Yeshayahu 45

0:00Good morning everyone. Today we are learning Parach Memehe, the 45th chapter of Safari Yashayahu. In this Parach, Yashayahu is continuing with his speech of consolation and redemption to the Jewish people, and this is really just a continuation of the last verses of the previous chapter in which Yashayahu singles out a individual who would be responsible for a smaller redemption after the Babylonian exile, Khoresh or Cyrus, the emperor of the Persians that would conquer Baville and permit the Jewish people to reset all the land of Israel and rebuild the base Hamikta. Yashayahu continues, his co-amer Hashem Limshiko Lakhouresh Asher Hachzak-Tani Biminou la rad Lifanav Goyim, whom as name of the last verse, Liftoach Lifanav De

1:02Lassayim Ushaarim Lo Yisageiro. So says Hashem to his anointed one to Khoresh and the term Masiyach here is referring to actually a non-Jewish person. So Masiyach doesn't necessarily mean they are the chosen king of the Jewish people, but rather it means that they are designated by Hashem for something special, namely to redeem the Jewish people and bring them back into the land of Israel. And so much like Khyskiyahu, Khoresh could have also been Masiyach, not in the same sense as the Jewish Masiyach, but he could have been the Jewish Redeemer from exile. And while it was certainly true that he facilitated the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel and the construction of the Basemic Tash, he himself did not participate and in fact we have records of Khoresh not invoking Hashem but invoking other foreign gods. And so much like

2:02Khyskiyahu, who could have been Masiyach, but he and his generation weren't worthy. Similarly, Khoresh himself did not merit to be Masiyach and the Jewish people did not merit it as well because not many came up with Ezra and Nakhamiya to resettle the land. So that's just another parallel to Khyskiyahu, who also could have been Masiyach. Either way, Yishayahu continues to talk about Khoresh and it's important to keep in mind that this is hundreds of years before Khoresh actually was born and a threat to the Babylonians approximately about 200 years. So Sos as Hashem to has anointed one to Khoresh, whose right hand I held to flatten nations before him to bring him victory and the loins of kings I will loosen, meaning kings when they went out to battle war armor with belts and swords and so he's loosening them Hashem says Hashem will weaken all of Khoresh's enemies so he'll be able to defeat them to open portals meaning gates before him and city gates shall not be closed. So on a

3:08simple level these are just all examples and metaphors of Hashem telling Khoresh I am going to weaken all of your enemies and you will be victorious and while that is true the Mafar Shem also point to Sefer Daniel which seems to indicate that when he conquered Baville there was actually a coup or perhaps a surrender on behalf of many of the palace guards that they actually just opened the gates of the city for him to prevent their death and bloodshed. So that's a more literal way to understand this part of the prophecy that the gates of Baville won't be close to him. Anilifanach aileich va Hadarim ava-shair dalsos n'husha shabervvary chevazel agadea I will go before you and I will straighten out crooked paths meaning I'll make it easy for you to march in your way I will break portals of copper and cut off bars of iron so once again I will either literally or figuratively weaken the defenses of the cities that you seek to

4:11conquer, venassati l'cha otsros khoshech umatmune mistarim l'man teidak yani Hashem ha-kore vishim khaa el oke israel and I will give you treasures of the dark places and riches that are hidden in secret places in order that you know that I am Hashem who calls you by your name who designates you I am the holy one of the Jewish people and so as we said in our introduction that Khoresh failed in that goal he attributed his success to pagan gods. Laman avdya a'kov visrael bechiri ve'ekra l'cha beshmechah a'chanchah ve'lo yadatani for the sake of my servant Yaakov and the Jewish people my chosen one and I called you by your name I've given you a title and yet you don't know me yet Khoresh may not have been exposed to Jewish people until he conquered Bavila until he conquered Babylon and so through Yashayahu who was prophesizing when Khoresh isn't even born yet he's calling out to Khoresh and

5:12for the Jewish people to listen saying Khoresh doesn't even know Hashem and yet Hashem will make him victorious so ultimately he will learn. Ani Hashem ve'en od zulasi a'en elohim a'zirchah ve'lo yadatani I am Hashem and there is no other besides me there is no God I will strengthen you even though you don't know me yet. Laman yadul mimizra Hashem e'umima a'rava ki a'fas biladai ani Hashem ve'en od in order that they know from the shining of the sun and meaning in the east and from the west that there is no one besides me I am Hashem and there is no other. Yotser or uvar e Khoshech Ose Shalom uvar e'ra I am one who forms light and creates darkness who makes peace and creates evil we say a form of that every morning in the blessings of Kriashma Yoser or uvar e Khoshech Ose Shalom uvar e'zha k'ol k'ol aziyufimizm for r'a I am Hashem

6:13who makes all of these ani Hashem k'ol ose e'leh so this is once again a polemic against pagan ideologies Hashem is saying I am more powerful you don't know me yet but I am I make everything and the Mifarsha man modern scholars point out that this is specifically directed at Khoresh this phrase I am Hashem who creates light and darkness who makes good and bad why specifically that phrase we haven't come across that before so they say that Khoresh belonged to the Persians and Persian religion called Zaroastrianism which existed then and continues to exist in pockets in modern day Iran there were actually two gods one that was good and one that was bad and ultimately the good will triumph over the bad so that is presumably the religion that Khoresh either believes in or was very significantly exposed and influenced by and what Yashayahu is telling Khoresh is that no there's only one God and that God does both good

7:17and bad depending on what people deserve herifu shamaim ima al-ushra kim islu tzedak tif tak eritz vifru yasha utztakat atzmiyach yachad ani Hashem birasif I cause the heavens to drip meaning rain and let the skies pour down righteousness a lot of rain let the earth open and let salvation and righteousness be fruitful let it cause them to sprout together meaning hope and redemption I am Hashem have created all of this hoi rav es yotsro cheres es charse adama hayo mar hayo mar hayo mar liyotsro matah esa uf alchah in yodayim lo wo to one who contends with his creator meaning who argues a potchard among the potchards of the earth shall the clay say to its potter what did you make in your work has no place here so this is a metaphor that you have a little nothing a piece of pottery that says to its maker who are you you didn't make me you have no

8:20business being here and having a say in how things go so we've come across this metaphor in some of the earlier chapters and this is yashayou echoing this again to Khoresh saying you are just merely a piece of pottery in God's hands don't say that God has no business dictating to you hayo mar la avmo tole do liyisha matri lin wo to one who says to a father who did you have as a child and to a woman why do you experience birth pangs essentially disavowing those that helped form a person ko amar Hashem kiddosh yusra elvi yotsro ha ocio's shaluni al bonayv al po al yoday titzu vaini so says Hashem the holy one of the Jewish people and its creator ask me about the signs concerning my children and the work of my hands do you command me there are different ways to understand this phrase the reddak explains that this is yashayou continuing on the theme that the pagan gods and false prophets don't

9:26know anything because they're not real and the only true power is Hashem and so he challenges the non Jews ask me about the signs tell me ask me what's going to happen and about the Jewish people do you think you have a say no I'm the only one in charge you can't command me to do anything anohia cc erets ve adama lev arasi anit yaday na tusha maya mv cold svamsi veci I made the earth and I created humans upon it as for me my hands stretched out across the heavens and I ordained all of their hosts the stars in the moon and the sun I created all of their paths and commanded them what to do anohi anohi ha ae ro sihu vidsadek vecholdur achav ayah shair hu yivna eeree ve galusi yashaleach lovim here veloveshochad amar Hashem svekos I aroused him with righteousness and all his ways I will straighten out he shall build my city and free my exiles neither for a price and nor for a bribe meaning they won't he won't be bribed into doing it so says Hashem the lord of hosts so this is referring

10:31once again to koreish that Hashem aroused koreish to facilitate and to build the base hamik dush and to redeem the Jewish people and send them back and not get any personal gain out of it neither for a price or a bribe simply because Hashem will inspire him to do the right thing now if we look at the words closely I translated it as facilitating to build and facilitating the redemption but if you translate it literally it's hu yivna eeree it's he shall build my city now koreish didn't do that koreish just allowed others to and so the mafar shem and the gamara are medyak and fur from here that it was at this point that koreish failed in his charge in what Hashem wanted him to do Hashem told yashayahu to prophesize that koreish would rebuild the base hamik dush and in that way he would have been masyach but he didn't and so now the only way he's credited with the redemption of the Jewish people and the reconstruction of the base

11:34hamik dush is only indirectly koremar Hashem yiyagia met srayam uschakush uswa iman shaymida Allah yach yavaru velach yuhach arayach yelaykhubazikum yavaru ve layach yushach avu elayach yuspalalu achbach kehl vein od fs alokim so says Hashem the toil of Egypt and the merchandise of kush and siva meaning all of the riches and the resources men of stature all of these shall come over to you and shall be yours they shall follow you they shall come over to you in chains meaning in submission and they shall prostrate themselves before you they shall pray to you saying only in you is Hashem and there is no other god meaning it there's just you and Hashem has chosen you there's no other ruler and there's no other divine power other than Hashem the simple interpretation and this is how the Ebenezer understands it is that this is referring to koreish that we're continuing talking to koreish saying that

12:37because he's going to be such a great person and Hashem is going to help him be victorious and so even the great Egyptian empire and kush which control the Egypt at the time they will submit themselves to koreish now modern scholars point out that in fact it was not koreish it wasn't Cyrus who eventually conquered Egypt but it was rather Cyrus's successor can bicees this is a bit of it's hand-gent but there's a whole dating debate or problem where in Jewish literature we seem to skip over several Persian kings and so it's very possible that the Ebenezer didn't even know that kambisees existed either way it's still a little difficult then to understand the prophecy it doesn't seem to be fulfilled Hashem said that koreish was going to conquer Egypt but he didn't his successor can bicees did so there are several ways to answer this both on theological and historical grounds but perhaps based on what we said

13:37above that koreish was supposed to rebuild the city of Yerushalayim and rebuild the baisa miktash and redeem the Jewish people and then he would have been Mashiach and ultimately though he and the Jewish people did not merit it and so instead he only fulfilled that prophecy indirectly so you could also say that about this part right after that that had koreish bin Mashiach then he would have been the one the conquered Egypt in all of its wealth but because he did not he only fulfilled the first part indirectly so this part was also fulfilled indirectly he wasn't the one that conquered it but kambisees did his successor and Cyrus was just merely facilitating what others would accomplish. Akhen Atakel Mistatar al-Oke Israel Mosheah indeed says Yishayahu you are a god who conceals himself the god of Israel their savior there's different ways to understand that phrase rashi based on madrasham say that Hashem will

14:43oftentimes hide and conceal himself only revealing himself much later during the actual moments of salvation when in fact Hashem has been setting it up way before that and so this was certainly true during Yishayahu's prophecy. Koreish wasn't even born yet the Babylonians were really just beginning to grow as a regional power at the time if at all and certainly the salvation of the Jewish people was very far off during the days of religious oppression of Mashiach when he was saying these prophecies and so this is Yishayahu remarking and he's saying that the nations of the world will also acknowledge this that you Hashem you play the long game and when you do set things up we don't see it there's a hester pun and but ultimately it will be revealed Boshu Vagam Nihlimukulam Yachtav Halku Baakhlimah Harashay Tsirim they shall be ashamed even disgraced all of them the master painters shall go together in disgrace Rashi says that Tsirim refers to painters and so what

15:49does it mean that the painters are going to be ashamed so he says that it refers to artisans craftsmen that would paint idols and they'll say wow these idols are worthless compared to Hashem who does all these wondrous things we don't always see it but ultimately when they're revealed wow that's incredible the Redak understands Tsirim as a prjorative term it's a little bit complicated as to how he gets it but he believes that it's related to the word Tsirim which refers to pains which is a derogative term for idols and so it just means that those that fashion idols Yusra al-Noshab BaShem Tushu-S Olamim Lo Sevoshu Velocikulmul Ad-Ome Ad but while the nations of the world and the idolaters will be ashamed the Jewish people will be saved by Hashem by Hashem with an everlasting salvation and you will neither be ashamed nor disgraced forever Kikhala Mar Hashem Bure Hashemayim Hu Hau'el-O Kim Yotseh Haaretz Ve Osa Hu Khenena Lossov Ir'Allah Sheves Yitzara Anni Hashem Ve'Ain Od

16:55For so says Hashem the creator of the heaven who is Hashem will form the earth and made it he established it he did not create it for nothing for it to be a waste rather he created it to be inhabited by people and in fact something understand that this is a verse that is a source or one of the sources for the obligation to pro-create for society to have children and to grow and he formed it to be filled with people saying I am Hashem and there is no other what is this puzzle have to do with anything it's clearly part of God's polemic against idolatry but what does this have to do with what we just spoke about with the nations of the world being ashamed and the Jewish people being saved for eternity the Mfarsim including the Radakh explain that when Hashem said that he did not create the world for it to be a waste but rather for it to be inhabited so how does that explain then all of the war all of the punishment all

17:56of the destruction that befell both the Jewish people and the broader world if Hashem is not Zoroastrian God forbid that there's no fight between good and evil so why is Hashem bringing all of this death and destruction well it's because the humanity or the Jewish people have brought that upon themselves because of sin so that's the connection to the previous Psookim where the non-Jewish people are ashamed of having worshiped idols and the Jewish people will be saved for eternity because they did it to Shuva and that's what the next Psook says Lovas Acer Di Barati Bimcom Erats Khoshek Loa Martiliz Erayakov Tovak Shuni Ani Hashem Dover Tsedek Magid Me Shariim not in secret did I speak in a place of a land of darkness meaning there was no aura of mystery of closing off of Judaism from the masses I did not say to the seed of Yakov seek me in

18:57vain I am Hashem who speaks righteousness declares things that are right seek me out due to Shuva he cuffs Ovo is not Shuyacht of Pli Tehagoyam Loyadoon Anosim S. H. Pislum Umis Palalim L. L. Loyoshiah assemble and come approach together use survivors of the nations meaning all of those that are not killed in the war of Gogol Mogo who aren't completely destroyed or punished come approach me says Hashem those who carry their graven wouldn't image and pray to a God who does not save and they don't know Hagidu Vahagi Shu Af Ivo Atsu Yachtov Me Hishmi Azos Me Kedem Me Az Higada Haloani Hashem Ve'in O'd Elohim Me Balodoy Kelt Sadik Umosia Ayin Zoolasi and once again Hashem challenges them declare and present let even let them even take counsel together who announced this from before who has ever made true predictions who declared it from them is it not

19:57I Hashem and there is no God besides me a just and saving God there is none beside me penu a live a Hivashu Kalaaf say aurets Kiani Kelva Ayn O'd turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth meaning all the fringes of humanity for I am Hashem and there is no other Bynishbati Yachtzami Pitsdaka Dvar Veloyashuv Kili Sihra Khabarach Tishava Koltashon that phrase we is what we use in Alainu by myself I swore righteousness emanated from my mouth a word and it shall not be retracted that to me shall every knee kneel and every tongue shall swear so the end part clearly refers to the nations of the world ultimately recognizing Hashem the first part by myself I swore righteousness came out of my mouth a word and it shall not be retracted what that means is that when Hashem declares something when Hashem makes a prophecy

20:58even if at a certain point it isn't fulfilled in its entirety it ultimately will and in fact this is the source at least for the Rambham who says that a positive prophecy will always be fulfilled it may be fulfilled in different ways it may take time but it will always be fulfilled and so what Hashem is saying is that ultimately not only will the Jewish people do Tishava but even the non-Jewish world will ultimately recognize and submit themselves to Hashem ah Pashem Liah martystakos Vahoz Adav Yavavyev Oshukala Nekhirim Bo but to me did he say by the Lord righteousness and strength to him it shall come and be ashamed all who are incensed against him there's different ways to understand that phrase the Mitsudas David as well as Riviyosef Kimchi both understand that even though Hashem is predicting that ultimately even the nations of the world will recognize and submit to Hashem the Jewish people will still be on a higher level and that's what it

22:00means but to me meaning to Yashayahu did Hashem the Lord of righteousness and strength say that to him shall come and be ashamed all those who are incensed against him meaning the non-Jewish people who up until this point did not like Hashem so even though they will ultimately recognize the sovereignty of Hashem it won't be on the same level by Shem Yitzdeku Vah Yisalalu Khol Zerayusro through Hashem shall all the seed of the Jewish people find righteousness and boast and hold themselves over the Umosaholam even though everybody will recognize Hashem the Jewish people by virtue of being Hashem's chosen nation and doing repentance doing Juvah Yen Ghalus will ultimately reach the pinnacle and be an Oralagaya Malait onto the other nations and will have what to boast about of being on a higher level