those who in this world go on the road of truth.

אשריהם ההולכים בדרך אמת בעוה"ז

Distribution Of Pesach Dates

According to the proposed calendar, the first day of Pesach can fall on the dates 19 March until 22 April. Extending both the 'Hebrew' calendar and the Gregorian date system into the past, this is their distribution over the years 600-7439:

19 March: 6 times
20 March: 47 times
21 March: 110 times
22 March: 190 times
23 March: 232 times
24 March: 223 times
25 March: 227 times
26 March: 240 times
27 March: 223 times
28 March: 235 times
29 March: 236 times
30 March: 226 times
31 March: 237 times
1 April: 206 times
2 April: 236 times
3 April: 240 times
4 April: 230 times
5 April: 239 times
6 April: 223 times
7 April: 222 times
8 April: 233 times
9 April: 238 times
10 April: 228 times
11 April: 235 times
12 April: 230 times
13 April: 231 times
14 April: 237 times
15 April: 221 times
16 April: 236 times
17 April: 224 times
18 April: 216 times
19 April: 177 times
20 April: 82 times
21 April: 30 times
22 April: 2 times


It is on 19 March in the years 5016, 7001, 7039, 7354, 7373, 7411. It is on 22 April twice, in the years 875, 970. As expected, this shows a small shift of the Gregorian calendar, as the month of March moves slowly towards the Summer.

Compare this to the current calendar, the output of which, for the same years 600 until 7439, shows a very wide distribution of dates, ranging from 04-03 (in the years 605, 624, 643, 757) until 02-05 (in the years 7285, 7304, 7384). Pesach has shifted a whole month.

אֵלִ֣י אֵ֭לִי לָמָ֣ה עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי
  רָח֥וֹק מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י דִּבְרֵ֥י שַׁאֲגָתִֽי

(Tehilim 22)

The Fixed Hebrew Calendar

I wrote the present paper as an extension of a paper entitled Gauss Formula for the Julian Date of Passover by Zvi Har'El. For reasons of completeness, a lot of material is copied from this paper. The generational parameter n, introduced in Section 2, is new, and reveals a freedom in the Gauss algorithm. Section 7 deals with this freedom, and proposes a way to determine n and so to "fix" the calendar.

Thus, a way exists to spectacularly increase the validity of the calendar, using the same data for the first molad, the first new moon, and the same length of the month, given by the Talmud, and the same rules for exceptions. Until, in our proposal, the first molad changes in the year 7334.

Here is a Hebrew version of the paper.

Here is the output of the complete Java program based on the algorithm proposed in the paper.

וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב

(Bamidbar 23:9)

Sefer Zerubavel

As a present from me for Pesach, please download to enjoy, Sefer Zerubavel, a book that "never" appeared before, as far as I know, in its current form. Its chapters correspond to the chapters 40 to 66 of Yeshaya. Yeshaya 35 was included in the final chapter of my Sefer Zerubavel, after verse 16. There it replaces the fragment Yeshaya 66:17-19, which likely belongs to Yeshayahu 33, and the fragments Yeshaya 66:20-21, 23-24, which seem not to fit in Sefer Zerubavel. Also Yeshaya 34 is not included. It could be that Yeshaya 34 plus Yeshaya 66:20-21, 23-24 is an extraneous oracle that was used to glue Yeshayahu and Sefer Zerubavel together.

Why the name Zerubavel? Zerubavel is the obvious candidate for being the anonymous prophet Deutero-Yeshaya, in my humble opinion. For who wants a sign in the text, in Zecharyah 4:7 it says:

מי-אתה הר-הגדול לפני זרובבל, למישור

The word למישור appears right next to זרובבל. It is repeated in Yeshaya 40:4,

כָּל גֶּיא יִנָּשֵׂא וְכָל הַר וְגִבְעָה יִשְׁפָּלוּ וְהָיָה הֶעָקֹב לְמִישׁוֹר וְהָרְכָסִים לְבִקְעָ

and again in Yeshaya 42:16,

וְהוֹלַכְתִּי עִוְרִים בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא יָדָעוּ בִּנְתִיבוֹת לֹא יָדְעוּ אַדְרִיכֵם אָשִׂים מַחְשָׁךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם לָאוֹר וּמַעֲקַשִּׁים לְמִישׁוֹר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים עֲשִׂיתִם וְלֹא עֲזַבְתִּים

and nowhere else in Tenach. What is the הר-הגדול that will become למישור? Zerubavel, Moshiach, will be astounding: he will destroy the power of evil.

Sefer Zerubavel is meant as a Tikkun.

Pesach Sameach!

Perush Yeshaya 45

The fragment Yeshaya 45 verses 1-7:

כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה, לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְכוֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר-הֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִימִינוֹ לְרַד-לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם, וּמָתְנֵי מְלָכִים, אֲפַתֵּחַ--לִפְתֹּחַ לְפָנָיו דְּלָתַיִם, וּשְׁעָרִים לֹא יִסָּגֵרוּ. אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ אֵלֵךְ, וַהֲדוּרִים אושר (אֲיַשֵּׁר); דַּלְתוֹת נְחוּשָׁה אֲשַׁבֵּר, וּבְרִיחֵי בַרְזֶל אֲגַדֵּעַ. וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אוֹצְרוֹת חֹשֶׁךְ, וּמַטְמֻנֵי מִסְתָּרִים: לְמַעַן תֵּדַע, כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה הַקּוֹרֵא בְשִׁמְךָ--אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. לְמַעַן עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחִירִי; וָאֶקְרָא לְךָ בִּשְׁמֶךָ, אֲכַנְּךָ וְלֹא יְדַעְתָּנִי. אֲנִי יְהוָה וְאֵין עוֹד, זוּלָתִי אֵין אֱלֹהִים; אֲאַזֶּרְךָ, וְלֹא יְדַעְתָּנִי. לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ, מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ וּמִמַּעֲרָבָה, כִּי-אֶפֶס, בִּלְעָדָי: אֲנִי יְהוָה, וְאֵין עוֹד. יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֹשֶׁךְ, עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא רָע; אֲנִי יְהוָה, עֹשֶׂה כָל-אֵלֶּה

The last verse appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Thus says the Lord to phis anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you did not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you did not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Hashem speaks to Cyrus. "I call you by your name, I name you, though you did not know me." "I equip you, though you did not know me." For a awesome purpose, a world-wide purpose. People do not know it, to its full extent, even today, 2500 years later. But they will know, 'from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me." "That you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen." "I form light," the light is My presence, "and create darkness," the darkness is My absence.

Cyrus believed in Zoroastrianism, in which light and darkness, good and bad, are two distinct forces. The prophet finds Zoroastrianism convincing but for this exception: I am the Lord, the God of Israel, I form light and create darkness. I make Shalom and I create evil. The above is an attempt to correct Cyrus. That is why it says in the same chapter 45, that Hashem [Bore Hashamayim] Hu Haelohim in כִּי כֹה אָמַר-יְהוָה בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. And אֲנִי יְהוָה, וְאֵין עוֹד, I am Hashem, there is no other. And אֲנִי יְהוָה דֹּבֵר צֶדֶק, I am Hashem, I am speaker of Tzedek, the Truth. The prophet speaks to his own people over the head of Cyrus, saying, Hashem Hu Haelohim is the universal force of good of Zoroastrianism, the speaker of Tzedek. Chazal added that the Sofei Teivot of בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים form the word אמת, truth (Shabbat 55a).

The difference between the prophet, Zerubavel, and Cyrus, is that, according to the prophet, eschatologically the good side will win, in this world, because ultimately it is the only side. It is ironic that the Torah of Zerubavel was succeeded by the Torah of P, whereas in Iran, the country of Zoroastrianism, the Islam took power. The dark sides won, it seems. Now, Iran threatens to destroy Israel with a nuclear bomb. Israel's hope is the Torah of Zerubavel, which is also the Torah of Ramchal. Hashem is the Good, Tzedek, the Truth, and He will win, because "there is no other." This is the approach of the Good, the Jewish approach. "I declare what is right." He is מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים, and we are to be right, totally honest, like our G-d. Our leaders, including the Rabbanim, have to be honest about what is called the Torah. Let us start now, this Pesach.

Pesach Sameach!

Perush Yeshaya 42

The fragment Yeshaya 42 verses 16-21:

וְהוֹלַכְתִּי עִוְרִים, בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא יָדָעוּ--בִּנְתִיבוֹת לֹא-יָדְעוּ, אַדְרִיכֵם; אָשִׂים מַחְשָׁךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם לָאוֹר, וּמַעֲקַשִּׁים לְמִישׁוֹר--אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, עֲשִׂיתִם וְלֹא עֲזַבְתִּים. נָסֹגוּ אָחוֹר יֵבֹשׁוּ בֹשֶׁת, הַבֹּטְחִים בַּפָּסֶל; הָאֹמְרִים לְמַסֵּכָה, אַתֶּם אֱלֹהֵינוּ. הַחֵרְשִׁים, שְׁמָעוּ; וְהַעִוְרִים, הַבִּיטוּ לִרְאוֹת. מִי עִוֵּר כִּי אִם-עַבְדִּי, וְחֵרֵשׁ כְּמַלְאָכִי אֶשְׁלָח; מִי עִוֵּר כִּמְשֻׁלָּם, וְעִוֵּר כְּעֶבֶד יְהוָה. ראית (רָאוֹת) רַבּוֹת, וְלֹא תִשְׁמֹר; פָּקוֹחַ אָזְנַיִם, וְלֹא יִשְׁמָע. יְהוָה חָפֵץ, לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ; יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה, וְיַאְדִּיר

The last verse appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.” Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.

The blindness is not just because they wish to be blind. They really do not see the Way.

Pesach Sameach!

Perush Yeshaya 48

The fragment Yeshaya 48 verses 16b-21:

וְעַתָּה, אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה שְׁלָחַנִי--וְרוּחוֹ. כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה גֹּאַלְךָ, קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל, מַדְרִיכְךָ בְּדֶרֶךְ תֵּלֵךְ. לוּא הִקְשַׁבְתָּ, לְמִצְו‍ֹתָי; וַיְהִי כַנָּהָר שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וְצִדְקָתְךָ כְּגַלֵּי הַיָּם. וַיְהִי כַחוֹל זַרְעֶךָ, וְצֶאֱצָאֵי מֵעֶיךָ כִּמְעֹתָיו; לֹא-יִכָּרֵת וְלֹא-יִשָּׁמֵד שְׁמוֹ, מִלְּפָנָי. צְאוּ מִבָּבֶל, בִּרְחוּ מִכַּשְׂדִּים, בְּקוֹל רִנָּה הַגִּידוּ הַשְׁמִיעוּ זֹאת, הוֹצִיאוּהָ עַד-קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ; אִמְרוּ, גָּאַל יְהוָה עַבְדּוֹ יַעֲקֹב. וְלֹא צָמְאוּ, בָּחֳרָבוֹת הוֹלִיכָם--מַיִם מִצּוּר, הִזִּיל לָמוֹ; וַיִּבְקַע-צוּר--וַיָּזֻבוּ, מָיִם

The bold-faced verse appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit. Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me.” Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea, declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it out to the end of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!” They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and the water gushed out.

This has a genuine instance of "My Mitzvot," perhaps, time-wise, the first such instance. But the "commandments" seem to be to flee from Babylon, to shout it out to the end of the world. They are not "the commandments" of the Torah!

The miracle of the water, is as before, first of all a Mashal for a deeper reality. The Jews of Bavel did not understand this message of Zerubavel, of Moshiach ben David. "Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!" And what happened to Zerubavel? He became the suffering Moshiach, Moshiach ben Yosef.

And because they did not understand, they received the Mitzvot, in what came to be the Torah. "Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!" Oh that you understood My Mitzvot! Would that you knew Me and therefore My Mishpatim. As Nietzsche wrote and Zarathustra spoke, it is because of "I will" that we will do, nut because of "Thou shalt."

Pesach Sameach!

Perush Yeshaya 35

The fragment Yeshaya 35:

יְשֻׂשׂוּם מִדְבָּר, וְצִיָּה; וְתָגֵל עֲרָבָה וְתִפְרַח, כַּחֲבַצָּלֶת. פָּרֹחַ תִּפְרַח וְתָגֵל, אַף גִּילַת וְרַנֵּן--כְּבוֹד הַלְּבָנוֹן נִתַּן-לָהּ, הֲדַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְהַשָּׁרוֹן; הֵמָּה יִרְאוּ כְבוֹד-יְהוָה, הֲדַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ. חַזְּקוּ, יָדַיִם רָפוֹת; וּבִרְכַּיִם כֹּשְׁלוֹת, אַמֵּצוּ. אִמְרוּ, לְנִמְהֲרֵי-לֵב, חִזְקוּ, אַל-תִּירָאוּ; הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, נָקָם יָבוֹא--גְּמוּל אֱלֹהִים, הוּא יָבוֹא וְיֹשַׁעֲכֶם. אָז תִּפָּקַחְנָה, עֵינֵי עִוְרִים; וְאָזְנֵי חֵרְשִׁים, תִּפָּתַחְנָה. אָז יְדַלֵּג כָּאַיָּל פִּסֵּחַ, וְתָרֹן לְשׁוֹן אִלֵּם: כִּי-נִבְקְעוּ בַמִּדְבָּר מַיִם, וּנְחָלִים בָּעֲרָבָה. וְהָיָה הַשָּׁרָב לַאֲגַם, וְצִמָּאוֹן לְמַבּוּעֵי מָיִם; בִּנְוֵה תַנִּים רִבְצָהּ, חָצִיר לְקָנֶה וָגֹמֶא. וְהָיָה-שָׁם מַסְלוּל וָדֶרֶךְ, וְדֶרֶךְ הַקֹּדֶשׁ יִקָּרֵא לָהּ--לֹא-יַעַבְרֶנּוּ טָמֵא, וְהוּא-לָמוֹ; הֹלֵךְ דֶּרֶךְ וֶאֱוִילִים, לֹא יִתְעוּ. לֹא-יִהְיֶה שָׁם אַרְיֵה, וּפְרִיץ חַיּוֹת בַּל-יַעֲלֶנָּה--לֹא תִמָּצֵא, שָׁם; וְהָלְכוּ, גְּאוּלִים. וּפְדוּיֵי יְהוָה יְשֻׁבוּן, וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה, וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם, עַל-רֹאשָׁם; שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ, וְנָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה

The last verse appears as the title of our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

This shows a deeper reason for gladness than what was said here. The Way of Holiness is not a physical road. Rather, physical reality is a Mashal for something deeper. It is the way to the tree of Life, a secret road to longevity, protected by the flaming sword. Therefore, "the unclean shall not pass over it," "even if they are fools, they shall not go astray." Also "no lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it." The miracle of the water, is also a Mashal for this deeper reality. "For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water," points to the Way. The Way of Holiness, Derech Hakodesh, is a remedy to the brain and hence for many diseases; "then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy," and even death is not forced upon him/her who has found this Way of Holiness. Therefore, "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads." Who will come to show this Derech Hakodesh? "The Lord will arise upon you". "Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” And "the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing." "The lame man shall leap like a deer;" the lame man is called פִּסֵּחַ. Therefore:

Pesach Sameach!

Perush Yeshaya 57

The fragment Yeshaya 57:3-21:

וְאַתֶּם קִרְבוּ-הֵנָּה, בְּנֵי עֹנְנָה; זֶרַע מְנָאֵף, וַתִּזְנֶה. עַל-מִי, תִּתְעַנָּגוּ--עַל-מִי תַּרְחִיבוּ פֶה, תַּאֲרִיכוּ לָשׁוֹן; הֲלוֹא-אַתֶּם יִלְדֵי-פֶשַׁע, זֶרַע שָׁקֶר. הַנֵּחָמִים, בָּאֵלִים, תַּחַת, כָּל-עֵץ רַעֲנָן; שֹׁחֲטֵי הַיְלָדִים בַּנְּחָלִים, תַּחַת סְעִפֵי הַסְּלָעִים. בְּחַלְּקֵי-נַחַל חֶלְקֵךְ, הֵם הֵם גּוֹרָלֵךְ; גַּם-לָהֶם שָׁפַכְתְּ נֶסֶךְ, הֶעֱלִית מִנְחָה--הַעַל אֵלֶּה, אֶנָּחֵם. עַל הַר-גָּבֹהַּ וְנִשָּׂא, שַׂמְתְּ מִשְׁכָּבֵךְ; גַּם-שָׁם עָלִית, לִזְבֹּחַ זָבַח. וְאַחַר הַדֶּלֶת וְהַמְּזוּזָה, שַׂמְתְּ זִכְרוֹנֵךְ: כִּי מֵאִתִּי גִּלִּית וַתַּעֲלִי, הִרְחַבְתְּ מִשְׁכָּבֵךְ וַתִּכְרָת-לָךְ מֵהֶם--אָהַבְתְּ מִשְׁכָּבָם, יָד חָזִית. וַתָּשֻׁרִי לַמֶּלֶךְ בַּשֶּׁמֶן, וַתַּרְבִּי רִקֻּחָיִךְ; וַתְּשַׁלְּחִי צִרַיִךְ עַד-מֵרָחֹק, וַתַּשְׁפִּילִי עַד-שְׁאוֹל. בְּרֹב דַּרְכֵּךְ יָגַעַתְּ, לֹא אָמַרְתְּ נוֹאָשׁ; חַיַּת יָדֵךְ מָצָאת, עַל-כֵּן לֹא חָלִית. וְאֶת-מִי דָּאַגְתְּ וַתִּירְאִי, כִּי תְכַזֵּבִי, וְאוֹתִי לֹא זָכַרְתְּ, לֹא-שַׂמְתְּ עַל-לִבֵּךְ; הֲלֹא אֲנִי מַחְשֶׁה וּמֵעֹלָם, וְאוֹתִי לֹא תִירָאִי. אֲנִי אַגִּיד, צִדְקָתֵךְ; וְאֶת-מַעֲשַׂיִךְ, וְלֹא יוֹעִילוּךְ. בְּזַעֲקֵךְ יַצִּילֻךְ קִבּוּצַיִךְ, וְאֶת-כֻּלָּם יִשָּׂא-רוּחַ יִקַּח-הָבֶל; וְהַחוֹסֶה בִי יִנְחַל-אֶרֶץ, וְיִירַשׁ הַר-קָדְשִׁי. וְאָמַר סֹלּוּ-סֹלּוּ, פַּנּוּ-דָרֶךְ; הָרִימוּ מִכְשׁוֹל, מִדֶּרֶךְ עַמִּי. כִּי כֹה אָמַר רָם וְנִשָּׂא, שֹׁכֵן עַד וְקָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ--מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ, אֶשְׁכּוֹן; וְאֶת-דַּכָּא, וּשְׁפַל-רוּחַ, לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים, וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים. כִּי לֹא לְעוֹלָם אָרִיב, וְלֹא לָנֶצַח אֶקְצוֹף: כִּי-רוּחַ מִלְּפָנַי יַעֲטוֹף, וּנְשָׁמוֹת אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי. בַּעֲו‍ֹן בִּצְעוֹ קָצַפְתִּי וְאַכֵּהוּ, הַסְתֵּר וְאֶקְצֹף; וַיֵּלֶךְ שׁוֹבָב, בְּדֶרֶךְ לִבּוֹ. דְּרָכָיו רָאִיתִי, וְאֶרְפָּאֵהוּ; וְאַנְחֵהוּ, וַאֲשַׁלֵּם נִחֻמִים לוֹ וְלַאֲבֵלָיו. בּוֹרֵא, נוב (נִיב) שְׂפָתָיִם; שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב, אָמַר יְהוָה--וּרְפָאתִיו. וְהָרְשָׁעִים, כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ: כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכָל, וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט. אֵין שָׁלוֹם, אָמַר אֱלֹהַי לָרְשָׁעִים

The bold-faced verse appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness. You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, “It is hopeless”; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint. Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me? I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you. When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain. And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made. Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

This is an elaboration of the previous post and therefore is directed at the "sons of the sorceress," the "children of transgression," the perceivers of nothing, dumb dogs, blind worshippers of P. Zerubavel would say of the Kohanim that they are "like one who blesses an idol," and this is how he said it. The evil of P is in the blind faith it demands, a faith that simply states the "truth," without confronting criticism, which is a sure way to falsehood. A person who really believes in the falsehood, and makes a career in the system, and therefore acquires a vested interest in keeping things going, is able to do anything. For the sake of "Torah." How can he be healed? Through the Torah of Zerubavel.

Moreover, "the dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough." There are many present-day "profit-yielding" systems; the Rabbanut system and the Kashrut "business" are prime examples, for "dogs" that ware a Kippa. But without a Kippa, they are still "dogs." Think about the governmental Mosdot in Israel. Many are the "profit-yielding" systems among the Mosdot, such as the Misrad Harishui "business," or the Bituach Leumi "business," or the legal system with its many branches. Or think about the camp of the lovers of "peace" with their money flowing in from the US and Europe. "There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.” Many are the "tricks" one can do to avoid paying one's dues, and many are the "tricks" to make someone pay who should not pay. It is the "profit" and the "appetite" of the "dogs" that makes these systems work. "And tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure." Even a good soul can get stuck in these evil systems. Therefore it says: "Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him."

“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a shofar; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins." Before the awesome, fearful, day comes, we will hear it, starting from the study hall. What will we hear? Like the shofar we will hear, "the sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!"

Pesach Sameach!

Yeshaya 56, 57

The fragment Yeshaya 56:10-12, 57:1-2:

צֹפָו עִוְרִים כֻּלָּם, לֹא יָדָעוּ--כֻּלָּם כְּלָבִים אִלְּמִים, לֹא יוּכְלוּ לִנְבֹּחַ; הֹזִים, שֹׁכְבִים, אֹהֲבֵי, לָנוּם. וְהַכְּלָבִים עַזֵּי-נֶפֶשׁ, לֹא יָדְעוּ שָׂבְעָה, וְהֵמָּה רֹעִים, לֹא יָדְעוּ הָבִין; כֻּלָּם לְדַרְכָּם פָּנוּ, אִישׁ לְבִצְעוֹ מִקָּצֵהוּ. אֵתָיוּ אֶקְחָה-יַיִן, וְנִסְבְּאָה שֵׁכָר; וְהָיָה כָזֶה יוֹם מָחָר, גָּדוֹל יֶתֶר מְאֹד. הַצַּדִּיק אָבָד, וְאֵין אִישׁ שָׂם עַל-לֵב; וְאַנְשֵׁי-חֶסֶד נֶאֱסָפִים בְּאֵין מֵבִין, כִּי-מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָה נֶאֱסַף הַצַּדִּיק. יָבוֹא שָׁלוֹם, יָנוּחוּ עַל-מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם; הֹלֵךְ, נְכֹחוֹ.

The first verse appears in in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all. “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.” The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; she enters into peace; they rest tin their beds who walk in their uprightness.

Surely, by now you recognize the scene: "His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge." Rav Cherlow continues:

זו בהחלט שיטה אפשרית. כבר מיחסה של התורה שבכתב אל העבודה הזרה, דרך הדיונים בגמרא, ועד ההלכה למעשה, אנו מוצאים כי אחת השיטות להתמודדות עם אלטרנטיבות למסורת הקודש היא פשוט התעלמות. ההיגיון שיש בהתעלמות נובע גם מהעובדה שעצם ההתמודדות עם שיטה מסוימת מהווה הכרה בה כראויה להתמודדות, ואילו ההתעלמות המוחלטת מבטאת את הטיעון שאין לה מקום כלל, ושאין היא ברמה הראויה להתייחסות. אולם אור ההתעלמות מטיל כדרכו גם צל כבד, ויש בהתעלמות זו שתי רעות. רעה ראשונה היא מה שאירע לך. אי אפשר לחסום את הידע באופן מוחלט, ולא מעטים הם בחורי הישיבה ובנות המדרשות השונות אשר נחשפים אליה בגיל מאוחר יותר. אז הם נכבשים בדבריה, נאלמים דומייה מול טענותיה, ונאלצים לפורר את עולמם הרוחני. לא זו בלבד, אלא שחלקם מתמלא טינה כנגד רבותיו ומלמדיו על כך שהם רימו אותו, ולא הביאו לידיעתו את דבריה. קשה לי למנות את מספר הפונים אלי בתחושה של "אנא עזור לנו שלא ליפול לתהומות הכפירה" בשל התופעה הזו. אפילו בבחינת "דע מה שתשיב" הביקורת לא נלמדת כלל בעולם הישיבות, גם לא בישיבה שלי, אם כי הבחורים הלומדים בישיבה בה אני מלמד יודעים שהיא קיימת, ומכירים חלק מקושיותיה בהן אני משתמש, וכדלהלן. שים לב כי מדובר בשני היבטים של רעה זו: הן בכך שכאשר נפגשים עם דבריה ניצבים ערומים וחשופים בלי מגן, והן בכך שנוצרת טענה חמורה כלפי מלמדי התורה על כך שהסתירו בפניהם את הקושיות האלה, ותחושה של "סבבוני בכחש" הולכת וגוברת

"The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands." Sic. Rav Cherlow further continues:

רעה שנייה נמצאת במקום הרבה יותר מרומם. ממורנו ורבינו הרב ברויאר, זכר צדיק לברכה, למדנו כי עולמות של כפירה לא נועדו רק להיות שליחיו של השטן. הראשונים, לדוגמה, לא ראו באריסטו רק את הסטרא אחרא ואת ה"בעל דבר", אלא "גיירו" אותו כהלכה, והפכו את מקור הכפירה לשורש האמונה. "הפילוסופיה הארורה" הפכה בדרכם לאחד ממבועי היצירה התורנית המשמעותית ביותר. מדברי הרב ברויאר למדנו כי הכלל היותר עמוק והיותר משמעותי בעולמו של האדם המאמין בעיניים פקוחות הוא "להוציא יקר מזולל". ביקורת המקרא מציעה דרך מסוימת לקרוא את העובדות בתורה. אי אפשר לעצום את העיניים בפני הקריאה הזו, מכמה סיבות: ראשית, לא ניתן לעצום עיניים, והדברים חודרים גם אם אדם מכסה את פניו בכמה כיסויים — בדיוק כפי שאירע לך; שנית, התפיסה האמונית היסודית של חיינו צריכה להיות של מבקשי אמונה לא מתוך הסתרה אלא מתוך גילוי, לא מתוך עצימה אלא מתוך פקיחת עיניים לרווחה, לא מתוך פחד אלא מתוך מבקשי אמת ברוחבה העליון ובחירותה המוחלטת

מבקשי אמת ברוחבה העליון. Sic.

Perush Yeshaya 40, 41 and 43

The fragment Yeshaya 43 verses 16-21:

כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ, וּבְמַיִם עַזִּים, נְתִיבָה. הַמּוֹצִיא רֶכֶב-וָסוּס, חַיִל וְעִזּוּז; יַחְדָּו יִשְׁכְּבוּ בַּל-יָקוּמוּ, דָּעֲכוּ כַּפִּשְׁתָּה כָבוּ. אַל-תִּזְכְּרוּ, רִאשֹׁנוֹת; וְקַדְמֹנִיּוֹת, אַל-תִּתְבֹּנָנוּ. הִנְנִי עֹשֶׂה חֲדָשָׁה עַתָּה תִצְמָח, הֲלוֹא תֵּדָעוּהָ; אַף אָשִׂים בַּמִּדְבָּר דֶּרֶךְ, בִּישִׁמוֹן נְהָרוֹת. תְּכַבְּדֵנִי חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, תַּנִּים וּבְנוֹת יַעֲנָה: כִּי-נָתַתִּי בַמִּדְבָּר מַיִם, נְהָרוֹת בִּישִׁימֹן, לְהַשְׁקוֹת, עַמִּי בְחִירִי. עַם-זוּ יָצַרְתִּי לִי, תְּהִלָּתִי יְסַפֵּרוּ

The first two verses appeared in this post. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

This has many references to the J document, see the bold phrases. Compare them to similar phrases in Shemot 14, 15. But, we are not to "consider the things of old," "they are extinguished, quenched like a wick." We are to perceive the miracles of Hashem now, "now it springs forth." A road is built in the wilderness. Is it route six, which goes from the North to Beer Sheva? Or is it route one, renewed as a majestic highway? Or should we think about route 90 along the Jordan river, or route five to the city of Ariel? Or should we think about the new train track to Yerushalayim? Or the recently finished train track to Beit She'an? Yeshaya 40: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." And concerning water in the wilderness, who cannot think of the miracle of desalination of sea water, "to give drink to my chosen people." Yeshaya 41: "I will open rivers on the bare heights." Or should we think about the wondrous Hashgacha that makes us live in what not long ago was a desert, but now is a land of miracles? Surely we should think about the divine six-day war, the war with so many open miracles! Yeshaya 41: "And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory." "That they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it." And from where they did suddenly come, these six or seven million people? Everyone has a different answer to the question where he or she came from. All the answers together constitute a mighty praise of Hashem. Yeshaya 41: "Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel." Yeshaya 40: "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." Hashem has created עַם-זוּ, "this people," and they will "declare my praise." "Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip; then you shall see and be radiant" (Yeshaya 60). This, then, is our task in Leil Haseder. Do not forget to tell what happened in Mitzrayim, in the early phase of the six-day war, the second of three 999/2 wars, the main 999/2 war, the war of Chesed, the war of Hashem. And if you do not know what happened in the six-day war, now is the time to learn. As you read the Hagadah of Pesach, the important thing is to be grateful, extremely grateful, for what Hashem is doing now. "That they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it."

Pesach Sameach!

Yeshaya 41

The fragment Yeshaya 41 verses 14b-20:

וְגֹאֲלֵךְ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל. הִנֵּה שַׂמְתִּיךְ, לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ חָדָשׁ--בַּעַל, פִּיפִיּוֹת; תָּדוּשׁ הָרִים וְתָדֹק, וּגְבָעוֹת כַּמֹּץ תָּשִׂים. תִּזְרֵם וְרוּחַ תִּשָּׂאֵם, וּסְעָרָה תָּפִיץ אוֹתָם; וְאַתָּה תָּגִיל בַּיהוָה, בִּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּתְהַלָּל. הָעֲנִיִּים וְהָאֶבְיוֹנִים מְבַקְשִׁים מַיִם, וָאַיִן--לְשׁוֹנָם, בַּצָּמָא נָשָׁתָּה; אֲנִי יְהוָה אֶעֱנֵם, אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֶעֶזְבֵם. אֶפְתַּח עַל-שְׁפָיִים נְהָרוֹת, וּבְתוֹךְ בְּקָעוֹת מַעְיָנוֹת; אָשִׂים מִדְבָּר לַאֲגַם-מַיִם, וְאֶרֶץ צִיָּה לְמוֹצָאֵי מָיִם. אֶתֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶרֶז שִׁטָּה, וַהֲדַס וְעֵץ שָׁמֶן; אָשִׂים בָּעֲרָבָה, בְּרוֹשׁ תִּדְהָר וּתְאַשּׁוּר--יַחְדָּו. לְמַעַן יִרְאוּ וְיֵדְעוּ, וְיָשִׂימוּ וְיַשְׂכִּילוּ יַחְדָּו--כִּי יַד-יְהוָה, עָשְׂתָה זֹּאת; וּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּרָאָהּ

The first phrase appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

And Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Yeshaya 40

The fragment Yeshaya 40 verses 1-5:

נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ, עַמִּי--יֹאמַר, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. דַּבְּרוּ עַל-לֵב יְרוּשָׁלִַם, וְקִרְאוּ אֵלֶיהָ--כִּי מָלְאָה צְבָאָהּ, כִּי נִרְצָה עֲו‍ֹנָהּ: כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד יְהוָה, כִּפְלַיִם בְּכָל-חַטֹּאתֶיהָ. קוֹל קוֹרֵא--בַּמִּדְבָּר, פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה; יַשְּׁרוּ, בָּעֲרָבָה, מְסִלָּה, לֵאלֹהֵינוּ. כָּל-גֶּיא, יִנָּשֵׂא, וְכָל-הַר וְגִבְעָה, יִשְׁפָּלוּ; וְהָיָה הֶעָקֹב לְמִישׁוֹר, וְהָרְכָסִים לְבִקְעָה. וְנִגְלָה, כְּבוֹד יְהוָה; וְרָאוּ כָל-בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו, כִּי פִּי יְהוָה דִּבֵּר

The bold-faced verses appear in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare1 is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Perush Yeshaya 43

The fragment Yeshaya 43 verses 9-12:

כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם נִקְבְּצוּ יַחְדָּו, וְיֵאָסְפוּ לְאֻמִּים--מִי בָהֶם יַגִּיד זֹאת, וְרִאשֹׁנוֹת יַשְׁמִיעֻנוּ; יִתְּנוּ עֵדֵיהֶם וְיִצְדָּקוּ, וְיִשְׁמְעוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ אֱמֶת. אַתֶּם עֵדַי נְאֻם-יְהוָה, וְעַבְדִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרְתִּי: לְמַעַן תֵּדְעוּ וְתַאֲמִינוּ לִי וְתָבִינוּ, כִּי-אֲנִי הוּא--לְפָנַי לֹא-נוֹצַר אֵל, וְאַחֲרַי לֹא יִהְיֶה. אָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי, יְהוָה; וְאֵין מִבַּלְעָדַי, מוֹשִׁיעַ. אָנֹכִי הִגַּדְתִּי וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּי, וְהִשְׁמַעְתִּי--וְאֵין בָּכֶם, זָר; וְאַתֶּם עֵדַי נְאֻם-יְהוָה

The first verse appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows. Discussed is again, in my view, the Torah of P versus the Torah of Zerubavel.

All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord.

"All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things?" This is very frightening. They are challenging the worshippers of P to provide proof, regarding former things. This is frightening because the disregard of the truth among the workers of nothingness.

"'You are my witnesses,' declares the Lord, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.'" Zerubavel and his people, the men of truth, are the witnesses of Hashem. "I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord."

Perush Yeshaya 41

The fragment Yeshaya 41 verses 21-29:

קָרְבוּ רִיבְכֶם, יֹאמַר יְהוָה; הַגִּישׁוּ, עֲצֻמוֹתֵיכֶם, יֹאמַר, מֶלֶךְ יַעֲקֹב. יַגִּישׁוּ וְיַגִּידוּ לָנוּ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרֶינָה; הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת מָה הֵנָּה, הַגִּידוּ וְנָשִׂימָה לִבֵּנוּ וְנֵדְעָה אַחֲרִיתָן, אוֹ הַבָּאוֹת, הַשְׁמִיעֻנוּ. הַגִּידוּ, הָאֹתִיּוֹת לְאָחוֹר, וְנֵדְעָה, כִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם; אַף-תֵּיטִיבוּ וְתָרֵעוּ, וְנִשְׁתָּעָה ונרא (וְנִרְאֶה) יַחְדָּו. הֵן-אַתֶּם מֵאַיִן, וּפָעָלְכֶם מֵאָפַע; תּוֹעֵבָה, יִבְחַר בָּכֶם. הַעִירוֹתִי מִצָּפוֹן וַיַּאת, מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ יִקְרָא בִשְׁמִי; וְיָבֹא סְגָנִים כְּמוֹ-חֹמֶר, וּכְמוֹ יוֹצֵר יִרְמָס-טִיט. מִי-הִגִּיד מֵרֹאשׁ וְנֵדָעָה, וּמִלְּפָנִים וְנֹאמַר צַדִּיק; אַף אֵין-מַגִּיד, אַף אֵין מַשְׁמִיעַ--אַף אֵין-שֹׁמֵעַ, אִמְרֵיכֶם. רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן, הִנֵּה הִנָּם; וְלִירוּשָׁלִַם, מְבַשֵּׂר אֶתֵּן. אֵרֶא וְאֵין אִישׁ, וּמֵאֵלֶּה וְאֵין יוֹעֵץ; וְאֶשְׁאָלֵם, וְיָשִׁיבוּ דָבָר. הֵן כֻּלָּם, אָוֶן אֶפֶס מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם; רוּחַ וָתֹהוּ, נִסְכֵּיהֶם

The bold-faced verse appears in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows, with some comments intertwined. Discussed is, in my view, the "Psak Din" regarding P.

Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed will discuss and terrified see together.

Hence, P will be accepted as Torah, provided that there is anything to it. It could be that there is something from the "gods." "Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come."

Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.

As you are nothing, who chooses you, chooses nothing, and is an abomination.

I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay. Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say, “He is right”? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words. I was the first to say to Zion, “Behold, here they are!” and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news. But when I look, there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer. Behold, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their metal images libations are empty wind.

In the court case, "there is no man," "there is no counselor," nobody answers the questions. We could answer for them. One could make the point that first verse of Parshat Tetzaveh would seem to be in P. One could answer that P_E, definitely divine, would seem to be part of P. "I was the first to say to Zion, `Behold, here they are!`" They did not believe in their case and hence they were silent, and it is their very silence that is suspect. See, the silence of the rabbanim, the worshippers of P, was foretold. They can give no answer to a single real question. "They are all a delusion." The word נִסְכֵּיהֶם is to be translated as "their libations," as P prescribed to do them. Therefore, P is mere "empty wind," "their works are nothing." But the word can also be translated as "their metal images," as the English Standard Version has it, and then P is like idol worship. Thirdly, the word could also be translated as "their masks," particularly apt on Purim.

Purim Sameach!

Perush Yeshaya 61

The fragment Yeshaya 61 verses 1-5:

רוּחַ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, עָלָי--יַעַן מָשַׁח יְהוָה אֹתִי לְבַשֵּׂר עֲנָוִים, שְׁלָחַנִי לַחֲבֹשׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי-לֵב, לִקְרֹא לִשְׁבוּיִם דְּרוֹר, וְלַאֲסוּרִים פְּקַח-קוֹחַ. לִקְרֹא שְׁנַת-רָצוֹן לַיהוָה, וְיוֹם נָקָם לֵאלֹהֵינוּ, לְנַחֵם, כָּל-אֲבֵלִים. לָשׂוּם לַאֲבֵלֵי צִיּוֹן, לָתֵת לָהֶם פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן תַּחַת אֵבֶל--מַעֲטֵה תְהִלָּה, תַּחַת רוּחַ כֵּהָה; וְקֹרָא לָהֶם אֵילֵי הַצֶּדֶק, מַטַּע יְהוָה לְהִתְפָּאֵר. וּבָנוּ חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם, שֹׁמְמוֹת רִאשֹׁנִים יְקוֹמֵמוּ; וְחִדְּשׁוּ עָרֵי חֹרֶב, שֹׁמְמוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר. עָמְדוּ זָרִים, וְרָעוּ צֹאנְכֶם; וּבְנֵי נֵכָר, אִכָּרֵיכֶם וְכֹרְמֵיכֶם

The first verse appeared in this post. The English Standard Version is as follows:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;

"The Lord has anointed me." Says the prophet, Zerubabel, the Moshiach of Hashem. He proclaims liberty, citing the verse Vayikra 25:10, in English Standard Version:

And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.

Zerubabel is consciously writing a secret, for us to proclaim. The secret is based on the connection between the Yovel year, the jubilee, and the previous section, of Yeshaya 60. The period from 5708 to 5734, from the start of the Medinah until the Yom Kippur war, was the period of 999/2. The central year was year 5727, with the six-day war, three quarters into the period of 999/2. The year 5727 was the year of Hashem, the beginning of the counting. Fifty years later is the year 5777, and that is now. The clock ticks, now is the period of 507, ז"ך. Therefore, now is the auspicious time to "proclaim liberty," to "proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." Now is the year of unlimited building allover the Land, the year we return to our property. Purim is the time of liberty, Dror, for Chazal tell us that the name Mordechai, the hero of Purim, sounds like the Aramaic "Mar D'khia", translation of the Hebrew "Mar Dror" (Shemot 30:23). Chazal also tell us that Yom Kippur is really called Yom Ki-Purim, a day like Purim, and Vayikra 25:9 teaches that tenth of the seventh month of the Yovel year is the day to sound the Shofar. On Purim everything is seen through special lenses, and it is apt to sound the Shofar on Purim, just as we sound it on Yom Ki-Purim, to proclaim liberty and to announce "the day of vengeance of our God." The real day of Purim, "the day of vengeance of our God," is in the year זי"ת ז"ך, three quarters into the period of 507, that is, six years from now. If the message was not clear, read the text again on Purim, after a drink or two. Purim Sameach!

Perush Yeshayah 45

The fragment Yeshaya 45 verses 18-25:

כִּי כֹה אָמַר-יְהוָה בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, יֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ הוּא כוֹנְנָהּ--לֹא-תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ, לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ; אֲנִי יְהוָה, וְאֵין עוֹד. לֹא בַסֵּתֶר דִּבַּרְתִּי, בִּמְקוֹם אֶרֶץ חֹשֶׁךְ--לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְזֶרַע יַעֲקֹב, תֹּהוּ בַקְּשׁוּנִי; אֲנִי יְהוָה דֹּבֵר צֶדֶק, מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים. הִקָּבְצוּ וָבֹאוּ הִתְנַגְּשׁוּ יַחְדָּו, פְּלִיטֵי הַגּוֹיִם; לֹא יָדְעוּ, הַנֹּשְׂאִים אֶת-עֵץ פִּסְלָם, וּמִתְפַּלְלִים, אֶל-אֵל לֹא יוֹשִׁיעַ. הַגִּידוּ וְהַגִּישׁוּ, אַף יִוָּעֲצוּ יַחְדָּו: מִי הִשְׁמִיעַ זֹאת מִקֶּדֶם מֵאָז הִגִּידָהּ, הֲלוֹא אֲנִי יְהוָה וְאֵין-עוֹד אֱלֹהִים מִבַּלְעָדַי--אֵל-צַדִּיק וּמוֹשִׁיעַ, אַיִן זוּלָתִי. פְּנוּ-אֵלַי וְהִוָּשְׁעוּ, כָּל-אַפְסֵי-אָרֶץ: כִּי אֲנִי-אֵל, וְאֵין עוֹד. בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי--יָצָא מִפִּי צְדָקָה דָּבָר, וְלֹא יָשׁוּב: כִּי-לִי תִּכְרַע כָּל-בֶּרֶךְ, תִּשָּׁבַע כָּל-לָשׁוֹן. אַךְ בַּיהוָה לִי אָמַר, צְדָקוֹת וָעֹז; עָדָיו יָבוֹא וְיֵבֹשׁוּ, כֹּל הַנֶּחֱרִים בּוֹ. בַּיהוָה יִצְדְּקוּ וְיִתְהַלְלוּ, כָּל-זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל

The first verse appeared in this post. The English Standard Version is as follows:

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right. “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: there is none besides me. “Turn to me and be saved, hall the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.

This is based on the first verse in Sefer Bereshit. All concepts of this verse exist also here, בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, יֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ , God is the creator of the Heavens and the Earth; בִּמְקוֹם אֶרֶץ חֹשֶׁךְ--לֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְזֶרַע יַעֲקֹב, תֹּהוּ בַקְּשׁוּנִי, the earth of darkness, לֹא-תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ, not-empty it was created; תֹּהוּ בַקְּשׁוּנִ seek me in vain, he did not say. What is missing here is the light that was created. Instead, Hashem presents Himself, as e.g. in "I the Lord speak the truth" and in “Turn to me and be saved, hall the ends of the earth!" Thus, His Presence, the Shechina, is "the light," which must be missing here on purpose. The relation between light and the presence of Hashem is made explicit in Yeshaya 60, in verses like: וְהָיָה-לָךְ יְהוָה לְאוֹר עוֹלָם, "and the Lord will be your everlasting light," and וְעָלַיִךְ יִזְרַח יְהוָה, וּכְבוֹדוֹ עָלַיִךְ יֵרָאֶה. וְהָלְכוּ גוֹיִם, לְאוֹרֵךְ, "and the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you, and nations shall come to your light." Hence, the new light that will come over Zion, is the same old light that was created in the beginning, יְהִי אוֹר.

The Torah of Zerubavel

This deals with an internal Jewish issue, which 'Eliyahu will come to resolve.' "A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!" The sound, the voice of Hashem that heralds, refers to Eliyahu. Eliyahu is from the root soul of Moshiach ben Yosef (Kol Hator). But on the level of Pshat, it is 'just' the voice of Hashem, which causes an uproar, from the city. Why does Eliyahu come, about what does he herald? What does the voice of Hashem say? He is said to be "rendering recompense to his enemies!" Who are they, his enemies? The voice of Hashem comes to reinstall, as it were, Zerubavel, Moshiach ben David, who lost the power struggle against the Kohanim. He will come to reinstall the Torah of Zerubavel, and to denounce the Torah of the Kohanim, what we call P. The hateful and smooth-tongued hypocrisy "Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy" will stop working: "it is they who shall be put to shame." It says "He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man," because they murdered in the struggle for power, they killed in the struggle for the truth. The power that was bought with the blood of Zerubavel and others, obviously is still in their hands. "He who slaughters an ox," "he who sacrifices a lamb", "he who presents a grain offering", "he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense" are subjects that are still being learned and taught in the Yeshivot. The blood of Zerubavel, it has left a stain, real Tum'ah. Zerubavel would say that the Kohanim are "like one who blesses an idol." It would make them furious; it would make them wanting to ban him, the criticizer, the man of truth: they "cast you out for my name’s sake." And they have done so many times throughout history, the wolf has caused hazard to the flock of the lambs. But Eliyahu will come, "קוֹל מֵהֵיכָל", a sound will come, from the study hall. It is the sound of Hashem removing the Tum'ah! It will be confirmed that they are indeed like idol worshippers, the worshippers of P. The voice of Hashem will establish that they "chose that in which I did not delight." "Because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen." Zerubavel spoke, and they did not listen. "Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?"

Social justice and Shabbat are at the heart of the Torah. Religious hypocrisy is emphatically denounced: "Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers." You wolves cause harm to the lambs. Only when you "satisfy the desire of the afflicted" then "shall your light rise in the darkness." The need for social justice is sandwiched between two descriptions of the Shabbat. The first, "who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” "Keeps his hand from doing any evil" is again doing social justice. In the second one, "you call the Sabbath a delight", "if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly," details appear about what it means to keep Shabbat, and about the reward: "I will make you ride on the heights of the earth." This is not some idle claim, promising later reward for keeping the Shabbat. Rather, you will see the effect of keeping Shabbat now, on earth. You will see a glimpse of Olam Haba. Who understands the 'sight' will understand that without social justice there cannot be a true Shabbat. Therefore, who keeps Shabbat, "keeps his hand from doing any evil." That is why Shabbat is so central. You "call the Shabbat a delight" because of the "delight in the Lord" that you experience. The awesome rewards for Shabbat makes one refrain from "seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly." On Shabbat, one should be seeking the pleasure of the 'other,' rather than "seeking your own." Social justice is justice for the 'other,' and Shabbat was created to solve the problem of man hating the 'other,' and to lift us up to a new reality once that problem disappears. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together.

Perush Yeshaya 66

The fragment Yeshaya 66 verses 1-9:

כֹּה, אָמַר יְהוָה, הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי, וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדֹם רַגְלָי; אֵי-זֶה בַיִת אֲשֶׁר תִּבְנוּ-לִי, וְאֵי-זֶה מָקוֹם מְנוּחָתִי. וְאֶת-כָּל-אֵלֶּה יָדִי עָשָׂתָה, וַיִּהְיוּ כָל-אֵלֶּה נְאֻם-יְהוָה; וְאֶל-זֶה אַבִּיט--אֶל-עָנִי וּנְכֵה-רוּחַ, וְחָרֵד עַל-דְּבָרִי. שׁוֹחֵט הַשּׁוֹר מַכֵּה-אִישׁ, זוֹבֵחַ הַשֶּׂה עֹרֵף כֶּלֶב, מַעֲלֵה מִנְחָה דַּם-חֲזִיר, מַזְכִּיר לְבֹנָה מְבָרֵךְ אָוֶן--גַּם-הֵמָּה, בָּחֲרוּ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶם, וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם, נַפְשָׁם חָפֵצָה. גַּם-אֲנִי אֶבְחַר בְּתַעֲלֻלֵיהֶם, וּמְגוּרֹתָם אָבִיא לָהֶם--יַעַן קָרָאתִי וְאֵין עוֹנֶה, דִּבַּרְתִּי וְלֹא שָׁמֵעוּ; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ הָרַע בְּעֵינַי, וּבַאֲשֶׁר לֹא-חָפַצְתִּי בָּחָרוּ. גַּם-אֲנִי אֶבְחַר בְּתַעֲלֻלֵיהֶם, וּמְגוּרֹתָם אָבִיא לָהֶם--יַעַן קָרָאתִי וְאֵין עוֹנֶה, דִּבַּרְתִּי וְלֹא שָׁמֵעוּ; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ הָרַע בְּעֵינַי, וּבַאֲשֶׁר לֹא-חָפַצְתִּי בָּחָרוּ. שִׁמְעוּ, דְּבַר-יְהוָה, הַחֲרֵדִים, אֶל-דְּבָרוֹ; אָמְרוּ אֲחֵיכֶם שֹׂנְאֵיכֶם מְנַדֵּיכֶם, לְמַעַן שְׁמִי יִכְבַּד יְהוָה--וְנִרְאֶה בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶם, וְהֵם יֵבֹשׁוּ. קוֹל שָׁאוֹן מֵעִיר, קוֹל מֵהֵיכָל; קוֹל יְהוָה, מְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְאֹיְבָיו. בְּטֶרֶם תָּחִיל, יָלָדָה; בְּטֶרֶם יָבוֹא חֵבֶל לָהּ, וְהִמְלִיטָה זָכָר. מִי-שָׁמַע כָּזֹאת, מִי רָאָה כָּאֵלֶּה--הֲיוּחַל אֶרֶץ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, אִם-יִוָּלֵד גּוֹי פַּעַם אֶחָת: כִּי-חָלָה גַּם-יָלְדָה צִיּוֹן, אֶת-בָּנֶיהָ. הַאֲנִי אַשְׁבִּיר וְלֹא אוֹלִיד, יֹאמַר יְהוָה; אִם-אֲנִי הַמּוֹלִיד וְעָצַרְתִּי, אָמַר אֱלֹהָיִךְ

The first verse appeared in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.” Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. “The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies! “Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the Lord; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God.

This deals with an internal Jewish issue, which 'Eliyahu will come to resolve.' "A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!" The sound, the voice of Hashem that heralds, refers to Eliyahu. Eliyahu is from the root soul of Moshiach ben Yosef (Kol Hator). But on the level of Pshat, it is 'just' the voice of Hashem, which causes an uproar, from the city. Why does Eliyahu come, about what does he herald? What does the voice of Hashem say? He is said to be "rendering recompense to his enemies!" Who are they, his enemies? The voice of Hashem comes to reinstall, as it were, Zerubavel, Moshiach ben David, who lost the power struggle against the Kohanim. He will come to reinstall the Torah of Zerubavel, and to denounce the Torah of the Kohanim, what we call P. The hateful and smooth-tongued hypocrisy "Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy" will stop working: "it is they who shall be put to shame." It says "He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man," because they murdered in the struggle for power, they killed in the struggle for the truth. The power that was bought with the blood of Zerubavel and others, obviously is still in their hands. "He who slaughters an ox," "he who sacrifices a lamb", "he who presents a grain offering", "he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense" are subjects that are still being learned and taught in the Yeshivot. The blood of Zerubavel, it has left a stain, real Tum'ah. Zerubavel would say that the Kohanim are "like one who blesses an idol." It would make them furious; it would make them wanting to ban him, the criticizer, the man of truth: they "cast you out for my name’s sake." And they have done so many times throughout history, the wolf has caused hazard to the flock of the lambs. But Eliyahu will come, "קוֹל מֵהֵיכָל", a sound will come, from the study hall. It is the sound of Hashem removing the Tum'ah! It will be confirmed that they are indeed like idol worshippers, the worshippers of P. The voice of Hashem will establish that they "chose that in which I did not delight." "Because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen." Zerubavel spoke, and they did not listen. "Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?"

Perush Yeshaya 56 and 58

The fragment Yeshaya 56 verses 1-5 and Yeshaya 58, which seem to belong together:

כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, שִׁמְרוּ מִשְׁפָּט וַעֲשׂוּ צְדָקָה: כִּי-קְרוֹבָה יְשׁוּעָתִי לָבוֹא, וְצִדְקָתִי לְהִגָּלוֹת. אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יַעֲשֶׂה-זֹּאת, וּבֶן-אָדָם יַחֲזִיק בָּהּ--שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ, וְשֹׁמֵר יָדוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת כָּל-רָע. וְאַל-יֹאמַר בֶּן-הַנֵּכָר, הַנִּלְוָה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, הַבְדֵּל יַבְדִּילַנִי יְהוָה, מֵעַל עַמּוֹ; וְאַל-יֹאמַר הַסָּרִיס, הֵן אֲנִי עֵץ יָבֵשׁ. כִּי-כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה, לַסָּרִיסִים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, וּבָחֲרוּ, בַּאֲשֶׁר חָפָצְתִּי; וּמַחֲזִיקִים, בִּבְרִיתִי. וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחוֹמֹתַי, יָד וָשֵׁם--טוֹב, מִבָּנִים וּמִבָּנוֹת: שֵׁם עוֹלָם אֶתֶּן-לוֹ, אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִכָּרֵת. קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל-תַּחְשֹׂךְ, כַּשּׁוֹפָר הָרֵם קוֹלֶךָ; וְהַגֵּד לְעַמִּי פִּשְׁעָם, וּלְבֵית יַעֲקֹב חַטֹּאתָם. וְאוֹתִי, יוֹם יוֹם יִדְרֹשׁוּן, וְדַעַת דְּרָכַי, יֶחְפָּצוּן; כְּגוֹי אֲשֶׁר-צְדָקָה עָשָׂה, וּמִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהָיו לֹא עָזָב, יִשְׁאָלוּנִי מִשְׁפְּטֵי-צֶדֶק, קִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים יֶחְפָּצוּן. לָמָּה צַּמְנוּ וְלֹא רָאִיתָ, עִנִּינוּ נַפְשֵׁנוּ וְלֹא תֵדָע; הֵן בְּיוֹם צֹמְכֶם תִּמְצְאוּ-חֵפֶץ, וְכָל-עַצְּבֵיכֶם תִּנְגֹּשׂוּ. הֵן לְרִיב וּמַצָּה תָּצוּמוּ, וּלְהַכּוֹת בְּאֶגְרֹף רֶשַׁע; לֹא-תָצוּמוּ כַיּוֹם, לְהַשְׁמִיעַ בַּמָּרוֹם קוֹלְכֶם. הֲכָזֶה, יִהְיֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ--יוֹם עַנּוֹת אָדָם, נַפְשׁוֹ; הֲלָכֹף כְּאַגְמֹן רֹאשׁוֹ, וְשַׂק וָאֵפֶר יַצִּיעַ--הֲלָזֶה תִּקְרָא-צוֹם, וְיוֹם רָצוֹן לַיהוָה. הֲלוֹא זֶה, צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ--פַּתֵּחַ חַרְצֻבּוֹת רֶשַׁע, הַתֵּר אֲגֻדּוֹת מוֹטָה; וְשַׁלַּח רְצוּצִים חָפְשִׁים, וְכָל-מוֹטָה תְּנַתֵּקוּ. הֲלוֹא פָרֹס לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ, וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים תָּבִיא בָיִת: כִּי-תִרְאֶה עָרֹם וְכִסִּיתוֹ, וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ לֹא תִתְעַלָּם. אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ, וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ מְהֵרָה תִצְמָח; וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ, כְּבוֹד יְהוָה יַאַסְפֶךָ. אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהוָה יַעֲנֶה, תְּשַׁוַּע וְיֹאמַר הִנֵּנִי: אִם-תָּסִיר מִתּוֹכְךָ מוֹטָה, שְׁלַח אֶצְבַּע וְדַבֶּר-אָוֶן. וְתָפֵק לָרָעֵב נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְנֶפֶשׁ נַעֲנָה תַּשְׂבִּיעַ; וְזָרַח בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אוֹרֶךָ, וַאֲפֵלָתְךָ כַּצָּהֳרָיִם. וְנָחֲךָ יְהוָה, תָּמִיד, וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְעַצְמֹתֶיךָ יַחֲלִיץ; וְהָיִיתָ, כְּגַן רָוֶה, וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו. וּבָנוּ מִמְּךָ חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם, מוֹסְדֵי דוֹר-וָדוֹר תְּקוֹמֵם; וְקֹרָא לְךָ גֹּדֵר פֶּרֶץ, מְשֹׁבֵב נְתִיבוֹת לָשָׁבֶת. אִם-תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ, עֲשׂוֹת חֲפָצֶךָ בְּיוֹם קָדְשִׁי; וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג, לִקְדוֹשׁ יְהוָה מְכֻבָּד, וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ, מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר. אָז, תִּתְעַנַּג עַל-יְהוָה, וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ, עַל-במותי (בָּמֳתֵי) אָרֶץ; וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ, נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ--כִּי פִּי יְהוָה, דִּבֵּר

The last verse and the bold-faced one appear in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Social justice and Shabbat are at the heart of the Torah. Religious hypocrisy is emphatically denounced: "Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers." You wolves cause harm to the lambs. Only when you "satisfy the desire of the afflicted" then "shall your light rise in the darkness." The need for social justice is sandwiched between two descriptions of the Shabbat. The first, "who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” "Keeps his hand from doing any evil" is again doing social justice. In the second one, "you call the Sabbath a delight", "if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly," details appear about what it means to keep Shabbat, and about the reward: "I will make you ride on the heights of the earth." This is not some idle claim, promising later reward for keeping the Shabbat. Rather, you will see the effect of keeping Shabbat now, on earth. You will see a glimpse of Olam Haba. Who understands the 'sight' will understand that without social justice there cannot be a true Shabbat. Therefore, who keeps Shabbat, "keeps his hand from doing any evil." That is why Shabbat is so central. You "call the Shabbat a delight" because of the "delight in the Lord" that you experience. The awesome rewards for Shabbat makes one refrain from "seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly." On Shabbat, one should be seeking the pleasure of the 'other,' rather than "seeking your own." Social justice is justice for the 'other,' and Shabbat was created to solve the problem of man hating the 'other,' and to lift us up to a new reality once that problem disappears. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together.

Perush of Yeshaya 44, 55 and 61

In this Torah, the ministers of our God, the Meshartei Eloheiu, the servants of our God, are identical to the priests of the Lord, the Cohanei Hashem. These are the former victims of anti-Semitism, of "robbery and wrong." "Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy." The priestly role that once belonged to a clan, is now given to all who suffered from robbery and injustice, and their offspring. "I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." When will this covenant be? "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts." The earth here is first of all the land of Israel, and this is to reveal the end: "So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations."

Here is the same everlasting covenant. Now, the promises to David are the subject, and it is stated about Moshiach ben David, the leader of the victims of robbery and injustice: "Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples." Note that Moshiach ben David is the follow-up of Moshiach ben Yosef, the "undercover agent" in the chapters Yeshaya 52. 53 and 54.

This is the definition of Jacob and Israel: "I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants." See, among the perpetrators of robbery and injustice are so-called Jews, fake Jews. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’and name himself by the name of Israel.” But the ones who are accepted by Hashem, are the victims of robbery and injustice, those with clean clothing. "They shall spring up among the grass, like willows by flowing streams."

Yeshaya 44

The fragment Yeshaya 44 verses 1-5.

וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע, יַעֲקֹב עַבְדִּי; וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ. כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה עֹשֶׂךָ וְיֹצֶרְךָ מִבֶּטֶן, יַעְזְרֶךָּ: אַל-תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב, וִישֻׁרוּן בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ. כִּי אֶצָּק-מַיִם עַל-צָמֵא, וְנֹזְלִים עַל-יַבָּשָׁה; אֶצֹּק רוּחִי עַל-זַרְעֶךָ, וּבִרְכָתִי עַל-צֶאֱצָאֶיךָ. וְצָמְחוּ, בְּבֵין חָצִיר, כַּעֲרָבִים, עַל-יִבְלֵי-מָיִם. זֶה יֹאמַר לַיהוָה אָנִי, וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְשֵׁם-יַעֲקֹב; וְזֶה, יִכְתֹּב יָדוֹ לַיהוָה, וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְכַנֶּה

The last verse appeared in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.”

In this Torah, the ministers of our God, the Meshartei Eloheiu, the servants of our God, are identical to the priests of the Lord, the Cohanei Hashem. These are the former victims of anti-Semitism, of "robbery and wrong." "Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy." The priestly role that once belonged to a clan, is now given to all who suffered from robbery and injustice, and their offspring. "I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." When will this covenant be? "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts." The earth here is first of all the land of Israel, and this is to reveal the end: "So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations."

Here is the same everlasting covenant. Now, the promises to David are the subject, and it is stated about Moshiach ben David, the leader of the victims of robbery and injustice: "Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, la leader and commander for the peoples." Note that Moshiach ben David is the follow-up of Moshiach ben Yosef, the "undercover agent" in the chapters Yeshaya 52. 53 and 54.

This is the definition of Jacob and Israel: "I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants." See, among the perpetrators of robbery and injustice are so-called Jews, fake Jews. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’and name himself by the name of Israel.” But the ones who are accepted by Hashem, are the victims of robbery and injustice, those with clean clothing. "They shall spring up among the grass, like willows by flowing streams."

Yeshaya 55

The fragment Yeshaya 55 verses 1-5.

הוֹי כָּל-צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם, וַאֲשֶׁר אֵין-לוֹ כָּסֶף; לְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ, וֶאֱכֹלוּ, וּלְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ בְּלוֹא-כֶסֶף וּבְלוֹא מְחִיר, יַיִן וְחָלָב. לָמָּה תִשְׁקְלוּ-כֶסֶף בְּלוֹא-לֶחֶם, וִיגִיעֲכֶם בְּלוֹא לְשָׂבְעָה; שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ אֵלַי וְאִכְלוּ-טוֹב, וְתִתְעַנַּג בַּדֶּשֶׁן נַפְשְׁכֶם. הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם וּלְכוּ אֵלַי, שִׁמְעוּ וּתְחִי נַפְשְׁכֶם; וְאֶכְרְתָה לָכֶם בְּרִית עוֹלָם, חַסְדֵי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים. הֵן עֵד לְאוּמִּים, נְתַתִּיו; נָגִיד וּמְצַוֵּה, לְאֻמִּים. הֵן גּוֹי לֹא-תֵדַע תִּקְרָא, וְגוֹי לֹא-יְדָעוּךָ אֵלֶיךָ יָרוּצוּ--לְמַעַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְלִקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי פֵאֲרָךְ

The boldfaced verse appeared in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

In this Torah, the ministers of our God, the Meshartei Eloheiu, the servants of our God, are identical to the priests of the Lord, the Cohanei Hashem. These are the former victims of anti-Semitism, of "robbery and wrong." "Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy." The priestly role that once belonged to a clan, is now given to all who suffered from robbery and injustice, and their offspring. "I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." When will this covenant be? "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts." The earth here is first of all the land of Israel, and this is to reveal the end: "So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations."

Here is the same everlasting covenant. Now, the promises to David are the subject, and it is stated about Moshiach ben David, the leader of the victims of robbery and injustice: "Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples." Note that Moshiach ben David is the follow-up of Moshiach ben Yosef, the "undercover agent" in the chapters Yeshaya 52. 53 and 54.

Yeshaya 61

The fragment Yeshaya 61 verses 6-9.

וְאַתֶּם, כֹּהֲנֵי יְהוָה תִּקָּרֵאוּ--מְשָׁרְתֵי אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יֵאָמֵר לָכֶם; חֵיל גּוֹיִם תֹּאכֵלוּ, וּבִכְבוֹדָם תִּתְיַמָּרוּ. תַּחַת בָּשְׁתְּכֶם מִשְׁנֶה, וּכְלִמָּה יָרֹנּוּ חֶלְקָם; לָכֵן בְּאַרְצָם מִשְׁנֶה יִירָשׁוּ, שִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה לָהֶם. כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֹהֵב מִשְׁפָּט, שֹׂנֵא גָזֵל בְּעוֹלָה; וְנָתַתִּי פְעֻלָּתָם בֶּאֱמֶת, וּבְרִית עוֹלָם אֶכְרוֹת לָהֶם. וְנוֹדַע בַּגּוֹיִם זַרְעָם, וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶם בְּתוֹךְ הָעַמִּים; כָּל-רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם, כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ יְהוָה. שׂוֹשׂ אָשִׂישׂ בַּיהוָה, תָּגֵל נַפְשִׁי בֵּאלֹהַי--כִּי הִלְבִּישַׁנִי בִּגְדֵי-יֶשַׁע, מְעִיל צְדָקָה יְעָטָנִי: כֶּחָתָן יְכַהֵן פְּאֵר, וְכַכַּלָּה תַּעְדֶּה כֵלֶיהָ. כִּי כָאָרֶץ תּוֹצִיא צִמְחָהּ, וּכְגַנָּה זֵרוּעֶיהָ תַצְמִיחַ--כֵּן אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, יַצְמִיחַ צְדָקָה וּתְהִלָּה, נֶגֶד, כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם

The first verse appeared in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

But you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

In this Torah, the ministers of our God, the Meshartei Eloheiu, the servants of our God, are identical to the priests of the Lord, the Cohanei Hashem. These are the former victims of anti-Semitism, of "robbery and wrong." "Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy." The priestly role that once belonged to a clan, is now given to all who suffered from robbery and injustice, and their offspring. "I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." When will this covenant be? "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts." The earth here is first of all the land of Israel, and this is to reveal the end: "So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations."

Perush Yeshaya 63

The fragment Yeshaya 63 verses 1-6.

מִי-זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם, חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה, זֶה הָדוּר בִּלְבוּשׁוֹ, צֹעֶה בְּרֹב כֹּחוֹ; אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר בִּצְדָקָה, רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ. מַדּוּעַ אָדֹם, לִלְבוּשֶׁךָ; וּבְגָדֶיךָ, כְּדֹרֵךְ בְּגַת. פּוּרָה דָּרַכְתִּי לְבַדִּי, וּמֵעַמִּים אֵין-אִישׁ אִתִּי, וְאֶדְרְכֵם בְּאַפִּי, וְאֶרְמְסֵם בַּחֲמָתִי; וְיֵז נִצְחָם עַל-בְּגָדַי, וְכָל-מַלְבּוּשַׁי אֶגְאָלְתִּי. כִּי יוֹם נָקָם, בְּלִבִּי; וּשְׁנַת גְּאוּלַי, בָּאָה. וְאַבִּיט וְאֵין עֹזֵר, וְאֶשְׁתּוֹמֵם וְאֵין סוֹמֵךְ; וַתּוֹשַׁע לִי זְרֹעִי, וַחֲמָתִי הִיא סְמָכָתְנִי. וְאָבוּס עַמִּים בְּאַפִּי, וַאֲשַׁכְּרֵם בַּחֲמָתִי; וְאוֹרִיד לָאָרֶץ, נִצְחָם

The boldfaced verse appeared in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel." "For [read also: But] the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come." "I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

"Who is this who comes from Edom?" It is Esav, or the Sar of Esav, the Satan. The 'almighty' wolf speaks with staggering Chutzpah about his 'righteous' plan to devour the flock: “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” The verse in bold says in response that Hashem does it all alone, against Satan, because "there was no one to help." What does Hashem do? "I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” And which peoples deserve this terrible fate? "Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?" The "red apparel," the "crimsoned garments," are references to the clothing וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת-בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל, הַחֲמֻדֹת, the Chamudot, of Esav. The term Chamudot refers to Chamutzot (Zakovitch), the sour clothing of Esav, the red clothes of Edom, whose name means Adom, red. Now we see why Edom is called red: "their lifeblood spattered on my garments." It is because of anti-Semitism, because of the Holocaust, that the clothes of Edom are stained: "and it stained all my apparel." It is this stain, Jewish blood, which identifies Edom. וְיֵז נִצְחָם עַל-בְּגָדַי, let everybody check his/her clothes. The Sar of Esav, the Satan, says "For the day of vengeance was in my heart," but Hashem says "But the day of vengeance was in my heart." When will "the day of vengeance" be? The Satan and Hashem agree: in "the year of My redemption." Sic.

Perush Yeshaya 48

The fragment Yeshaya 48 verses 1-11.

שִׁמְעוּ-זֹאת בֵּית-יַעֲקֹב, הַנִּקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמִמֵּי יְהוּדָה, יָצָאוּ; הַנִּשְׁבָּעִים בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה, וּבֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַזְכִּירוּ--לֹא בֶאֱמֶת, וְלֹא בִצְדָקָה. כִּי-מֵעִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִקְרָאוּ, וְעַל-אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נִסְמָכוּ: יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, שְׁמוֹ. הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת מֵאָז הִגַּדְתִּי, וּמִפִּי יָצְאוּ וְאַשְׁמִיעֵם; פִּתְאֹם עָשִׂיתִי, וַתָּבֹאנָה. מִדַּעְתִּי, כִּי קָשֶׁה אָתָּה; וְגִיד בַּרְזֶל עָרְפֶּךָ, וּמִצְחֲךָ נְחוּשָׁה. וָאַגִּיד לְךָ מֵאָז, בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ--פֶּן-תֹּאמַר עָצְבִּי עָשָׂם, וּפִסְלִי וְנִסְכִּי צִוָּם. שָׁמַעְתָּ חֲזֵה כֻּלָּהּ, וְאַתֶּם הֲלוֹא תַגִּידוּ: הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ חֲדָשׁוֹת מֵעַתָּה, וּנְצֻרוֹת וְלֹא יְדַעְתָּם. עַתָּה נִבְרְאוּ וְלֹא מֵאָז, וְלִפְנֵי-יוֹם וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתָּם--פֶּן-תֹּאמַר, הִנֵּה יְדַעְתִּין. גַּם לֹא-שָׁמַעְתָּ, גַּם לֹא יָדַעְתָּ--גַּם, מֵאָז לֹא-פִתְּחָה אָזְנֶךָ: כִּי יָדַעְתִּי בָּגוֹד תִּבְגּוֹד, וּפֹשֵׁעַ מִבֶּטֶן קֹרָא לָךְ. לְמַעַן שְׁמִי אַאֲרִיךְ אַפִּי, וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטָם-לָךְ--לְבִלְתִּי, הַכְרִיתֶךָ. הִנֵּה צְרַפְתִּיךָ, וְלֹא בְכָסֶף; בְּחַרְתִּיךָ, בְּכוּר עֹנִי. לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה, כִּי אֵיךְ יֵחָל; וּכְבוֹדִי, לְאַחֵר לֹא-אֶתֵּן

The first verse appeared in our list. The English Standard Version is as follows:

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right. For they call themselves after the holy city, and stay themselves on the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts is his name. “The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass, I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’ “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known. They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel. “For my name’s sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

The bold sections show that the prophet knew the old story of the birth of Ya'akov and Esav, the story that now appears in Bereshit 38, but with the names changed to Peretz and Zarach. The prophet meant that Ya'akov's name and perfidious nature were decided by his iniquitous deeds in his mother's womb (Yair Zakovitch, Va'yavo Ya'akov Shalem). The rebel will deal treacherously, and therefore is treated in the same fashion by Hashem. The rebel will yet rule over the correct land, but the land is only a symbol. Ya'akov may be treacherous as a child, for about the child it says: "You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened." As an adult, though, he does hear, he does know, his ear will be opened. In the end of days, the science of Torah provides the tools for analyzing Scripture. Yisrael will become adult, and reject the childhood. He will accept and acknowledge the truth, and so proclaim the absolute Truth, and vindicate Hashem. "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another."