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Yeshayahu 42:5 - 43:10
[Parashat Bereishit]

The Haftarah of Parashat Bereishit opens by declaring HaShem the Creator of heaven and earth. This echoes the recount of HaShem’s creating the world in six days, described in Parashat Bereishit.

42:5 Koh-amar ha'KEl HASHEM bore hashamayim venoteihem roka ha'aretz vetze'etza'eiha noten neshamah la'am aleiha veruach laholechim bah
Thus says the G-d, HASHEM, Who creates the heavens and stretches them forth; Who spreads out the earth and [brings out] its produce; Who gives a soul to the people upon it and a spirit to those who walk on it.

Because the miracles during the Messianic Era will be so astounding, only G-d the Creator can do them, G-d Who not only created the world, but creates it anew every moment.  A Divine promise of full and constant support to the servant of G-d in the accomplishment of the mission entrusted to him.   At that time, a new soul (neshama) will be granted to all people equally, but the holy spirit (ruach) only to those who truly walk before Him.

Alluded to in the verse, "[G-d] gives a soul to the people upon it [the land]" is that G-d will provide a soul for  the resurrected dead when they are in the Holy Land. (Ketubot 111a)

6 Ani HASHEM kraticha vetzedek ve'achzek beyadecha ve'etzorcha ve'etencha livrit am le'or goyim
"I am HASHEM, have called you in righteousness and will strengthen your hand.  I will watch over you, having appointed you over the Covenantal people and a light to the nations,
7 Lifkoach eynayim iverot lehotzi mimasger asir mibeit kele yoshvei choshech
to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from confinement and dwellers in darkness from the dungeon.

It is HaShem Who has called the Mashiach to his great mission of returning the Jewish people to the Covenant.  To this end, G-d will strengthen him, "strengthen  his hand," to give him power over all adversaries and watch over him from all harm.  But his mission is not just to the Jewish people, but also to all the nations - for them, too, will he serve as a light.  He will enlighten, "open the eyes of," those who previously could not see G-d's truth.

8 Ani HASHEM hu Shemi uchvodi le'acher lo-eten utehilati lapsilim
I am HASHEM, that is My Name and I shall not give My honor [glory] to another, nor My praise to idols.

Although the idols are called "gods" as I am called G-d, only I can be called HASHEM, because only I am the Master of the world.  Name signifies lordship and might.  So although during the exile, My Name was dishonored because the nations ruled over My people, when Redemption will come, all will then praise Me, and not the idols, as they had previously done.

9 Harishonot hineh va'u vachadashot ani magid beterem titzmachnah ashmia etchem
Behold, the first things [prophecies] have already come and now I shall tell you new things - I shall inform you before they happen."

Just as the "first" prophecies regarding Sancheriv came true to the detail, says Yeshayahu, so shall the "new" prophecies regarding Mashiach come true to the detail.

10 Shiru l'HASHEM shir chadash tehilato miketzeh ha'aretz yordei hayam umelo'o iyim veyoshveihem
Sing a new song to HASHEM, His praise from the end of the earth, those who go down to the sea and those that fill it, the islands and their inhabitants! 
11 Yis'u midbar ve'arav chatzerim teshev kedar yaronu yoshvei sela merosh harim yitzvachu
The wilderness and its cities will lift up [their voices], the open cities inhabited by Kedar; let the inhabitants of Sela exult, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Yasimu l'HASHEM kavod utehilato ba'iyim yagidu
Let them give glory to HASHEM and relate His praise in the islands.

Let all the nations sing to G-d for His opening their eyes, even those who had been farthest from Him - the island dwellers.  Let even animals sing "and those that fill it [the sea]," and even inanimate creatures - the very "islands" themselves.  Sela and Kedar - the primitive people who live in the deserts and mountains (Rashi: "the resurrected dead"; Kimchi: "rock dwellers - those who dwell in towers built on rocks and moutains") let them also praise and sing to Him.  Let His praise be said on the far islands and not just be sent to Yerushalayim from the end of the earth.

13 HASHEM kagibor yetze ke'ish milchamot ya'ir kin'ah yaria af-yatzriach al-oyvav yitgabar
HASHEM will come forth as a mighty one and arouse rage like a warrior.  He will shout triumphantly, even roar, He will overpower His enemies. 

G-d will reveal Himself like a mighty warrior to redeem His people and will act, as if, with rage to avenge their pain.  He will "cry out," so to speak, to confuse and intimidate His enemies and "shout" again upon victory.  But He will also make them shout cries of woe.  The idol worshipers, the enemies of G-d, must now recognize His greatness and join His people in the new song.

14 Hechesheiti me'olam acharish et'apak kayoledah ef'eh eshom ve'esh'af yachad
"I have kept quiet for a long time, silent and restraining Myself.   But I shall scream like a birthing woman, desolating them and swallowing them together.
15 Achariv harim ugeva'ot vechol-esbam ovish vesamti neharot la'iyim va'agamim ovish
I shall destroy mountains and hills, desiccating all their grass.  I shall turn their rivers into islands and desiccate their ponds.

I have kept quite throughout Jewish exile, the injustice done to Yisrael, says HaShem, and silently watched as My children suffered.  I silently heard how Pharaoh in Egypt blasphemed Me and quietly heard how Ravshakeh did the same, but I have seen and heard it all.

Certainly, this cannot continue forever and the time will come to redeem My people, just as the time comes for an expectant mother to give birth.  Just as she suffers in silence throughout pregnancy, only to scream during birth because she cannot control herself anymore, so shall I, so to speak, scream during the rebirth of My people, swallowing those who would have destroyed them.  I shall desolate their kingdoms, their "mountains and hills," and divest them all worldly goods, "desiccate their grass and ponds."  G-d will no longer tolerate the sufferings of His people and the continued ruin of their country.

16 Veholachti iverim bederech lo yada'u bintivot lo-yade'u adrichem asim machshach lifneihem la'or uma'akashim lemishor eleh hadevarim asitim velo azavtim
I shall guide the blind on a path they never knew and walk them along an unknown way.  I will turn darkness into light before them, and crooked paths into straight ways. These are the things I shall accomplish without fail."

Return of the exiles - I shall guide My people back to their Land, along paths they had not known.  I shall open their eyes to see the deeper meaning of My Torah, to which they had previously been blind.  I have done such things in the past and shall continue to do them in the future.

17 Nasogu achor yevoshu voshet habotechim bapasel ha'omerim lemasechah atem eloheinuThose who trust in idols and who say to the molten image, "You are our god," shall be turned back and put to shame.

Then, when G-d redeems His people and destroys those who would have destroyed them, they who trusted in their man made idols will be so ashamed that they will turn away to hide their faces.  They will be shamed because they trusted in such futility, because they believed in such an obvious falsehood.  But among the Jewish people, also, will bear their share of shame for having worshiped idols as the Gentiles do.

18 Hachershim shma'u veha'iverim habitu lir'ot
Deaf ones, hear!  Blind ones, look and see! 

 And why will G-d look on silently as the Jewish people suffer?  (v14) - because they have deafened their ears from hearing His prophets' rebuke and closed their eyes from seeing their own shortcomings.  Open your eyes and ears to see and hear these things now and cease being so self-righteous in your own eyes.  Open your eyes and ears now to listen to G-d's word and see the great things which He will now bring about for you.

19 Mi iver ki im-avdi vecheresh kemal'achi eshlach mi iver kimeshulam ve'iver ke'eved HASHEM
Who is as blind as My servant and as deaf as My sent messenger?  Who is as blind as the perfect one and as blind as the servant of HASHEM?

They, who have had been His servants and His messengers on earth had turned a blind eye to the will of G-d and deafened the voice of their own inner conscience, seeing themselves as spiritually "perfect."

20 Ra'ot rabot velo tishmor pakoach oznayim velo yishma
You see many things but pay no attention, your ears are open, but do not hear.

The people are blind because they pay no attention to themselves - they see no connection between their suffering and their inner lives.  They pay no attention to their behavior and deeds to correct what needs to be changed.  Even when G-d "opens their ears" to the rebuke of His prophets, they turn a deaf ear to their words.

21 HASHEM chafetz lema'an tzidko yagdil torah veyadir
HASHEM desired for the sake of [Yisrael's] righteousness that the Torah be made great and glorious.

But despite that G-d's people are presently blind, G-d will open their eyes in the Future.  This He will do not because of their merit, but because He desires to vindicate them.  And He will do it by magnifying His Teachings in their eyes, so that they serve Him out of love and not for ulterior motives.

22 Vehu am-bazuz veshasui hafe'ach bachurim kulam uvevatei khela'im hocheba'u hayu lavaz ve'eyn matzil meshisah ve'eyn-omer hashav
But they are a plundered and trampled people, all trapped in holes and hidden in prisons.  They are looted and no one comes to the rescue, trampled upon and on one to say, "Give it back!" 

And despite all their sufferings during exile, they did not search for the cause.  Why is it that one nation is so hounded by all nations and so helpless to help themselves?  Even when concealed in the holes of caves, the enemies would trap them and stow them away in prison.  It only the hand of G-d.

23 Mi vachem ya'azin zot yakshiv veyishma le'achor
Who among you will listen to this, who will pay attention and hear of the past?

So if you ask, "Why did G-d do this?" you must be ready to listen to the answer:  Pay attention to all the great things which G-d did for you in the past, things He did for no other nation.  Then you will know that the suffering which He gives you is the fruit of your own sinful deeds.  Listen now to the rebukes which He sent you in the past, so that at least from now on you will not be punished.

24 Mi-natan limeshisah Yaakov veYisrael levozezim halo HASHEM zu chatanu lo velo-avu vidrachav haloch velo shame'u betorato
Who gave Yaakov over to be trampled upon and Yisrael to plunderers, if not HASHEM?  This was our sinning against Him, not wanting to walk in His ways nor listen to His Torah.

This was what they did not hear, that to which they were blind:  All of their suffering was only G-d's doing and only because of their sins.  In fact, this very questioning, "Who gave Yaakov over to be trampled upon," was itself also a sin.

25 Vayishpoch alav chemah apo ve'ezuz milchamah vatelahatehu misaviv velo yada vativ'ar-bo velo-yasim al-lev
He poured out His wrath upon them with the fierceness of war, it raged around them, but they paid no attention.  It burned them, but they did not take it to heart.

G-d poured out His wrath and the fierceness of war upon the people of Yehudah (Judah) when Sancheriv captured Samaria, in order that they learn a lesson.  When they did not, Sancheriv went on to capture the Judean cities.  They still did not learn, so G-d then "burned" the people of Yerushalayim themselves - Sancheriv besieged the City.  But none of these things had any long-lasting effect because they paid no serious attention.

43:1 Ve'atah koh-amar HASHEM bora'acha Yaakov veyotzercha Yisrael al-tira ki ge'alticha karati veshimcha li-atah"But now, Yaakov," thus says HASHEM, your Creator, and your Maker, "Yisrael:  Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name - you are Mine!

 Despite G-d's reason for exiling the Jewish people, (ch.42), He now reassures them that they will be redeemed.  He reminds them how He redeemed them from Egypt and how He proclaimed to the world that they are His - He will redeem them again in the Future as He redeemed them in the past.  G-d also reassures them that He has not exchanged them for another people which will become the "new" Yisrael, for only they are the children of Yaakov-Yisrael, whom He has called His people by name.

2 Ki-ta'avor bamayim itcha ani uvaneharot lo yishtefucha ki-telech bemo-esh lo tikaveh velehavah lo tiv'ar-bach
When you pass through waters, I am with you; through rivers - they will not sweep you away.  When you walk through fire you shall not be scalded and flames will not kindle you.

G-d now reminds them how He took them on dry land across the Reed Sea and Yarden River, alluding that He will do the same once again.  He tells them how they will endure four different types of exiles - "waters, rivers, fire and flames" - and that throughout all they will remain faithful:  The nations will try to baptize you in their "holy waters," to wash you away from your faith in their "rivers."  They will burn you at the stake for not accepting their faith, but the flames will not touch your soul.  I am with you throughout your ordeals.

3 Ki ani HASHEM Elokeicha Kedosh Yisrael moshi'echa natati chofercha Mitzrayim Kush uSva tachteicha
For I am HASHEM, your G-d, the Holy One of Yisrael, your Savior.  I have given you ransom from Egypt and placed Kush and Sheva beneath you.

 G-d further reminds them how He saved their firstborn when all the Egyptian firstborn were killed.  The Egyptian firstborn were indeed their "ransom," because Jewish behavior was no better than theirs.  He also reminds them how Egypt's treasures, their "ransom," together with those of Kush and Seva, fell before them after the plague upon Sancheriv's troops (37:36)

4 Me'asher yakarta ve'einai nichbadeta va'ani ahavticha ve'eten adam tachteicha ule'umim tachat nafshecha
Because you are dear in My eyes, honored and I love you, I shall place mankind underneath you and nations beneath your soul.

 Because the Jewish people are the descendants of the holy forefathers, they are dear in G-d's eyes.  Because they are dear in G-d's eyes and because they accepted His Torah, they are honored more than any nation.  And because they loved Him throughout the exile and suffered for His Name, G-d loves them more than other nation.  They are dear to Him no only because of their small numbers, but also because of their honored essence.

5 Al-tira ki itecha ani mimizrach avi zar'echa umima'arav akabetzeka
Fear not, for I am with you - I shall bring your children from the East and gather you from the West.
6 Omar latzafon teni uleteiman al-tichlai havi'i vanai merachok uvenotai miketzeh ha'aretz 
I shall say to the North, "Give forth!" and to the south, "Hold not back!"  Bring back My children from afar, My daughters from the ends of the earth!

Fear not that you may lose your status due to the exile, for I shall gather you from all over the earth.  I shall bring back the lost Ten Tribes, exiled to the East, and the Judeans exiled to the West.  I will bring back not only those who are distant geographically, at the "ends of the earth," but also those who are distant spiritually, "from afar": Those who were forced to abandon Jewish practice but kept it secretly in their homes, and even those who had only kept the faith in their hearts.

7 Kol hanikra vishmi velichvodi berativ yetzartiv af-asitiv
All are called in My Name, I created them for My glory, I formed and made them.

All those who are called in G-d's Name, all those who call themselves "Jewish" - who proclaim the Almighty G-d with their very lives and proclaim Him the great Creator - they are the ones G-d will redeem and bring back to the Land in the Future.  Let not the nations come and complain why the Jewish people were chosen, for they had the choice to be just the same, for all were created for G-d's glory.

8 Hotzi am-iver ve'einayim yesh vechershim ve'oznayim lamo
To take out a blind people who have eyes and deaf ones who have ears.

And since the purpose of Creation is to manifest G-d, which is accomplished only through His chosen people, therefore, He must redeem them despite their being spiritually "blind and deaf" during exile.

9 Kol-hagoyim nikbetzu yachdav veye'asfu le'umim mi vahem yagid zot verishonot yashmi'unu yitnu edeihem veyitzdaku veyishme'u veyomeru emet
[If] all the nations would assemble together, all the nationalities congregate, who among them could predict such things, or tell us of things already come.  Let them bring forth their proofs and be justified, or let them hear and say, 'it is true.'"

Let all the nations come forth and claim, if they can, that their prophets can predict the future.  Let them come forth and say that the past was already predicted by their prophets.  But let them bring proof to their claims, or let them admit the truth when we tell them.

10 Atem edai ne'um-HASHEM ve'avdi asher bacharti lema'an ted'u veta'aminu li vetavinu ki-ani hu lefanai lo-notzar el ve'acharai lo yihyeh
"You are My witnesses," says HASHEM, "and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you should know and believe in Me, and understand that I am He.  Before Me was nothing created by any god and after Me shall not be."

But the Jewish people can attest to the Truth - I have made them My witnesses.  I had told them of Sancheriv's siege before it came about and the prophecies of the Future shall also come to be.  This I have done so that you will acknowledge Me, that there is no other power besides Me.  I am the sole Creator of all existing things - there was no one else who created anything.

Parashat Bereishit



- MeAm Lo'ez, Sefer Yeshayahu

O HaShem, my G-d and G-d of my fathers, great and mighty G-d, in whose hands are the souls and spirits of all creatures:  When, after many long years, the time comes for me to pass away, may it be Your will that my mind be clear when my soul leaves my body.  May my soul be at ease, and may my mind be healthy and alert.  Do not take away my love and fear for You, so that they may remain with me when my soul departs my body. 

And if, heaven forbid, it is fitting that I experience pain, suffering, confusion, or loss of my mental faculties at the time of my death, I acknowledge the righteousness of Your judgement. You are just in all that comes upon us, for You have done it, and we have been wicked.

I do not, heaven forbid, deny any commandment of the holy Torah.  I do not deny any detail of the rules of Judaism that our Sages have taught, and that we are obligated to keep.  I believe with perfect faith that G-d lives and exists for eternity.  Besides Him, there never was, and never will be, another.  He is trusted to give good reward to the righteous in the World to Come, and to punish the wicked.

I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be resurrected at the time that G-d so wills.  He has the power both to kill and to give life.  He will also send us the true Mashiach.

May it be Your will, O HaShem, my G-d, and G-d of my fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, that You protect me from the Evil Inclination, and inscribe me in the book of good life.  Give me strength, fortitude and health to serve You, to study Your holy Torah, and to keep Your commandments.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, O HaShem, my Rock and Redeemer. 

Tradition is that on Hoshana Rabbah (7th day of Sukkot) the judgment of G-d, passed on Yom Kippur, is sealed by a written verdict. During Sukkot the world is judged for water and for blessings of the fruit and crops.

It is tradition, since it is a day of judgment, to stay awake all night, studying Devarim, Tehillim, the Zohar and recite Tikkun. Some go during the night and immerse in the mikveh and to inject extra Kedusha (holiness) into the night.  One of the reasons for reading Tehillim is because of the impending finalization of the judgment. (When reciting the book of Tehillim one should say the Yehi Ratzon after each of the five books.)
The minhag of the Sefardim is to gather in family groups at home instead of in the synagogues. They read the Tikkun is turn one man after the other.

On Hoshana Rabbah eve, the women are busy baking long wheat loaves with braided ladders on top, such as are made and served the day before Yom Kippur and serves as a reminder during the pre-fast Yom Kippur meal that G-d decides who will ascend and descend the ladder of life. Similarly, for Hoshana Rabbah, the ladder is meant to help our prayers reach heaven. A lesser-known tradition is embellishing the round challah with birds or shaping the entire challah in this form, recalling the phrase of Yeshayahu 31:5 "As hovering birds, so will HaShem protect Yerushalayim."  Yet another theme is shaping the challah like a hand beseeching Heaven, or adding a motif of hands to the top of a round challah..  During this time dough is also rolled out which will be filled with meat for kreplech, a dish traditionally served during this time.

On Hoshana Rabbah morning, the attitude in the synagogue is a varied one.  It is still part of the semi-holiday period, yet the services are as rich as on a full holiday.  In addition the day is a mixture of Yom Kippur and Sukkot; there are the etrogim and willow branches of Sukkot, together with the candles, the white robes (kittels) and the chants of Yom Kippur.

A tradition (passed down from the Baal Shem Tov) was that as much as one exerts himself in the tefillot (prayers) of Hoshana Rabbah, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, it will help him in his kavanot (intention) in prayer during the rest of the year.

A very ancient custom that was observed even in the time of the First Temple, and the highest point in the ceremonial of Hoshana Rabbah, is the procession around the bimah.  During the first six days of Sukkot the procession winds around the bimah only once and there is but one Torah-scroll on the bimah.  On the seventh day, however, on Hoshana Rabbah, the procession makes seven circuits around the bimah, on which every Torah-scroll from the ark is held by members of the congregation.  It differs from the Simchat Torah procession in that it is earnest and serious.  The procession winds its way around and around, the men bearing the lulavim and etrogim in their hands and chanting their prayers earnestly and fervently.

After the procession the lulav and the etrog are laid aside and the willow branches are taken up, five of them bound with a leaf of the lulav.  At the close of the Hoshanot prayers, the worshipers beat their willow branches on the ground and chant a ritual passage.  According to the ritual law it is necessary to beat the branches only five times, but the mass of the congregation beats and beats, until all the leaves have been knocked off the twigs.  Anciently in the Temple, the Kohanim marched around the altar seven times and they would beat the earth with their willow branches.

Everyone performs this ceremony, including the women in their section of the synagogue, but none enjoy it as much as do the children.  They keep beating their branches long after the others are through and continue until their elders tell them to cease!  Many carry their bundle of branches home and save them for Pesach, to use in the yearly search for the leaven.

After the services a festive meal is served and eaten in the sukkah for the last time.  There is usually soup with kreplech served, exactly as the meal on the day before Yom Kippur.  But after the holiday services and the festive meal the day becomes again a part of the semi-holiday period and all go about their regular tasks.

This is the happy day in general for the children.  They carry around the long palm leaves of the lulav and braid themselves rings and bracelets from them.


Hoshana Rabbah on a Deeper Level

A person's life hangs in balance until Hoshana Rabbah, which is the final day that the judgment is sealed.  The circuits that one makes around the bimah allude to the running around that a person does in this world when he wastes time earning money for vanities.  It is all a continual circuit, as is a water wheel in the garden.  The buckets on one side lift the water up, while the buckets on the other side spill it out.  Similarly, some people are on the upswing where their buckets are full, but they can come to the other side of their cycle where they are turned upside down and their "buckets" are emptied.

Therefore, no person can be sure of his wealth, his goods, or his property.  If a box is tuned over, everything spills out.  Similarly, when the wheel reaches it apex and is on the downswing, all the water spills out.  From one moment to another, a person does not know what will be happening to him.

The seven circuits made on Hoshana Rabbah allude to the seven judgments which must be passed on a person when he leaves this world.

The seven circuits also have the power to protect a person from the seven great archangels who are in charge of the seventy nations, where each archangel is in charge of ten nations.  These archangels are constantly denouncing us.  However, each time we make a circuit we destroy the power of one of these archangels, and on Hoshana Rabbah we destroy the power of all seven.

The aravah which we take and beat on Hoshana rabbah, alludes to the person subjugating his heart on this day.  On this day, the account books of each person are given to those in charge, whether for life or for death.  A person should say to himself, "Just as the willow has neither taste nor fragrance I too have neither mitzvot or good deeds."  What a person must do is shake all worldly vanities form himself and not waste his time with them.

A person must also think about the fact that a willow's leaves look like human lips, and they dry out very quickly.  If a person's lips are accustomed to speaking maliciously or maligning or scoffing at his neighbor, they will dry up quickly and be cut off.  It is thus written, "G-d shall cut off all smooth lips, every tongue speaking big things" (Tehillim 12:4).  If a person subjugates his heart he will certainly be inscribed for life. (Sheyarei Kenesset HaGedolah; Chemdat Yamim)

-Bachya; MeAm Lo'ez