Let we All come strong together united in:
Let we all approach ‘pharaoh’ (Israeli government and Islam on The Har HaBait) and ask them:
‘Please let us Pray and let us bring His Corbanot in the way HaShem teach us?’ All together in one voice!
Ask and stay on asking (really NOT fighting only asking!) until they give ‘permission’……. Don’t stop asking!
Under the rabbi’s there are ears who like to hear that……
Jer 23:22 “But if they (all Israel) had stood in My counsel (In 1967!), then they would have let My people hear My Words, and they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds………
2Ch 7:14 and My people upon whom My Name is called, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I shall hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin and heal their land.
HaShem is healing your Land! Amalek and His Ismaelite friends are losing in Eretz Israel…..! But shall go on with their friends, slaughtering and raping in Europe and the United States.
Please when do you ‘humble yourselves, and pray and seek My face’ and unite in real Teshuvah with the Love of HaShem for each other? And built you righteous nation in, around the Jewish State, Eretz Israel? To defend yourselves and the Jewish nation, from Amalek and his friends.
Please wake up?
Yaʽaqoḇ 1:1 Yaʽaqoḇ, a servant of Elohim and of the Master יהושע Messiah, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings.
Isa 48:20 “Come out of Baḇel! Flee from the Chaldeans (Muslims and their friends)! Declare this with a voice of singing, proclaim it, send it out to the end of the earth! Say,‘יהוה has redeemed His servant Yaʽaqoḇ!’
Don’t count on any government! All governments are ‘infiltrated’ with people who ‘work’ on ‘forming’ a new world order WITHOUT Messiah and His Divine demand Deu 30: 1-20 (Dev/Deu 30: 1-20 the base of the Constitution of Beit Ya’aqov International)!
You need to have a government who ACCEPT Messiah with His Divine demand: Deu 30: 1-20 (Dev/Deu 30: 1-20 the base of the Constitution of Beit Ya’aqov International)!
Beit Ya’aqov International is in need of wise and intelligent people who accept Messiah with His Divine Demand and like to built the different infra structures that this Nation, of the Lost Sheep from the House of Israel need. No more in the way’s of the world….. click:
Call for an international committee of wise people to form a government for the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel and all their friends.
All governments shall fall when Messiah with His Divine Demand becomes STRONG, more and more, in you. And you yourself become lessor……..
If you are a Lost Jew or from the Lost of Israel and suffer already many years for not being accepted……. Why not joining Beit Ya’aqob International? If you like the do Teshuvah in Messiah Ben Yoseph with His Divine Mandate (Dev/Deu 30: 1-20 the Constitution of Beit Ya’aqov International) you are most welcome to join! Follow the millions who are already joining………! Come fill out the form click: http://beityaaqov.org/here/join-us/ and receive your National Ephraim Identity Cart. For organizations and/or more information contact me (Ariel) click: http://thewatchmenfromisrael.org/contact-us/
Never forget HaShem Loves you very much. Messiah Ben Yoseph stated clearly:
Mat 15:24 And He answering, said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ĕl.”
Please read: Beit Ya’aqov International terms and conditions for members before you join us.
click:
Invitation: COME VISIT WITH ME, AND MY FELLOW JEWS, THE HAR HABAIT?
Please read, click:
A MUST READ FOR ALL JEWS AND CHRISTIANS WHO VISIT THIS WEB-SITE!
We believe,
Yehudah has to go her ‘prophetic way’:
in ‘the Judicial Authority (Mechoqeck*) of HaShem: The Rabbinical leadership is the Divinely authorized Teacher of the Torah of HaShem’ for the Jews!
Because,
Gen 49:10 “The sceptre shall not turn aside from Yehuḏah, nor a Lawgiver (Mechoqeck*) from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him is the obedience of peoples.
H271 חָקַק* châqaq khaw-kak’ A primitive root; properly to hack, that is,engrave(Jdg_5:14, tobe a scribe simply); by implication to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (generally) prescribe: – appoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, pourtray, print, set.
Ephraim has to go her (different as Yehudah) ‘prophetic way’:
Devarim 30:10 if you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim (Messiah Ben Yoseph, the Divinely authorized Teacher of the Torah of HaShem for Ephraim!), to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah, if you turn back to יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being.
Read more about Messiah Ben Yoseph click: “Divine Aspects of Mashiach ben Yosef…….” According to the teachings of the Vilna Gaon
This means HaShem went with Ephraim a different way than with Yehudah. But, as the rabbi’s are teaching: Ephraim (a different nation, the Lost Northern Kingdom of Israel) comes back with Messiah Ben Yoseph as their divine ordained leader. And Yehudah comes back with ‘their Judicial Authority (Mechoqeck*) of HaShem: ‘The Rabbinical leadership, the Divinely authorized Teacher of the Torah of HaShem for Yehudah.’
Devarim 30:1-10 “And it shall be, when all these words (Messiah) come upon you, the blessing (Messiah) and the curse which I have set before you, and you shall bring them back to your heart…..
This really means, you read from the beginning of Bereshit/Genesis until the end of Devarim/Deuteronomy. And by every Word that Abba Yahweh speaks you ask Him for forgiveness where you went wrong and promise Abba Yahweh the do it good
………among all the gentiles where יהוה your Elohim drives you,
2 and shalt turn back to יהוה your Elohim and obey His voice (Messiah), according to all that I command you today……
You, Ephraim and Yehudah say that already together: Devarim 5:27 ‘You go near and hear all that יהוה our Elohim says, and speak to us all that יהוה our Elohim says to you, and we shall hear and do it.’…… You should say it again Ephraim and Manasseh when Messiah Ben Yoseph ‘knock’s on the ‘door’ of your heart.’
……..with all your heart and with all your being, you and your children,
3 then יהוה your Elohim shall turn back your captivity, and shall have compassion on you, and He shall turn back and gather you from all the peoples where יהוה your Elohim has scattered you.
4 “If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under the heavens, from there יהוה your Elohim does gather you, and from there He does take you.
5 “And יהוה your Elohim shall bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. And He shall do good to you, and increase you more than your fathers.
6 “And יהוה your Elohim shall circumcise your heart (By Messiah Ben Yoseph, the teaching of the HaBerith HaChadasha Scriptures) and the heart of your seed, to love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, so that you might live,
7 and יהוה your Elohim shall put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.
8 “And you shall turn back (Do Teshuvah) and obey the voice of יהוה (Messiah Ben Yoseph) and do all His commands which I command you today.
9 “And יהוה your Elohim shall make you have excess in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground for good. For יהוה turns back to rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers,
10 if you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, (Messiah) to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah, if you turn back to יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being.
That is the Promise from Abba Yahweh the only Way, no other Way is accepted….
This blog is a part from the website: ‘The WatchMen from Israel’.
Jerusalem-Israel, Av 26, 5776, 8/30/2016
Isa 59:20-21 “And the Redeemer shall come to Tsiyon, and to those turning from transgression in Yaʽaqoḇ,” declares יהוה……
Your Redeemer:
Yeshayahu 43: 11 “I, I am Yahweh, and besides Me there is
no savior (Hebrew – מושׁיע Moshia). Messiah Ben David, our coming Leader, shall speak again from between the Cherubim above the Atonement Lid,
Eze 36:37-38 ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “Once again I shall let the house of Yisra’ĕl inquire of Me (speaking again from between the Cherubim above the Atonement Lid) to do for them: I shall increase their men like a flock.
38 “As a set-apart flock (by the Torah of Messiah), as the flock at Yerushalayim at her appointed times, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. And they shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”
……..21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” said יהוה: “My Spirit that is upon you, and My Words (Messiah) that I have put in your mouth, shall not be withdrawn from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” said יהוה, “from this time and forever.”
Eph 6:17 Take also the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Elohim….
We share these studies for the benefit that you shall learn Torah Lost Sheep from the House of Israel worldwide. NOT to put you under Jewish Halachah. If you like to become Jewish you have go to a Jewish Rabbi. Beit Ya’aqov International is a non-Jewish organization an Ephraim Agency and hope to become the Restored Northern Kingdom of Israel and to be soon united with Yehudah (the Jews, the old Southern Kingdom of Israel. Already restored in The Modern State of Israel) but only under the sovereignty of Messiah Ben Dawid.
Yehudah became his Holy sanctuary and Israel his Kingdom – Psalms 114 :2
We will see that the children of Israel return to Most High and Torah of Mashiach, And will hug in the Holy Land, and by obeying and listening the “VOICE of Most Ancient Holy One of Israel”, will bring offerings in a righteous way on the holy mountain and also bring the Ark of the covenant with pure heart in the right place (i.e In Har HaBayit, on the foundation Stone [please read click: About ‘The Foundation Stone’ in Jerusalem……]) and We will Welcome the son of David on Mount Zion, Jerusalem – Gaddi, President, BeitYaaqov International.
[Ha Khadosh Baruch Hu – Baruch HaBa B’Shem Adonai ]
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BS”D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Isaiah 25-26, 27-28, 29-30 Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
BS”D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Isaiah 25-26
Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
ISAIAH CHAPTER 25
“HaShem, You are my God, I will exalt you; I will praise Your name…” (v 1). The closing sections of the previous prophecy (Is. 24:16-23) depicted the overthrow of the nations in the war of Gog and Magog, when God will assert His rule in Jerusalem and restore honor to His elders, the righteous. Our present chapter begins with the response of these elders, who will acknowledge God for having done wondrously in gathering them in from their scattered places of exile among the nations to the Land of Israel and for having cast down the armies of Gog and Magog on its hills (RaDaK on verse 1 of our present chapter). Rashi (ad loc.) explains that God’s “counsels of old in faithfulness and trust” refers to His covenant with Abraham in the Covenant between the Pieces (Gen. ch 15) when He promised him that his descendants would possess the Land.
Vv 2-5 depict God’s overthrow of the cities and strongholds of the nations at the end of days, and how this will bring them to fear Him. The closing words of verse 2 tell how God will make “a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built”. Targum renders: “…the temple of the deity of the nations in the city of Jerusalem shall never be built.” One wonders if prior to their overthrow at the end of days, the nations will attempt to build an idolatrous temple in Jerusalem, only to be thwarted by God, as seemingly implied by the Targum.
Vv 6ff specifically refer to the overthrow of the armies of Gog and Magog when they gather to campaign against Jerusalem. The nations will come expecting that Jerusalem will be as easy to conquer as oil and bone marrow, but the oil and bone marrow will turn into pure lees and waste (Rashi, Metzudas David and RaDaK on v 6). Everything will turn from one extreme to the other.
“And He will destroy in this mountain the covering that is cast over all the people and the veil that is cast over all the nations” (v 7). Targum explains that the “cover” and the “veil” that are cast over all the nations refer to their leader and ruler, who until his overthrow covered them protectively [like a seemingly benevolent world dictator?]. RaDaK (ad loc.) brings an explanation in the name of his father, that the “covering” (LOT) alludes to “the people who cover their faces” [reminiscent of masked Islamic terrorists???].
“He will destroy death for ever…” (v 8). This verse with its promise of resurrection and eternal life is recited at Jewish funerals and is often inscribed on monuments to the dead. RaDaK (ad loc.) explains that in time to come “chance death” (MEESAH MIKREES) will disappear but not “natural death”, defining “chance death” as the kinds of killings that Israel have endured at the hands of the nations during their exile. However, Rashi (ad loc.) states that God will “hide and conceal death from Israel eternally”, which suggests that there will be no more death of any kind for Israel. The Talmud asks how our present verse, “He will destroy death for ever”, can be reconciled with the prophesy that “a youth shall die at the age of a hundred” (Isaiah 65:20), answering that death will be destroyed entirely in the case of Israel, while the people of the nations will live long but will eventually die (Pesachim 68a).
“And it shall be said on that day, Behold our God, THIS (ZEH) is the One in whom we hoped and He has saved us, THIS (ZEH) is Hashem for whom we hoped, let us rejoice and exult in His salvation” (v 9). It is not unusual when using the word THIS (ZEH) to POINT in the direction to the person or thing to which one is referring. “Rabbi Elazar said: In time to come, the Holy One blessed be He will make a dance circle of the Tzaddikim and He will sit among them in the Garden of Eden, and each and everyone will POINT WITH HIS FINGER, saying, Behold our God, THIS is the One in whom we hoped…” (Ta’anis 31a). The “finger” of each Tzaddik alludes to his perception of God.
“For in this mountain shall the hand of HaShem rest, and Moab shall be trodden down in his own place” (v 10). This verse implies that God’s overthrow of the armies of Gog and Magog will take place at Mount Zion, while the Moabites will be overthrown in their own country. RaDaK (on v 10) explains that today the nations are mixed up and it is impossible to know which is Ammon, Moab or Edom etc. and this will also be the case at the time of the war of Gog and Magog. But while these three nations will be saved from the hand of the king of the north (Daniel 11:21), they will not escape from the hand of God in the war of Gog and Magog. For even though they are unrecognizable and mixed up with one another, it is possible that certain known families among the nations come from these specific peoples. It is also possible that the prophet gives the name Edom to those who dwell in the land of Edom, and the name of Moab to those who dwell in the land of Moab. The reason why he mentions Moab here is because Moab will aid the nations coming from the north to attack Jerusalem together with Gog and Magog. Being close neighbors of the land of Israel, the Moabites will help the oncoming armies by preparing roads and they will give them their support, and this is why Moab is mentioned specifically (see RaDaK on v 10).
CHAPTER 26
“On that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah” (v 1). Just as Israel sang to God after the miraculous overthrow of the Egyptians into the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus 15) and just as Deborah sang after the miraculous defeat of Sissera and his armies (Judges 5), so the Tzaddikim who survive the war of Gog and Magog will sing the song and prayer to God contained in our present chapter. “The city is our strength…” (v 1): Having put their faith in God’s promise to dwell in His eternal city in the end of days, the Tzaddikim will praise Him for saving them in the merit of their faith and commitment to Jerusalem.
“Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faithfulness (SHOMER EMUNIM) may enter in…” (v 2). The Talmud darshens: “Everyone who answers AMEN with all his strength has the gates of the Garden of Eden opened up for him. Read the word not as EMUNIM but AMENIM: he that guards (SHOMER) the Amens (AMENIM) shall enter!!!” (Shabbos 119b).
“Trust in HaShem for ever, for the Lord God is an eternal rock” (v 4). Because of its great importance as an affirmation of trust, this verse is included among those recited in the daily prayer service after the KEDUSHAH DE’SIDRA (=UVA LE-TZION…) following the repetition of the Amidah and ASHREY. The divine Name here rendered as “the Lord” is the two-lettered name spelled Yod-Heh. The Talmud explains that the Yod alludes to the Word to Come while the Heh alludes to This World, stating that “Whoever puts his trust in the Holy One blessed be He will have His protection in This World and in the World to Come” (Menachos 29b).
Our study today of Israel’s future song of faith and trust as contained in our present chapter is intended to inculcate this same faith and trust in ourselves and in our dear ones, children and students in preparation for the coming trials of the war of Gog and Magog, whenever this may come. Thus in the song we read already how God will “bring down those who dwell on high, the lofty city” (i.e. the strongholds of the nations, v 5), and how the “feet of the poor and the steps of the needy” shall trample it down (v 6). The “poor” refers to Melech HaMashiach, who is “a poor man riding on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9), while the “needy” refers to Israel, “who were needy until now” (Rashi on verse 6 of our present chapter).
The blatant injustice that is rampant in today’s world is an apparent contradiction to the rule of the God of Justice, and thus Israel prays to God to keep the Tzaddikim on the path of righteousness (v 7), hoping throughout their bitter persecution during their exile to see God’s righteousness vindicated when He will overthrow the wicked at the end of days (vv 8ff). When God’s judgments finally strike the earth, it teaches all its inhabitants to know and fear Him (v 9), whereas if favor is shown to the wicked (personified in the figure of Esau), he will never learn righteousness (v 10, see Rashi ad loc.).
“HaShem, when Your hand is lifted up they will not see, but they shall see with shame Your zeal for the people, the fire which shall devour Your enemies” (v 11). “When suffering comes upon the wicked, they do not think that it comes from Your hands, but they will see that it is Your hand at the time of the salvation, when You avenge Your people and save them – they will be ashamed, because then they will not be able to say it is chance, because they will see how a tiny people are saved from many nations” (RaDaK ad loc.).
Vv 13ff: After their redemption from the armies of Gog and Magog, Israel will recall how they were dominated by earthly masters throughout their long exile yet they never applied God’s Name to anything or anyone other than Him (v 13). “They are dead, they shall not live…” (v 14). RaDaK (ad loc.) explains this as a reference to the lifeless idols of the nations, while Rashi (ad loc.) takes it as a prayer that the wicked should not live the life of the world to come and that the “shades” (REPHA-IM) – i.e. those who weakened (REEPOO) their hands from the Torah and refused to keep it should not arise.
“You have increased the nation [Israel], HaShem…” (v 15). “You have given them increased Torah, greatness and glory, and the more You have increased them, the more You are glorified, because they give thanks and praises before You over every goodness, whereas this was not the practice of the nations, and for this reason You have distanced them from before You…” (Rashi ad loc.).
“HaShem, in trouble they besought You, they poured out a silent prayer when Your chastening was upon them…” (v 16). In their future song of salvation, Israel recalls how their very suffering in exile caused them to seek out God through prayer.
Vv 17f depict the tribulations prior to the final redemption as the painful contractions of a woman screaming as she is about to deliver. “It was as if we gave birth to wind; no salvations were wrought in the earth, and it seemed as if the inhabitants of the earth would not fall…” (v 18). Israel recalls how it seemed as if all the pains and tribulations were for nothing, because no baby was born – there was no redemption and no salvation. In the darkness of the exile it seemed as if the wicked nations would never fall (see Rashi on v 18).
“The dead men of thy people shall live! My dead body shall arise…” (v 19). “Previously he prayed that the wicked should not live, but here he prays that the righteous should live” (Rashi). It is as if the prophet puts words into the mouth of HaShem to decree the resurrection of the dead martyrs.
“Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust, for your dew is as the dew on herbs…” This verse alludes to the “dew” through which the dead will be resurrected. The Hebrew words translated in the phrase “dew on herbs” are TAL OROTH. OROTH has the connotation of “lights”, while TaL, “dew” is spelled Teth Lamed (=39), alluding to the sum of the numerical values of the letters contained in the expansion of the first three letters of the Tetragrammaton: Yud-Vav-Daleth; Heh-Aleph; Vav-Aleph-Vav. These are the higher spiritual powers or “lights” of the Holy One blessed be He that will shine down to the NUKVA (Malchus) and revive the dead.
“Come My people, enter into your chambers…” (v 20). RaDaK (ad loc.) explains that this verse contains the prophet’s counsel to the people of Israel in the time of the war of Gog and Magog. At that time Israel will be in dire trouble for a short time. The prophet advises the people to seclude themselves in good deeds and complete Teshuvah, for the anger will only be for a short moment and the good will be saved. Rashi (ad loc.) explains that the “chambers” allude to the synagogues and study halls in which Israel are to gather in their time of crisis, or to the inner chambers of the heart in which each one should conduct his or her own deep self-reckoning.
ABY
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BS”D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Isaiah 27-28
Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
ISAIAH CHAPTER 27
V 1: “On that day HaShem will with His harsh, great and mighty sword punish Leviathan the slant serpent and Leviathan the crooked serpent and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” RaDaK (ad loc.) states that this verse alludes to the overthrow of the nations in the war of Gog and Magog. Rashi (ad loc.) explains that “Leviathan the slant serpent” refers to Egypt and “Leviathan the crooked serpent” to Assyria (both of which are mentioned explicitly at the end of this chapter, verse 13) while the “dragon that is in the sea” refers to Edom-Rome.
V 2: “On that day sing to her: A vineyard of foaming wine.” After the future redemption the nations will sing this song in praise of Israel. In Isaiah’s earlier allegory about Israel as God’s vineyard (Isaiah 5:2), he had complained that despite being tended so carefully, the vineyard produced bad grapes. In contrast, at the time of the future salvation it will produce the best wine!
The following verses (3-6) are highly allusive. While our commentators interpret them in a variety of different ways, they are agreed that they refer to God’s unique protective providence over Israel during their exile and/or at the time of the redemption. God may punish them, but He does not give vent to all His fury. Rashi interprets these verses as God’s appeal to Israel to repent in order to enable Him to answer the attribute of Justice, which objects that Israel also sin and should thus be treated no differently from the nations. If Israel will only repent, God will be able to exact retribution from “those who make war against Me – that is, ISHMAEL” without the attribute of Justice being able to protest (Rashi on v 4).
“Oh let him take hold of My strength that he make peace for Me” (v 5): God appeals to Israel to take hold of His Torah, which is His “strength”, for this will assuage His anger and frustration at not being able to take vengeance on His enemies, and He will then have peace from the attribute of Justice, which will no longer be able to make accusations against Israel (see Rashi ad loc.).
In time to come, when Israel will repent, they will take root and flourish and fill the earth with fruit (v 6).
Vv 7ff continue with God’s “appeal” to Israel to repent, pointing out that He has never smitten them in the same way as He has smitten the nations that have risen up against them (v 7). Rather, He has contended with them only in a measured way (v 8). For this reason all that is required of them in order to merit their redemption is to destroy their idolatrous altars (v 9) because if they repent of idolatry they will come to repent for all their other sins as well (RaDaK ad loc.).
“For the fortified city will be solitary…” (v 10). Rashi paraphrases: “For if they do this [i.e. if Israel repents], the fortified city of ISHMAEL shall be solitary.” It is noteworthy that twice in his commentary on this chapter Rashi singles out Ishmael as the chief contender against Israel at the end of days. “…There shall the calf feed…” (v 10). Rashi (ad loc.) explains that this alludes to Ephraim, who is compared to a calf (Jer. 31:17), and who will in time to come inherit the territories that will be abandoned by Israel’s enemies.
“And it shall come to pass on that day that HaShem shall beat out His harvest from the strongly flowing river as far as the brook of Egypt…” God’s ingathering of the exiles is compared to the way a harvester beats the stalks and branches with a rod in order to separate the berries and gather them together (Metzudas David). The “strongly flowing river” is either the Euphrates (Rashi) or the River Sambation (RaDaK), to the other side of which the Ten Tribes were taken into exile by the Assyrians. From there they doubtless spread to many parts of the world, and from all of these they will be gathered in.
“And on that day a great shofar shall be blown…” (v 13). The “great shofar” alludes to the spirit of prophecy that will come into the world in the final redemption to signal to the lost souls that the time of the in-gathering has arrived. The prophet promises that in the final redemption all of the lost members of Israel will be gathered in from all their places of exile in order to worship God on the Temple Mount.
CHAPTER 28
“Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim…” (v 1). After having prophesied the final remedy – the ingathering of all the exiles, including the lost Ten Tribes, at the time of the future redemption – the prophet turns to address the people of his own generation, the “drunkards of Ephraim”, the kingdom of the Ten Tribes, who at this time stood on the very threshold of their coming exile at the hands of the Assyrians. This took place during Isaiah’s prophetic ministry, in the sixth year of the reign of King Hezekiah.
“Behold the Lord has one who is mighty and strong…” (v 2). This alludes to Sennacherib, who was to carry the Ten Tribes into exile.
“On that day HaShem of Hosts will be for a crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty to the residue of His people…” (v 5). With the destruction of the sinners, God’s “crown of glory” would adorn the remaining Tzaddikim – i.e. Hezekiah and the righteous among the people of Judah (see Rashi and RaDaK ad loc.). He would teach them to practice true justice and give strength to those fighting the war of Torah (Rashi on verse 6).
“But these also reel through wine…” (v 7). Here the prophet begins to castigate those in Judah and Benjamin who behaved like the drunkards of Ephraim. “For all tables are filled with vomit and filth…” (v 8). The rabbis cited this verse as referring to the tables of those who eat but do not speak words of Torah during their meal (Pirkey Avot 3:3).
“To whom shall one teach knowledge (YOREH DE’AH)?” (v 9). The prophet is complaining that the people have strayed onto the path of evil and nobody is left with sufficient understanding to grasp his message. The phrase YOREH DE’AH was adapted as the name of the second of the four sections of the Arba’ah Turim (“Four Rows”) and Shulchan Aruch (“Arranged Table”) codes of Torah law, dealing with the laws of Kashrus, Family Purity, Ribis (forbidden interest) and many other important areas of ISSUR VE-HEITER (“what is prohibited and what is permitted”).
“For it is precept upon precept… line upon line… here a little and there a little…” (v 10). The prophet complains that the people are so intent on their own enjoyment and so far from God’s commandments that it is necessary to add fence after fence to protect the law (Metzudas David ad loc.). Rashi (ad loc.) explains that for every commandment that the prophet urged the people to fulfill in the name of HaShem, they adduced a counter-commandment which they felt constrained to fulfill for the sake of their idols.
“For with stammering lips and another tongue shall one speak to this people” (v 11) – “Whoever speaks to them any word of prophecy or reproof seems to them like an unintelligible stammerer” (Rashi ad loc.).
“For He said to them, this is repose – to give respite to the weary…” (v 12). God wanted to teach the people the way to true tranquility and rest – by leaving the poor and weak instead of robbing and oppressing them (Metzudas ad loc.) but “they did not want to listen” (v 12) and therefore God would send them oppressors who would impose their own commands on the people in retribution for their neglect of God’s commandments (v 13).
Vv 14ff warn the leaders of the people of how God would deal with them because of their boasting that they had made a “covenant with death and an agreement with hell” (v 15). It may be that Isaiah had in mind those fifth columnists in Jerusalem like Shevna the scribe, who plotted to capitulate to Sennacherib thinking that this would save them from death. [After the 1993 “Oslo Agreement” between the Israeli government and the P.L.O. leading Torah scholars applied this verse to those in Israel who thought they could make a protective covenant with terrorists. Thus the Targum renders the phrase “we have made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell” as: “we have made a covenant with a KILLER and we have made peace with a TERRORIST (MECHABEL)”.
“Therefore says the Lord God, Behold I am establishing for a foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation” (v 16). This alludes to Melech HaMashiach (Rashi) and to Hezekiah (Metzudas David & RaDaK). Just like the corner stone is the foundation of the entire building, so the righteous Messianic king is the secure foundation for every believing Israelite. “He that believes shall not make haste” (v 16): “A true believer does not say that if it is true, he should come quickly” (Rashi ad loc.).
The “covenant with death” made by the wicked would only be atoned through the terror that would be unleashed by Sennacherib against Judah (vv 18ff). “For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself…” (v 20): the territory of Judah would be too narrow to accommodate all of Sennacherib’s armies (RaDaK ad loc.). The work that God would do in the land of Judah would be “strange” (v 21) because He would use an alien and merciless proxy, i.e. Sennacherib, to carry out His plan. The prophet pleads with the people not to mock him for his prophecies (v 22).
Verses 23-28 present an allegory about how an expert farmer goes about his work, sowing and later processing each crop in the way uniquely suited to it. God is the “plowman” while Israel is the “land”. The “plowman” prepared the “land” for sowing by taking Israel out of Egypt with many miracles. But the work of plowing does not continue for ever. As soon as the land is ready, it is time to “sow” the seeds. Thus God gave Israel the Torah and the commandments, but different people are on different levels and the different crops have to be tended in different ways in order to bring each to perfection. The work of threshing (separating the grain from the chaff) cannot go on for too long because if it does, all the berries will disintegrate. It would be better for the people to imbibe the message of rebuke (the “threshing”) quickly instead of being stubborn and having to be beaten down continuously (see Rashi and RaDaK).
“This also came from HaShem of hosts: He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom” (v 29). Just as the “farmer” uses many subtle skills in producing a diversity of good crops, so God exercises His providence in the most wondrous ways in order to bring all the diverse souls to produce their crop of good deeds, each in accordance with its own unique potential.
The Haftara of the first parshah in the book of Exodus, SHEMOS (according to the custom of the Ashkenazi communities) consists of selections from the chapters discussed in the present commentary: Isaiah 27:6-13; 28:1-13 and 29:22-23.
ABY
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BS”D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Isaiah 29-30
Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
ISAIAH CHAPTER 29
“Ho Ariel! Ariel!” (v 1): Ariel, literally “the lion of God”, refers to the Temple in general and specifically to the Altar (cf. Ezekiel 43:16), because “the fire that came down upon the Altar from heaven crouched upon it like a lion” (Metzudas Tzion on verse 1). The Temple building itself – the back of which was narrow while the front was broad – also resembled a lion (Tractate Middos 37a). The reason why King David is mentioned in this verse is because it was he who discovered the true site of the Altar (see I Chron. 21:18ff; RaDaK on our present verse).
The prophet is grieving over the coming assault on Jerusalem by Assyria, chastising the people because “you add year upon year; the festivals will be cut off” (v 1). He is warning that if they would not repent, the Altar would be destroyed and then their sins would accumulate from year to year instead of being atoned through the daily and festival sacrifices (Metzudas David). Sennacherib would lay siege to Jerusalem, where the people would mourn the many that he would kill in the surrounding towns of Judah. Then Jerusalem – surrounded by the bodies of the dead – would itself be like an Altar surrounded by its slaughtered animals (v 2). The people would have to suffer this because of the insincerity with which they brought sacrifices to the Temple. Only the terrors of the siege of Jerusalem – which the prophet depicts in verse 3 – would humble their hearts, and they would then pray to God in a lowly, barely audible voice like that of a necromancer (v 4).
And as soon as the people would turn to God, “The multitude of your strangers [=the enemy] shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be like chaff that passes away, and it shall be in an instant suddenly” (v 5). Here the prophet foretells the overthrow of Sennacherib’s armies, who would be consumed by the fire of God’s angel and turned to ashes (Rashi ad loc.). The enemy’s vain ambitions of conquering Jerusalem would turn out to be as empty as a passing dream (vv 7-8).
The fact that our commentators relate this prophecy to the overthrow of Sennacherib, which took place over two thousand five hundred years ago, in no way detracts from its relevance in our times, because Sennacherib’s onslaught against Jerusalem was the prototype of the destined assault against Jerusalem by the armies of Gog and Magog at the end of days. Then too the people will have to repent and call out to God from a position of abject lowliness in order to merit the tremendous salvation that He will bring about at that time.
Verses 9-12 can be seen to address the bewildered Jews of today who suddenly find themselves confronting a hostility from the nations not seen since the days of the Holocaust, with daily-renewed threats to the survival of their tiny country. Many seem to be as in a drunken stupor and a sleep, bereft of guidance from true prophets and seers. “And the vision of all this has become to you as the words of a book that is sealed…” The vision that applies to our times is indeed contained in these prophecies in this very book of Isaiah, but it has become “sealed” and closed up because of people’s inability – or unwillingness – to see its relevance.
The prophet’s rebuke is directed not only against those who do not observe the Torah at all. Even more, he castigates those who give the outward appearance of piety while in truth being far from true devotion. “For this people draw near with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me, but they have removed their heart far from Me and their fear of Me is like a commandment of men learned by rote” (v 13). Each one of us must seriously consider how this rebuke applies to us and how we can correct what we must correct. For the mindless, mechanical repetition of our prayers out of mere habit without inner feeling and devotion leads to the loss of wisdom and understanding (v 14).
It is a terrible mistake when people believe they can hide behind an outer façade of piety while “secretly” following the devices of their own hearts, as if God is unaware of their deeds. How can a mere creature imagine that He who created him does not understand what is in his heart? (vv 15-16).
The people’s complacency will lead to the complete overthrow of the world order with which they are familiar (v 17), and only at that moment of supreme crisis will the “deaf” finally hear the message of the books of the prophets and the eyes of the “blind” see (v 18). The redemption that will sprout through the repentance engendered by the attack on Jerusalem will bring joy to the meek and humble (v 19) while the wicked will be destroyed (vv 20-21).
The sight of the Children of Israel repenting at the end of days will be to the glory of the patriarchs, whose descendants will again display heroic devotion to HaShem just as their ancestors, bringing about a great sanctification of His Name (vv 22-24).
CHAPTER 30
The rebuke of the prophet in this chapter against the “rebellious children” who take counsel and prepare plans to face the enemy without consulting true Torah sages and prophets (v 1) is directly primarily against those who “travel to go down to Egypt” (v 2).
RaDaK points out that we find nothing in any of our sources relating to the reigns of Uzziah, Yotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in which Isaiah prophesied that might indicate that there was a party in Jerusalem seeking aid from Egypt against Assyria. There was indeed such a party seeking Egypt’s help against Babylon several generations later, prior to the destruction of the Temple in the time of King Tzedekiah, but it is hard to interpret the present prophecy as referring to them since it explicitly foretells the redemption from Assyria in the time of Hezekiah (see v 31). RaDaK surmises that despite the absence of any explicit reference in the book of Kings or Chronicles, such a party may well have existed in the time of King Ahaz or in that of Hezekiah, who was faced with the challenge of dealing with a highly recalcitrant leadership elite (see RaDaK on v 1).
The contemporary parallel to the ancient “pro-Egyptian” party in Jerusalem is obviously the sizeable number of Jews today who believe that Israel is totally dependent upon the favor of America and other temporal powers for its survival, when the truth is that Israel’s only true supporter is HaShem, and the only way to elicit His favor and compassion is through repentance, prayer and the fulfillment of His Torah. “And the strength of Pharaoh shall be for shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt for confusion” (v 3). The shuttle of treasure-bearing asses and camels carrying bribes down to Egypt (v 6) is reminiscent of the endless shuttle of briefcase-bearing Israeli officials trying to curry favor in Washington and other capitals. “For Egypt shall help in vain and to no purpose” (v 7).
“Now go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, so that it may be for time to come for ever and ever…” (v 8). The prophet states quite plainly that his message applies to future ages – i.e. TODAY! The problem remains that we are “children that will not hear the Torah of HaShem, who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not to us right things but speak to us smooth things, prophesy delusions” (vv 9-10). People prefer to hear how the pundits rate the latest “Peace Plan” rather than hearkening to the prophet’s call to repent!
The prophet warns that the people’s recalcitrance will lead to calamity, and the entire structure of trust and faith in temporal salvation would be smashed to useless little bits (vv 12-14).
“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In ease and rest shall you be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength – but you did not want it” (v 15). If the people would only put their faith in HaShem and devote their main effort to the fulfillment of His Torah, the path to redemption would be easy. But if they stubbornly try to save themselves through worldly stratagems, “Therefore HaShem will WAIT to be gracious to you…” (v 15). The redemption will surely come, but only after a long period of hardship. “Happy are all who wait for Him” (ibid.) – “i.e. who wait for the consolations He has promised, for not one word will be unfulfilled” (Rashi).
Verses 19ff prophesy that the time will come when the Tzaddikim remaining in Jerusalem will be answered by God. “And HaShem shall give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, and your Teacher shall not be hidden any more but your eyes shall see Your teacher…” (v 20). Rashi explains that God will feed the people “the bread of adversity” “because you will not be attached to worldly pleasures as you are now” and then “your Teacher” – i.e. “the Holy One blessed-be-He, who teaches you how to succeed” – will no longer be concealed. Targum on verse 20 renders: “And HaShem will bring to you the possessions of the enemy and the plunder of the oppressor and He will no longer remove His Indwelling Presence from the Holy Temple but your eyes will see My Shechinah in the Holy Temple”.
“Your eyes shall see your Teacher” also applies to seeing the true Tzaddik in the flesh. Thus Rabbi Judah the Prince said, “The reason I am sharper than my companions is because I once caught sight of Rabbi Meir from behind. And if I had seen him from in front I would have been sharper still, as it says, ‘Your eyes shall see your teacher'” (Talmud Eiruvin 13b).
In vv 23ff the prophet depicts the great blessing that will come into the world when Israel will cast away their idols. “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold as the light of the seven days…” (v 26). This verse depicts the radiant spiritual light that will shine when Israel will repent at the end of days. The moon (the receiver, Malchus, the Shechinah) will receive the full light of the sun (Kudsha Berich Hu, Zeir Anpin), and the “sun” itself will shine 7 x 7 x 7 as brightly as the original light of creation, i.e. 343 times as brightly (see Rashi and Targum on v 26).
Vv 27ff prophesy the downfall of Sennacherib’s armies. “And the song shall be for you like on the night of the sanctification of the festival” (v 29). The delivery from Sennacherib was to come on the festival of Pesach, which is celebrated with song (Rashi ad loc.). “For its hearth is ordained of old, it is prepared for the king” (v 33). The “hearth” (TOPHTEH) refers to Gehennom, “because everyone who is seduced (MIT-PHATEH) by his evil inclination falls there” (Rashi). A place in hell had already been prepared for Sennacherib and his armies.
ABY
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Rabbi Avraham Ben Yaakov Greenbaum: TORAH FOR THE NATIONS
provides teachings and resources from the Jewish religious tradition for people of all nations, backgrounds and beliefs.
All the materials on this site reflect “Orthodox” Torah Judaism and are based on the Hebrew Bible (“TaNaKh”, Torah, Prophets & Holy Writings), the Talmud, classic Torah law codes (Mishneh Torah & Shulhan Arukh), teachings of outstanding rabbinical sages of all generations, and the inner mystical Torah tradition (Zohar, Kabbalah and Chassidut).
His site is edited by Rabbi Avraham ben Yaakov Greenbaum under the supervision of leading present-day rabbinical authorities.
BS”D KNOW YOUR BIBLE: Isaiah 25-26, 27-28, 29-30 Study Notes by Avraham ben Yaakov
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If you believe Messiah Ben Yoseph as is explained in Scriptures,
Jer 31:31-37 “See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall make a new covenant with the house of Yisra’ĕl and with the house of Yehuḏah1, Footnote: 1See Hebrews. 8:8-12, Hebrews. 10:16-17 (Please read these verses in the HaBerith HaChadashah Scriptures).
32 not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares יהוה.
33 “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts (Messiah Ben Yoseph). And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
34 “And no longer shall they teach, each one his neighbor, and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know יהוה,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares יהוה. “For I shall forgive their crookedness, and remember their sin no more.”
35 Thus said יהוה, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the laws of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, and its waves roar – יהוה of hosts is His Name:
36 “If these laws vanish from before Me,” declares יהוה, “then the seed of Yisra’ĕl shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.”
37 Thus said יהוה, “If the heavens above could be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I would also cast off all the seed of Yisra’ĕl for all that they have done,” declares יהוה.
Yohanan (one of the writers in the HaBerith HaChadashah Scriptures) bore witness of The Righteous One – The Foundation of the world, Messiah Ben Yoseph who received the soul of, The Messenger of His Presence – מלאך פניו.
What ‘makes’ Him The Righteous One!
In the Talmud ((Yoma 38b) is written:
Hiyya b. Abba said also in the name of R. Johanan: Even for the sake of a single righteous man does the world endure, as it is said: But the righteous is the foundation of the world. 26
Hiyya himself infers this from here: He will keep the feet of His holy ones’ 27 ‘Holy ones’ means many? — R. Nahman b. Isaac said: It is written: His holy’ one. 27
26 Pro 10:25 As the whirlwind passes by, The wrong one is no more, But the righteous (in Hebrew וצדיק יסוד עולם׃ ‘and the Righteous’ –singular-) has an everlasting foundation.
27 1Sa 2:9 “He guards the feet of His kind ones (in Hebrew חסידו ‘His Righteous One’ –singular-) but the wrong are silent in darkness, for man does not become mighty by power.
Kol HaTor is telling ‘Metatron is The Messenger of His Presence, what we don’t believe!
Isa 63:7-9 Let me recount the kindnesses of יהוה and the praises of יהוה, according to all that יהוה has done for us, and the great goodness toward the house of Yisra’ĕl, which He has done for them according to His compassion, and according to His many kindnesses.
8 And He said, “They are My people, children who do not act falsely.” And He (HaShem) became their Savior – In Hebrew it is written: He became their מושׁיע – Mosiah.
9 In all their distress He was distressed, and the Messenger of His Presence – ומלאך פניו הושׁיעם באהבתו – saved them. In His love and in His compassion He redeemed them, and He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Exo 25:8-9 “And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their midst.
9 “According to all that I show you – the pattern of the Dwelling Place and the pattern of all its furnishings – make it exactly so.
Exo 25:20-22 “And the keruḇim shall be spreading out their wings above, covering the lid of atonement with their wings, with their faces toward each other, the faces of the keruḇim turned toward the lid of atonement.
21 “And you shall put the lid of atonement on top of the ark (Were ‘The Righteous One’, in the ‘heavenly one’ brought from His own blood), and put into the ark the Witness which I give you.
22 “And I shall meet with you there, and from above the lid of atonement, from between the two keruḇim which are on the ark of the Witness, I shall speak to you all that which I command you concerning the children of Yisra’ĕl.
The One who spoke ‘between the kerubim above the lid of atonement’ and promise to speak again:
Eze 36:37-38 ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “Once again I shall let the house of Yisra’ĕl inquire of Me to do for them: I shall increase their men like a flock.
38 “As a set-apart flock, as the flock at Yerushalayim at her appointed times, so shall the wasted cities be filled with flocks of men. And they shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”
is He not:
‘the Messenger of His Presence’? (And NOT with whatever we can come up with!) The Word that became flesh……..!
Php 2:5-11 For, let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah יהושע,
6 who, being in the form of Elohim, did not regard equality with Elohim a matter to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and came to be in the likeness of men.
8 And having been found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, death even of a stake.
9 Elohim, therefore, has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name,
10 that at the Name of יהושע every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess that יהושע Messiah is Master, to the esteem of Elohim the Father.
Who did the Yom Kippur service ‘above’ as the high-priest after the ‘order’ of Melchizedek….. (For ALL 12 Tribes and all their friends!)
Heb 9:11-12 But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good matters, through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation,
12 entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption.
Not to ‘replace’ the ‘earthly’…..
Because He bears the Divine Mandate Devarim 30: 1-10 (He is: ‘These Words’ in verse one.)
He shall teach the Torah of Messiah if we let Him speak again from between the Cherubim above ‘the lid of atonement‘…….. (The ‘appearance’ of Messiah Ben David as is promised).
Then I ask you please say it again as our fo