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| | <h1>Yeshayahu: Unclothed and Barefoot</h1> | | <h1>Yeshayahu: Unclothed and Barefoot</h1> |
| | <div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | | <div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> |
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| − | <approaches>
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| − | <category>Not Real: Prophetic Vision
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| − | <p>Yeshayahu's fulfillment of Hashem's command took place in a vision and was not witnessed by the public. As such, the message of the prophecy may not have been meant for the people of Yehudah. Instead, this prophecy was meant for Yeshayahu himself as part of his series of of נבואות הגוים.</p>
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| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="IbnEzraHosheaFirstCommentary1-1_2" data-aht="source">Hoshea First Commentary 1:1</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim246" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim246" data-aht="source">2 46</a><a href="Rambam Moreh Nevukhim" data-aht="parshan">About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="RadakHoshea1-2" data-aht="source">Hoshea 1:2</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink></mekorot>
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| − | <point><b>וּפִתַּחְתָּ הַשַּׂק מֵעַל מׇתְנֶיךָ וְנַעַלְךָ תַחֲלֹץ מֵעַל רַגְלֶךָ</b> – Hashem indeed asked Yeshayahu to untie and remove his sackcloth and shoes. עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף, therefore, means literally unclothed and barefoot, however, this was only in a dream.</point>
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| − | <point><b>עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף</b> – These commentators assert עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף means completely unclothed and barefoot.</point>
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| − | <point><b>שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים</b> – Ibn Ezra writes that the שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים refers to the latter part of the verse. Egypt and in Cush will be destroyed three years after this prophecy.<br/>Radak explains that the vision in reality took just a moment. It seemed, to Yeshayahu, however, as if it took three years<br/><br/></point>
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| − | <point><b>Standards for prophets?</b> This approach successfully neutralizes this issue by assuming everything was in a prophetic vision and not in public.</point>
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| − | <point><b>וְחַתּוּ וָבֹשׁוּ מִכּוּשׁ מַבָּטָם וּמִן מִצְרַיִם תִּפְאַרְתָּם:</b><ul>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"><multilink><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RadakYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink> read this as referring to the residents of the Land of Israel who, while at war with the Assyrians, are placing their trust in Egypt. When Egypt and Cush will be destroyed, these Israelites will be ashamed of having counted on those other nations.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">This account perhaps highlights the intensity of Egypt's </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">destruction.</span></li>
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| − | <li><multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency </a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">claims this verse refers to Egyptians and Cushites </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">ashamed and dismayed of their own land. </span></li>
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| − | </ul></point>
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| − | <point><b>Goal of the Prophecy</b> – According to this approach, the prophecy is not meant for the Judeans living in the Land of Israel. Rather, this prophecy is solely meant to tell of the Egyptian demise by the hands of the Assyrians<fn>If we understand this prophecy as solely relating to Egypt and Cush, it fits quite well with its placement in Sefer Yeshayahu. Chapters 13-23 make up a section that are נבואות הגוים, prophecies relating to the other nations. This chapter, discussing the fall of Egypt and Cush can be another נבואת הגוים.</fn>. A coincidental result of such a demise will be the shame of the Israelites in that they put there trust in Egypt.</point>
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| − | <point><b>Purpose of the שק and its removal</b></point>
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| − | <point><b>Historical Context</b></point>
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| − | </category>
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| − | <category>Real
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| − | <p>As per the simple meaning of the text, Yeshayahu's action was performed in the real world and not in a private vision with Hashem. As such whatever message Yeshayahu intends to transmit will most likely be impressed on the Kingdom of Judah.<br/>Two approaches of commentators diverge, however, depending on how literal the text reads.</p>
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| − | <opinion>Non-Literal
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| − | <p>While these commentators concur Yeshayahu's action took place in public, they dilute the potency of "עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף" to accord the story with the standards we have for our prophets.</p>
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| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="BavliYoma77a-b" data-aht="source">R. Nahman bar Yitzhak</a><a href="BavliYoma77a-b" data-aht="source">Yoma 77a-b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink> in Yoma, Rasag  <multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RYosefibnKaspiYeshayahu20-2" data-aht="source">R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a><a href="RYosefibnKaspiYeshayahu20-2" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20:2</a><a href="R. Yosef ibn Kaspi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ShadalYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink></mekorot>
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| − | <point><b>וּפִתַּחְתָּ הַשַּׂק מֵעַל מׇתְנֶיךָ וְנַעַלְךָ תַחֲלֹץ מֵעַל רַגְלֶךָ</b> – <multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> and Targum Pseudo-Yonatan understand וּפִתַּחְתָּ to mean the putting on of the sackcloth<fn><multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink> is motivated by the definite article qualifying שַּׂק in verse 2. How can Hashem command Yeshayahu to take off a this significant garment without having told him to put it on? Therefore, it makes more sense to say וּפִתַּחְתָּ means "to put on." Nonetheless, yeshayahu's shoes were still completely removed.</fn>.<br/>Most other commentators understand וּפִתַּחְתָּ to mean the removal of the sackcloth.</point>
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| − | <point><b>עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף</b><ul>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">Most commentators, following </span><multilink><a href="BavliYoma77a-b" data-aht="source">Yoma 77</a><a href="BavliYoma77a-b" data-aht="source">Yoma 77a-b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"> assert Yeshayahu wore noticeably ripped clothing, where </span></span>perhaps more skin was shown to the public<fn>Shadal argues that if עָרוֹם literally meant naked, why would the verse relate that Yeshayahu was also barefoot? The succession of the two adjectives attests that Yeshayahu was not completely unclothed.</fn><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">.</span></span></li>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">According to </span><multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"> and </span><multilink><a href="RYosefibnKaspiYeshayahu20-2" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Ibn Kaspi</a><a href="RYosefibnKaspiYeshayahu20-2" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20:2</a><a href="R. Yosef ibn Kaspi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a></multilink><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">, Yeshayahu indeed removed clothing but covered enough to avoid being completely naked.</span></li>
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| − | </ul></point>
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| − | <point><b>שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים</b><ul>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">According to Rashi, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים qualifies both Yeshayahu's action and the future event related to Egypt. These commentators would </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">take less issue with Yeshayahu walking around for a full three years as he was not fully unclothed.</span></li>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">Rasag argues Yeshayahu took only three steps in his </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף state. These three steps signified three years until the events related to Egypt took place.</span></li>
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| − | </ul></point>
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| − | <point><b>Standards for prophets?</b> This approach successfully neutralize this issue by redefining עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף.</point>
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| − | <point><b>The ashamed nations relying on Egypt and Cush</b> – <multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink> claims these verses refer exclusively to Egyptians and Cushites ashamed and dismayed of their own kingdoms. This prophecy has nothing to do with Israelites and is completely directed at Egyptians.<br/>According to <multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, verse 5  refers to other surrounding nations that relied on Egypt an Cush for help. The "dwellers of this island" of verse 6 refers to those living in Israel who relied on Egypt for help<fn>Shadal relates that this last verse reflects the focus of the entire prophecy. The message of Yeshayahu's stunt was to impart to the people of Yehudah that they should rely on Hashem for help and not Egypt and Cush.</fn></point>
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| − | <point><b>Goal of the Prophecy</b></point>
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| − | </opinion>
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| − | <opinion>Literal
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| − | <p>Yeshayahu carried out Hashem's command in public and exactly how the verses make it. This effectively transmitted the prophecy's message to the people of Judah.</p>
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| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RambanDevarim13-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanDevarim13-2" data-aht="source">Devarim 13:2</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink><fn>While <multilink><a href="RambanDevarim13-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanDevarim13-2" data-aht="source">Devarim 13:2</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> does not explcitly mention Yeshayahu's action as having taken place in public, his allusion to the event in Devarim 13:2 likely confirms his alignment with this approach. In discussing the difference between an אוֹת and a מוֹפֵת, Ramban writes a מוֹפֵת is a prophetic sign that is complete deviation from nature or abnormal. A paradigm of such an action is Yeshayahu's of our chapter. Such an action qualifies as a מוֹפֵת because "it is a bewilderment that a prophet should walk like this" ("this" referring to עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף).</fn>, <multilink><a href="AbarbanelYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="MalbimYeshayahuBeurHaInyan20" data-aht="source">Malbim</a><a href="MalbimYeshayahuBeurHaInyan20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu Beur HaInyan 20</a><a href="R. Meir Leibush Weiser (Malbim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Meir Leibush Weiser</a></multilink>, Da'at Mikra, Vargon</mekorot>
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| − | <point><b>וּפִתַּחְתָּ הַשַּׂק מֵעַל מׇתְנֶיךָ וְנַעַלְךָ תַחֲלֹץ מֵעַל רַגְלֶךָ</b> – Hashem indeed asked Yeshayahu to untie and remove his sackcloth as well as removing his shoes. עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף therefore literally means unclothed and barefoot.</point>
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| − | <point><b>עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף</b> – These commentators assert עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף means completely unclothed and barefoot.</point>
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| − | <point><b>שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים</b><ul>
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| − | <li><multilink><a href="MalbimYeshayahuBeurHaInyan20" data-aht="source">Malbim</a><a href="MalbimYeshayahuBeurHaInyan20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu Beur HaInyan 20</a><a href="R. Meir Leibush Weiser (Malbim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Meir Leibush Weiser</a></multilink><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"> asserts this phrase exclusively qualifies the sign related to Egypt. Yeshayahu walked around unclothed for a few moments or at most a day in his privacy of his own house.</span></li>
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| − | <li><multilink><a href="AbarbanelYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelYeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"> argues Yeshayahu, though not for three years, walk around in public a few times</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">.</span></li>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">Vargon asserts that Yeshayahu's actions indeed took place over a three year </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">period to make the biggest impression he could on the nation. While he wasn't constantly, publicly unclothed for that amount of time, Yeshayahu most likely would go into the public square at certain points, presumably enough times to make an impression</span><fn>Vargon points to Yechezkel 4 and Yirmiyahu 13 as actions taken by prophets that lasted for a significant amount of time.</fn><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">.</span></li>
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| − | </ul></point>
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| − | <point><b>Standards for prophets?</b><ul>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">According to <multilink><a href="MalbimYeshayahuBeurHaInyan20" data-aht="source">Malbim</a><a href="MalbimYeshayahuBeurHaInyan20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu Beur HaInyan 20</a><a href="R. Meir Leibush Weiser (Malbim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Meir Leibush Weiser</a></multilink>, the higher standards we expect of prophets were not compromised as Yeshayahu's stunt was performed in private for a short amount of time.</span></li>
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| − | <li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;">According to Rid, this is but another example of how prophets are expected to suffer as part of their roles as Hashem's messengers. Prophets knowingly accept such this burden when they consent to become the nation's prophet.</span></li>
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| − | <li>Similarly, the Keli Paz argues that though such a stunt would be a degradation to prophet, the honor of Hashem is at stake regarding the behavior of the nation and thus Hashem's honor would override the prophet's honor</li>
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| − | </ul></point>
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| − | <point><b>The ashamed nations relying on Egypt and Cush/the dwellers of this island</b> – Abarbanel reasons these verses refer to the Judeans who had placed their trust in Egypt and expected  Egypt and Cush to come save them from the hands of the Assyrians.</point>
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| − | </opinion>
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| − | </category>
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| − | </approaches>
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| − | </page>
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| − | </aht-xml>
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