Yeshayahu's Mission in Chapter 6/2

Yeshayahu's Mission in Chapter 6

Exegetical Approaches

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Initiation to Prophecy

The chapter describes Yeshayahu's appointment, where he was prepared for and received his prophetic mission.

Sources:Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot15:9About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Shemot, RashiYeshayahu 1:1Yeshayahu 6:1, 5, 7-13About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ibn EzraYeshayahu 1:1Yeshayahu 6About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RidYeshayahu 6About R. Yeshayah of Trani, ShadalYeshayahu 6About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto

"אֶת מִי אֶשְׁלַח...  וָאֹמַר הִנְנִי שְׁלָחֵנִי" – Rashi and the Rid point to these words as proof that the chapter speaks of Yeshayahu's appointment as prophet.

Chronology of the chapters – This position assumes that the book is achronological, and must explain why Chapter 6 and the initiation to prophecy do not open the book:¹

• Relayed later – Shadal posits that though Chapter 6 was the first prophecy that Yeshayahu received, it was only relayed later, after the prophecies of Chapters 2-5.²
• Thematic order preferred – Alternatively, it is possible that thematic order takes precedence over chronological order. Chapters 1-5 describe the nation's sins, while Chapter 6 (through 12) focus on their punishment. When speaking to his contemporaries, Yeshayahu could open with a prophecy of doom, since they were well aware of their misdeeds.  Yet, when ordering his prophecies for future generations, it made sense for the prophet to begin with the nation's sins, giving the reader background to understand why the decree of destruction was deserved.

"בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ" – Since Yeshayahu 1 opens by sharing that Yeshayahu prophesied during the reign of Uziyahu, some question how this could be true if Yeshayahu was first initiated into prophecy with Uziyahu's death.  These commentators offer various solutions to the problem:

• Metaphoric death – Rashi and the Rid suggest that the phrase "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ" refers to the year when Uziyahu was struck with tzara'at and metaphorically died,³ rather than to the year of his actual death.  If so, Yeshayahu was initiated in the middle of Uziyahu's reign and prophesied for several years before his death.
• Initiated in the year prior to Uziyahu's death – Ibn Ezra, instead, points out that the verse speaks of the year (not the day) of Uziyahu's death.⁴ As such, Yeshayahu could have received several months worth of prophecies during Uziyahu's reign.⁵
• Date of transmission – Finally, Shadal asserts that the opening "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ" refers to the date that Yeshayhau relayed the prophecy,⁶ not to the year in which he received it.⁷

Vision of Hashem – Since this is Yeshyahu's first prophecy it is logical why he merits a vision of Hashem.  This is comparable to the opening prophecy of Yechezkel who also sees "מַרְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים".

"...אוֹי לִי כִי נִדְמֵיתִי" – Rashi, Rid and Shadal explain "נִדְמֵיתִי" to mean "‎‏‎נכרתי".‎⁸ Yeshayahu thought that he was deserving of death since he was unworthy of seeing Hashem's glory.

"וְסָר עֲוֺנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר" – According to the Rid and Shadal, Hashem is not referring to any specific sin for which Yeshayahu needed atoning,⁹ but to a general purification process. As Yeshayahu begins his task as Hashem's messenger and spokesman, Hashem prepares him by cleansing him of all sins and purifying his mouth.¹⁰

The task – These sources differ in their understanding of Hashem's mission to Yeshayahu and what is meant by the statements: "שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ וְאַל תָּבִינוּ" and "הַשְׁמֵן לֵב הָעָם הַזֶּה...  פֶּן יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו...  וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ"

• Description of future – According to Rashi, Hashem is not commanding that the people should not understand nor that Yeshayahu should actively harden their hearts, but simply sharing what will happen in the future.¹¹ Despite all of Yeshayahu's chastisements, the nation will refuse to heed his words and repent.  At the beginning of his mission, Hashem warns Yeshayahu that he is volunteering for a doomed mission, for he will not be successful.¹²
• Command – The Rid, Ibn Ezra and Shadal,¹³ in contrast, explain that these words constitute a command.¹⁴ Due to the nation's many sins,¹⁵ the decree of destruction was set, and the people were to be actively prevented from repenting. [For various approaches to the theological question of how Hashem can remove someone's free will and keep them from repenting, see Hardened Hearts.] As such, Yeshayahu's task was not be to bring the people back to Hashem, but simply to warn them of the impending destruction.¹⁶

"עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם שָׁאוּ עָרִים מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב" – Hashem tells Yeshayahu that the situation will last until "שָׁאוּ עָרִים מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב," and that even those who survive will be punished afterwards. These sources disagree regarding both the context of the initial destruction and the identity of the "tenth" who will secondarily be consumed.

• Exile of Ten Tribes – According to the Rid, the verses refer to the destruction and exile¹⁷ of the Ten Tribes. Yehuda represents the remaining tenth who is also to be burnt at the hands of Sancheriv, but will ultimately survive and thrive, "כָּאֵלָה וְכָאַלּוֹן אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׁלֶּכֶת מַצֶּבֶת בָּם זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּהּ".
• Exile of Yehuda – Ibn Ezra, in contrast, suggests that the verses refer only to the Southern Kingdom, and speak of the exile of Yehuda itself.  This, though, will only occur after ten kings' reigns (וְעוֹד בָּהּ עֲשִׂרִיָּה).¹⁸ [Alternatively, one could suggest that the "tenth" refers to those who remained in the land under the rule of Gedalayah, who were then also forced to flee.] The phrase "זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּהּ"' refers to the returnees from Babylonia.
• Destruction in time of Achaz – Shadal uniquely places the destruction much earlier, in the reign of Achaz,¹⁹ when Yehuda was attacked first by Aram and Yisrael,²⁰ and then also ("וְשָׁבָה וְהָיְתָה לְבָעֵר") by the Edomites and Philistines. The holy seed that ultimately survives is Chizkiyahu, who is able to reform the country as a whole.²¹ [According to Shadal, then, Hashem's initiation message to Yeshayahu refers not to his entire tenure as prophet but only to the first part thereof. He will initially be met with resistance, but not always.]

Intended audience of the prophecy

• According to this approach it is possible that Yeshayahu was never meant to relay this prophecy to the nation at all, and it is aimed at him alone, preparing him for his task.²²  In fact, the prophecy of destruction at the end might not have been relayed at this stage at all, had it not been for Yeshayahu's question "עַד מָתַי".
• Shadal agrees in principle, and suggests that for many years Yeshayahu kept the prophecy to himself.  Yet, at some point, when the people not only refused to listen but actively mocked him (Yeshayahu 5:18-20), Yeshayahu relayed the prophecy to show them that their refusal to listen was actually preordained, and in fact, part of their punishment.

Unique Mission

Since the prophecy of Chapter Six sealed the fate of Israel, it was relayed to Yeshayahu in an exalted fashion, matching the intensity of the mission.

Sources:RadakYeshayahu IntroductionYeshayahu 6About R. David Kimchi, one opinion in Abarbanel

Chronology of the book – This position can maintain chronological order in the book, as it does not assume that this was Yeshayahu's first prophecy.

The vision – Since Hashem is sending Yeshayahu on a unique and especially harsh mission, He reveals Himself at the beginning of the prophecy so that there can be no mistaking that the punishment about to be announced was issued by Hashem.  Moreover, He appears to the prophet as a king sitting on His throne, as if to say the decree of destruction is a royal edict not to be changed.

"וְהַבַּיִת יִמָּלֵא עָשָׁן" – Radak suggests that the smoke filling the hall represents Hashem's anger at Israel.  The trembling of the doorposts might be explained similarly, further evidence of the fear instilled by Hashem's wrath.²³

"אוֹי לִי כִי נִדְמֵיתִי" – Upon seeing Hashem's anger, Yeshayahu cries out, "אוֹי לִי כִי נִדְמֵיתִי," assuming that he, like the rest of Israel, will be destroyed for their sins.²⁴ How can an impure nation stand in the face of Hashem?

"וְסָר עֲוֺנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר" – Hashem symbolically purifies Yeshayahu, telling him that he need not fear, for any sin of his has been atoned.

"אֶת מִי אֶשְׁלַח... וָאֹמַר הִנְנִי שְׁלָחֵנִי" – Abarbanel suggests that Hashem asked for volunteers for this mission specifically since it was such a difficult one; the prophet was to be tasked with telling the people that there was no hope left for them and they should despair of salvation.²⁵

"שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ וְאַל תָּבִינוּ" – According to the fist option brought by Radak, these words are in the imperative; Hashem tells Yeshayhau to tell the nation that due to their sins He is preventing them from repenting.  They will listen but not understand. Their hearts will be fattened so that they can not repent. The decree of punishment is immutable.²⁶

Re-initiation to Prophecy

Yeshayahu's vision of Chapter 6 constitutes a second call to prophecy, after a hiatus in which he had not received the word of Hashem.

Sources:R. Eliezer of BeaugencyYeshayahu 1:1Yeshayahu 6About R. Eliezer of Beaugency, one opinion in Abarbanel

¹ In contrast to Yeshayahu, both Yirmeyahu and Yechezkel open with the initiation of the prophet, as is expected.

² See below that he claims that since Yeshayahu was tasked with telling the nation that Hashem was closing their hearts and ears to Yeshayahu's prophecies lest they repent, there was no point in sharing such news before rebuking them. Thus, Yeshayahu first chastised the people for twenty years, and only after they mocked his prophecies (Yeshayahu 5:19), proving Hashem's words correct, did he share that their refusal to listen was pre-ordained.

³ They claim that "המצורע חשוב במת".  The Biur, instead, suggests that once Uziyahu was stuck with tzara'at and lost his rule to his son it was as if he died.

⁴ See, though, N. Meshal, who questions this reading, pointing to the similar heading in Yeshayahu 14:28, "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז".  From context, this appears to refer to the year after Achaz' death as the following verses speak of Achaz as having already died: "אַל תִּשְׂמְחִי פְלֶשֶׁת כֻּלֵּךְ כִּי נִשְׁבַּר שֵׁבֶט מַכֵּךְ."  If so, it would seem that Yeshayahu 6:1 also speaks of the days after Uziyahu's death.

⁵ See Radak who questions this possibility from Divrei HaYamim II 26:22, "וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי עֻזִּיָּהוּ הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרֹנִים כָּתַב יְשַׁעְיָהוּ בֶן אָמוֹץ הַנָּבִיא," which suggests that Yeshayahu prophesied not just towards the end of Uziyahu's life, but also in the beginning of his reign (speaking of דִּבְרֵי עֻזִּיָּהוּ הָרִאשֹׁנִים).  Radak himself responds that the verse might simply refer to events narrated by Yeshayahu that took place before he began to prophesy.

⁶ This, however, is somewhat difficult considering the continuation of the verse, "וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת אֲדֹנָי יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא" from which it sounds that the date refers to the receiving of the vision.

⁷ He suggests that there could have been as many as twenty years between the receiving and relaying of the prophecy. Nonetheless, Shadal does not date any other prophecy in the book to Uziyahu's reign, explaining that Yeshayahu might simply not have recorded these for future generations.

⁸ Rashi and the Rid points to the root's usage in Tzefanya 1:11, "נדמה כל עם כנען" where it is paralleled to "נִכְרְתוּ כׇּל נְטִילֵי כָסֶף".

⁹ Rashi, in contrast, explains that Yeshayahu's words "וּבְתוֹךְ עַם טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב" constituted slander of Israel and needed atoning. Ibn Ezra also points to a specific crime of Yeshayahu, the fact that he was an "אִישׁ טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם". He suggests that Yeshayahu bemoaned that he had learned negative speech habits from the nation, making him unworthy of being Hashem's spokesman. [As evidence, Ibn Ezra points to the prophet's words in Yeshayahu 8:11, "וְיִסְּרֵנִי מִלֶּכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ הָעָם הַזֶּה".] Hashem thus purges his mouth, preparing him for his mission.

¹⁰ Shadal points out that in Tanakh purification often takes place via fire; so too here, Hashem places a burning coal on Yeshayahu's lips. The verse states, "וַיַּגַּע עַל פִּי", the same language used when Yirmeyahu is appointed prophet.  There, however, it represents Hashem's placing His word into the prophet's mouth.

¹¹ He apparently reads the verbs "הַשְׁמֵן"' as an infinitive absolute (שם הפועל), indicative of a continuous process, or of certainty, explaining that Hashem is saying: "לבם הולך הלוך והשמן".

¹² See Shadal who writes, "והכוונה אם תרצה ללכת בשליחותי, על מנת כן צריך אתה ללכת, על מנת שלא ישמעו אליך".

¹³ This is how Shadal explains the verses in his introduction t the chapter and in his comments to verse 1.  In his discussion of verses 9-10, however, he appears to suggest that Hashem is only giving an analogy to let Yeshayahu know that the people are not going to listen to him.

¹⁴ Shadal points out that the language of "'אַל תָּבִינוּ" as opposed to "לא תבינו" indicates the imperative form.

¹⁵ The Rid, instead, suggests that after so many warnings that went unheeded, Hashem is no longer interested in giving the people the possibility of repenting.  He reads the phrase "שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ וְאַל תָּבִינוּ" as if it were written in the past tense:  "I have sent so many prophet for you to listen to, yet you have refused to understand".

¹⁶ Indeed, many of Yeshayahu's prophecies simply speak of the nation's sins or impending punishment, without including a call for change. Thus, for instance, Chapters 2-5 decry the people's arrogance, but mainly as a way of introducing their downfall. There are exceptions, however, and in Chapter 1, Yeshayahu clearly calls for the people to repent: "רַחֲצוּ הִזַּכּוּ הָסִירוּ רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם מִנֶּגֶד עֵינָי חִדְלוּ הָרֵעַ."

¹⁷ The words "וְרִחַק י"י אֶת הָאָדָם" imply not only devastation but actual exile.

¹⁸ He points out that "עֲשִׂרִיָּה" does not mean "a tenth" but rather "ten," comparing the term to the word "שלישיה" in the phrase, "יִהְיֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלִישִׁיָּה לְמִצְרַיִם וּלְאַשּׁוּר" (Yeshayahu 19:24). This reading of the verses, however, ignores the phrase "וְשָׁבָה וְהָיְתָה לְבָעֵר" which implies that there are two stages of destruction.

¹⁹

²⁰ Since Shadal assumes that the verses do not refer to exile, he claims that the phrase "'וְרִחַק י"י אֶת הָאָדָם" refers to the fact that the massive devastation left large areas of the land uninhabited, with people being distanced from one another.  he cold have alternatively suggested that it refers to the many people taken captive by the invading armies (see Divrei HaYamim II 28).

²¹ It is this which likely motivates Shadal's reading of the verses.  The other commentators must explain how Hashem can say that the people will continue in their crimes and refuse to listen to the prophet until exile, if their was a religious reformation in the time of Chizkiyahu.

²² If so, Hashem's words "וַיֹּאמֶר לֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ לָעָם הַזֶּה שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ וְאַל תָּבִינוּ" are not meant to be taken literally as a command to actively relay this message to the people, but are simply Hashem's way of telling the prophet that the people will refuse to listen (or will be actively prevented from doing so).

²³ Cf. Malbim.

²⁴ Cf. R"E of Beaugency. Radak also explains that " נִדְמֵיתִי" means "נכרתי" as in the phrase " נִדְמֹה נִדְמָה מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל" (Hoshea 10:15), but suggests that Yeshayahu feared that he would die since he was unworthy of seeing Hashem's honor, as he says " כִּי אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ י"י צְבָאוֹת רָאוּ עֵינָי". Radak also brings the opinion of his father that the word "נִדְמֵיתִי" means "I was quiet".  Yeshayahu cries out that he could not join the angels in praising Hashem because he was of impure lips being a mere mortal.

²⁵ Radak, following Vayikra Rabbah 10:2, presents Hashem as asking for volunteers for this mission since all those who had attempted to rebuke the people earlier had been ridiculed. He tells Yeshayahu that if he accepts the job, he should know what to expect.

²⁶ He also brings the alternative reading that Hashem is simply telling Yeshayahu what will happen in the future, that all attempts of Yeshayahu to change the people will be futile as they will refuse to listen and harden their hearts against him. Abarbanel also prefers this reading.  According to it, too, Hashem is saying that destruction at this point is inevitable.