Difference between revisions of "The Suffering Servant in Yeshayahu 53/2/en"
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<mekorot><multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,<fn>Rashi emphasizes that the servant refers to the righteous among the nation.</fn> <multilink><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="MaaseiHashemMaaseiTorah40" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer Ashkenazi</a><a href="MaaseiHashemMaaseiTorah40" data-aht="source">Ma'asei Hashem, Ma'asei Torah 40</a><a href="R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem)</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ShadalYeshayahu42-1" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu42-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 42:1</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu49-137" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 49:1,3,7</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu52-13-15" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-15</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu42" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu42" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 42</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu49-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 49:1</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>,</mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>,<fn>Rashi emphasizes that the servant refers to the righteous among the nation.</fn> <multilink><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="MaaseiHashemMaaseiTorah40" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer Ashkenazi</a><a href="MaaseiHashemMaaseiTorah40" data-aht="source">Ma'asei Hashem, Ma'asei Torah 40</a><a href="R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem)</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ShadalYeshayahu42-1" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu42-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 42:1</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu49-137" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 49:1,3,7</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu52-13-15" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-15</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu42" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu42" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 42</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu49-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 49:1</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="HoilMosheYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink>,</mekorot> | ||
<point><b>"עַבְדִּי"</b> – Radak and Ramban cite other verses in Yeshayahu where he refers to Yisrael with the title of servant.<fn>Rashi notes that in many places Yeshayahu refers to Yisrael in singular form.</fn>  For example, "‎וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי" ‎(41:8), "אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב" ‎(44:2), and "עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל" ‎(49:3).  Ibn Ezra suggests that the verse is referencing every worshiper of Hashem.</point> | <point><b>"עַבְדִּי"</b> – Radak and Ramban cite other verses in Yeshayahu where he refers to Yisrael with the title of servant.<fn>Rashi notes that in many places Yeshayahu refers to Yisrael in singular form.</fn>  For example, "‎וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי" ‎(41:8), "אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב" ‎(44:2), and "עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל" ‎(49:3).  Ibn Ezra suggests that the verse is referencing every worshiper of Hashem.</point> | ||
| − | <point><b>"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?</b></point> | + | <point><b>"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?</b><ul> |
| + | <li>According to most of these sources these words represent the perspective of the other nations.  Since they felt that they had been the ones who sinned, they thought they deserved the suffering which was inflicted on Israel.  The nations therefore (mistakenly) concluded that Israel must have been suffering as an atonement for their sins.</li> | ||
| + | <li>Ibn Ezra, in contrast, understands that the nations are admitting that they inflicted suffering on Israel.  The hardships are referred to as "חֳלָיֵנוּ", as the nations are the ones who caused them.</li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?</b></point> | <point><b>"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?</b></point> | ||
| − | <point><b>"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?</b></point> | + | <point><b>"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?</b> Rashi writes that in the end of days is when the righteous among Israel will succeed.</point> |
<point><b>"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"</b></point> | <point><b>"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"</b></point> | ||
| − | <point><b>"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"</b></point> | + | <point><b>"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"</b> – Rashi asserts that the verse is describing all the times that people from the nation were willing to die in the hands of wicked people rather than transgress a commandment.</point> |
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Historical Figure | <category>Historical Figure | ||
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<mekorot>Opinion cited in <multilink><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYeshayahu53-12" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYeshayahu53-12" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53:12</a><a href="R. Yehuda ibn Balaam" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a></multilink>, R. Saadia cited in <multilink><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu52-13" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu52-13" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu53-4-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53:4-11</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink>,</mekorot> | <mekorot>Opinion cited in <multilink><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYeshayahu53-12" data-aht="source">R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a><a href="RYehudaibnBalaamYeshayahu53-12" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53:12</a><a href="R. Yehuda ibn Balaam" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam</a></multilink>, R. Saadia cited in <multilink><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu52-13-14" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13-14</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu53" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu52-13" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu52-13" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 52:13</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu53-4-11" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 53:4-11</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink>,</mekorot> | ||
<point><b>"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?</b></point> | <point><b>"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?</b></point> | ||
| − | <point><b>"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?</b></point> | + | <point><b>"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?</b> Yirmeyahu fits the description of a degraded servant of Hashem, as we have accounts of officers trying to kill and torture him.</point> |
<point><b>"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?</b></point> | <point><b>"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?</b></point> | ||
<point><b>"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"</b></point> | <point><b>"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"</b></point> | ||
<point><b>"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"</b></point> | <point><b>"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"</b></point> | ||
| − | <point><b>"עַבְדִּי"</b></point> | + | <point><b>"עַבְדִּי"</b><ul> |
| + | <li>R. Saadia suggests that the servant is Yirmeyahu, since we have accounts of him being degraded and put in prison.</li> | ||
| + | <li>R. Eliezer of Beaugency maintains that the servant includes all of the prophets who rebuked the nation.</li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Context of the Prophecy</b> – Ibn Ezra notes that there is no relationship between the surrounding chapter of comfort and Yirmeyahu's suffering.</point> | ||
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
Version as of 10:09, 1 July 2018
The Suffering Servant in Yeshayahu 53
Exegetical Approaches
The Nation of Israel
"עַבְדִּי" – Radak and Ramban cite other verses in Yeshayahu where he refers to Yisrael with the title of servant.2 For example, "וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי" (41:8), "אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב" (44:2), and "עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל" (49:3). Ibn Ezra suggests that the verse is referencing every worshiper of Hashem.
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
- According to most of these sources these words represent the perspective of the other nations. Since they felt that they had been the ones who sinned, they thought they deserved the suffering which was inflicted on Israel. The nations therefore (mistakenly) concluded that Israel must have been suffering as an atonement for their sins.
- Ibn Ezra, in contrast, understands that the nations are admitting that they inflicted suffering on Israel. The hardships are referred to as "חֳלָיֵנוּ", as the nations are the ones who caused them.
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When? Rashi writes that in the end of days is when the righteous among Israel will succeed.
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ" – Rashi asserts that the verse is describing all the times that people from the nation were willing to die in the hands of wicked people rather than transgress a commandment.
Historical Figure
King
Sources:Ibn Chiquitilla cited in R. Yehuda ibn Balaam,
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"
"עַבְדִּי"
Prophet
Sources:Opinion cited in R. Yehuda ibn Balaam, R. Saadia cited in Ibn Ezra, R. Eliezer of Beaugency,
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When? Yirmeyahu fits the description of a degraded servant of Hashem, as we have accounts of officers trying to kill and torture him.
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"
"עַבְדִּי"
- R. Saadia suggests that the servant is Yirmeyahu, since we have accounts of him being degraded and put in prison.
- R. Eliezer of Beaugency maintains that the servant includes all of the prophets who rebuked the nation.
Context of the Prophecy – Ibn Ezra notes that there is no relationship between the surrounding chapter of comfort and Yirmeyahu's suffering.
Mashiach
"חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא" – Vicarious punishment?
"נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים" – When?
"הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי" – When?
"כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים"
"וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ"
"עַבְדִּי"
