Yeshaya 27:6–28:13, 29:22–23
Our Worthiness to Greet Mashiach

We often hear Jewish people questioning their worthiness to merit the advent of Mashiach. Our nation’s rapid spiritual decline makes them wonder if they will ever be worthy of living in the pure spiritual setting of Mashiach. Yeshaya’s message in this week’s Haftarah addresses this subject and helps us answer some of their concern.

From Servitude to Nobility

Yeshaya opened the Haftarah with an encouraging message and said, “Those who are coming will strike roots as Yaakov; they will blossom and flower as Yisrael.” Rashi explains these words to refer to the Jewish nation’s early stay in Egypt and to their miraculous development in their foreign environment. Yeshaya said that they entered Egypt as Yaakov, but that they developed there into Yisrael. Rabbeinu Bachya notes that categorically the Torah switches between Yaakov’s name from birth and the name Hashem conveyed upon him, Yisrael. He explains that, in general, the Torah refers to the Jewish people as Yaakov when they are in a lowly state, akin to Yaakov’s early years, whereas the name Yisrael is used when they are in an elevated, noble state, similar to our patriarch Yaakov. Accordingly, he explains that the Jewish people’s name Yaakov reflects their downtrodden status during their dark years of exile and their name Yisrael reflects their spiritual supremacy. (Rabbeinu Bachya on Bereishis 45:28) Yeshaya therefore recalled the Jewish people’s experience in Egypt in this context and stated that they settled into Egypt as a downtrodden forlorn family, but that they were liberated as a towering spiritual beacon to the world.

Chazal reveal that Yaakov’s family began feeling its pending servitude at the time of his passing from the world, within twenty years of their arrival to Egypt. (Rashi on Bereishis 47:28) Although they were not enslaved for close to another hundred years, nevertheless, after Yaakov’s passing they were lowered from their elevated status. Once they forfeited their prominence and nobility as the illustrious family of the premier chief advisor of Egypt, Yaakov’s household continued to lose its superior identity and eventually became the personal possession of the Egyptians.

Buried Identity

In truth, the Jewish people’s identity was not lost, rather it was buried under layers of foreign influence. Their true prominence was being preserved for their era of redemption and spiritual elevation. And, when the appropriate moment arrived, Hashem liberated His people and elevated them to their befitting status. He restored their honor and nobility and established them as the focal point of the world. Yeshaya typified that drastic transition through their national name-change from Yaakov to Yisrael. Yaakov’s family, after the passing of their role model, settled into Egypt as a forlorn family struggling to retain its identity, but it emerged from its trying experience as a prominent, noble people who won the favor and respect of all.

In truth, their development resembled that of their ancestor, Yaakov, who miraculously survived the murderous hands of Eisav and Lavan and even overcame Eisav’s powerful angel. That spiritual victory earned Yaakov his supreme status of Yisrael, a name that reflects supremacy (Rashi on Bereishis 35:10) as the Torah states, “[Your name shall be] Yisrael for you have attained supremacy over angels and people.” (Bereishis 32:29) Yeshaya reminded the Jewish people through the mention of their name-change that although their identity appeared to be lost in Egypt, in truth, it was actually buried under layers of Egyptian bondage. Therefore, when the appropriate moment arrived, the Jewish people regained their identity and earned higher prominence than ever before.

Potential Spiritual Supremacy

Yeshaya’s words, in addition to typifying the Jewish people’s sociological development, also depict their spiritual development. In this week’s Parsha the Torah alludes to the Jewish people’s moral and ethical conduct in Egypt. The Torah describes their unprecedented population explosion in the following words, “And the children of Israel were fruitful and multiplied in swarms, proliferated and became overpowering in excessive measures.” (Shemos 1:7) Seforno notes that the Torah’s peculiar description of “multiplying in swarms” compares the Jewish people to crawling creatures. He explains that indeed the Torah hinted to that phenomenon and depicted with it the Jewish people’s severe moral and ethical decline once they fell prey to abhorrent Egyptian culture. (Seforno on Shemos 1:7) Seforno’s interpretation concurs with Chazal’s similar statement that the Jewish people instead of remaining spiritually insulated in Goshen, readily participated in the Egyptians’ immoral forms of amusement and entertainment. (Yalkut Shimoni ibid.)

But that description did not portray the Jewish people’s true spiritual identity. Hashem proclaimed to Pharaoh from the outset their true identity and declared, “My beloved first born, Yisrael.” (Shemos 4:22) Although the Jewish people’s conduct in Egypt certainly did not reflect greatness, their conduct was a result of enticing Egyptian influence and coercion. Hashem’s message to Pharaoh was that when Hashem will reveal Himself to His people, they will show their true face. They will show incredible loyalty to Hashem as His dear son and will respond favorably to His invitation to become His elevated people. Indeed, the Jewish people responded as predicted and displayed perfect faith in Hashem with a resolve to blindly follow Him wherever He would lead them. (Rashi on Shir Hashirim 1:4)

Seforno notes that Yaakov’s family began its drastic spiritual decline after the passing of its original seventy members who were transplanted to Egypt from Eretz Yisrael. Once their glaring role models were far out of sight, the Jewish people rapidly acclimated themselves to the foreign ways of Egypt and adopted its alien culture. (Seforno on Shemos 1:6) However, that severe spiritual decline did not affect the core essence of the Jewish people; they remained, beneath the surface, enriched with lofty spiritual values. Therefore, after years of tormenting servitude and torturous slavery, the Jewish nation miraculously emerged with sanctity and dignity. They regained their supreme identity and nobility and spiritually recharged themselves with an intense program of forty-nine days of devotion and introspect. That incredible comeback helped them merit Hashem’s unprecedented revelation to them at Har Sinai accompanied by their temporal elevation to semi-spiritual beings. (based on Rashi to Shabbos 88b) Yeshaya focused here on the Jewish People’s experience in Egypt to display their true potential. Although they digressed in Egypt to the level of swarming creatures, their true potential remained to be that of spiritual angels.

Unprecedented Spiritual Comeback

Yeshaya continued and prophesized that the Jewish people’s history would repeat itself. He warned the Judean kingdom not to follow the repulsive practices of the Samarian kingdom that was subject to soon be exiled. He predicted “The fortified city [Yerushalayim] will be forlorn and its abode [the Bais Hamikdash area] will be open to all and forsaken like a wilderness…because they are a people who do not contemplate [consequence], therefore their Creator will have no compassion for them and will show them no grace.” (based on Radak to 27:10-11) He continued and sharply reprimanded the ten Samarian tribes for their abhorrent practices and demanded of them to remove every trace of idolatry from their kingdom. He sharply rebuked them for their repulsive behavior and said, “Woe unto you, crown of arrogance; drunkards of Efraim. The splendor of your glory will be likened to a withering bud.” (28:1) He forewarned them of their imminent exile and of the downfall of their entire Samarian kingdom. He followed and addressed the Judean kingdom and blamed it for following its brother’s path. He said, “And they [the Judean kingdom] were also negligent through wine and they strayed through intoxication…because all of their tables were replete with refuse without any remaining space.” (28:7-8) Yeshaya’s words referred to the Judean kingdom’s terrible plunge into idolatry. Although those repulsive practices began in the Samarian kingdom, they eventually made their way into the Judean kingdom and influenced them to severely stray from the Torah path.

However, amidst this, Yeshaya shifted his tone and shared warm comforting words with the Judean kingdom and exclaimed, “On that day Hashem will be a crown of splendor and a diadem of glory for the remnant of His people.” (28:5) Radak interprets these words to refer to the miraculous era of King Chizkiyahu. Yeshaya prophesized that after the mighty Assyrian King Sancherev would conquer the world and the Judean mountains, he would set his sights on Yerushalayim. Yeshaya told the Judean kingdom that although Sancherev would bring millions of soldiers to charge into Yerushalayim, Hashem would perform an incredible miracle and would spare His people from any casualty. That miracle would transpire in response to Chizkiyahu’s unprecedented campaign to proliferate Torah knowledge throughout his kingdom. Chazal record that during Chizkiyahu’s illustrious era everyone in the land, men, women and children, were proficient even in the complex laws of ritual cleanliness. (Sanhedrin 94b) Yeshaya informed the Judean kingdom that although it had been heavily involved in idolatry merely one generation earlier, it would thoroughly cleanse itself from sin and it would totally immerse itself in Torah diligence and ritual cleanliness. That unparalleled devotion to Torah study and knowledge would give rise to one of Hashem’s greatest revelations of all times.

Yeshaya introduced that upcoming experience through the Jewish people’s experience in Egypt. Their complete turnabout from an undisciplined race to a dignified, spiritual people displayed their true potential. Although they severely strayed from the ethical and moral code of their ancestors, they made a total reversal from spiritual bankruptcy to unprecedented perfection. Yeshaya exclaimed to the Jewish people of his time that they were capable of doing the same. Although the Judean kingdom severely strayed from the perfect ways of its ancestors, Yeshaya prophesized that it would make a total reversal and would achieve unforeseeable, national levels of accomplishment.

From Shame to Glory

In that spirit, Yeshaya directed his words to our patriarch Yaakov. Yeshaya said in Hashem’s name, “Now, Yaakov will not be embarrassed, and his face will not turn white [in shame] because when his children see My hand in their midst, they will sanctify My name…and exalt the Hashem of Israel.” (29:22-23) Yeshaya’s words suggested that the Jewish people’s conduct could actually become so inexcusable that their beloved patriarch Yaakov would be embarrassed and ashamed of them. Hashem said about Yaakov that if that were to become a reality, he would focus on his children’s unlimited potential. Hashem said with this, that although the Jewish people tend to follow their alien surroundings and stray from the proper path, but, as history repeatedly shows, whenever He shines His light upon His people they regain their stature and greatness.

Hashem, therefore, said that Yaakov will overlook his children’s spiritual bankruptcy and will focus on their true potential. The time will eventually come for Hashem to liberate His precious first-born from its long, painful, and dark exile. And, when Hashem will shine His light on His people, they will, undoubtedly, respond and reveal their true potential. They will immediately rise from their forlorn, downtrodden status of Yaakov to the lofty supreme status of Yisrael and will praise and glorify Hashem’s name for eternity.

This message is so important for us in our present state. Although it is difficult to fathom how our generation could conceivably merit Hashem’s ultimate redemption, let us follow Hashem’s advice to Yaakov. Let us remember that our nation’s spiritual essence has never been affected. Beneath the many layers of alien influence lies a sparkling jewel waiting to be exposed. And, when Hashem will fully reveal Himself, we will, undoubtedly, respond with total devotion and commitment and will merit glorifying Hashem’s name for eternity.