In this week's Navi class, we delved deeper into the events in Sefer Yeshayhu. Yeshayhu referenced to ideas and concepts in the Chumash in order to convey messages to Bnei Yisrael. The three major themes that he conveyed were: 1) Hashem is all powerful and is in control and If Bnei Yisrael follow Hashem, they will receive reward. If Bnei Yisrael stray from Hashem, they will be punished by enemies who were agents of Hashem. 2) Bnei Yisrael must follow all of Hashem's mitzvot, both Ben Adam Lamakom and Ben Adam Lechaveiro. 3) Bnei Yisrael are guaranteed to worship Avodah Zarah and stray from Hashem if they believe that they are the source of their success.
Yeshayhu's era as a Navi was especially difficult because Bnei Yisrael were living in a time of prosperity with the Beit Hamikdash, political, economic, and military success, and didn't believe his words. Yeshayhu attempted to relay his messages to Malchei Yisrael, Uziyahu, Yotam, Achaz, and Yichizkiyahu.
In the first Pesukim of Sefer Yishayhu, Shamyaim Vaaretz are portrayed as witnesses in Devarim to the brit between Hashem and man. Afterwards, messages of despair tell of corruption and abandonment. There is also a reference to the destruction of Sodom and Amorah and if it were not for the mercy of Hashem who promised to leave a remnant, we would be destroyed completely like Sodom and Amorah who lacked Tzedek and Mishpat.
Bnei Yisrael, convinced that they are serving Hashem completely, bring Hashem useless korbanot that he rejects. He refers to the people and officials as those of Sodom and Amorah and tells Bnei Yisrael that their hands are filled with blood. Immediately following this, Bnei Yisrael are given instructions on how to atone for their sins, do the good, and dispose of the evil. The Malbim describes the steps to Teshuvah and how each word has omni-significance.
Bnei Yisrael weren't acting with proper Kavod towards their fellow Jews, to the point where Hashem rejected their offerings. This stresses the importance to Hashem of Mitzvot Ben Adam Lachaveiro. If we cannot respect each other and treat others civilly, how will we be able to respect and honor Hashem? This comes into relevance for the next few weeks. The days of judgement are approaching. Our fates will be decided and our previous year's actions taken into mind. We must ask for forgiveness from not only Hashem, but from those around us. "Derech Eretz Kadmah Latorah." "Vahavta Leracha Kamocha." These are all concepts we must use to improve ourselves so we will be able to stand and revere Hashem in the most respectable and honorable way we can.
I agree with Noga. I think that connecting with each other really helped connect to Hashem. Strangely though, it doesn't really tell us how Bnei Yisrael were acting disrespectfully towards each other. Still, this could have been the main reason why Hashem was refusing their mitzvot. I agree that this seems to come out in many of the mitzvot we are supposed to do today and it is most important around this time of year as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Shani and Noga. Even though it doesn't outright say what their sin was, we can guess using context clues. Hashem's proposed solution was that they turn themselves into proponents of ethical monotheism and moral behavior. Throwback to last year: this segment of Tanach gives being a proponent of ethical monotheism a whole new meaning. You can't believe in just one G-d if you do not believe in morality. (See my blog post for details.) Avraham was the first person to understand this and he passed it on to his children. If Yishayahu's generation could see what "Judaism" was all about and how previous generations acted, they might have changed their ways. We know now that this never happened and the people continued sinning to the point where they were exiled.
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