In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 61:1 (which is also the Haftarah for Parshat Nitzavim), we find a comforting verse Hashem said to Yeshayahu HaNavi to pass on to us for the entire Exile:
ר֛וּחַ אֲדֹנָ֥י ה' עָלָ֑י יַ֡עַן מָשַׁח֩ הֹ' אֹתִ֜י לְבַשֵּׂ֣ר עֲנָוִ֗ים שְׁלָחַ֙נִי֙ לַֽחֲבֹ֣שׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֔ב לִקְרֹ֚א לִשְׁבוּיִם֙ דְּר֔וֹר וְלַֽאֲסוּרִ֖ים פְּקַח־קֽוֹחַ
The spirit of the Lord God was upon me, since the Lord anointed me to bring tidings to the humble; He sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to declare freedom for the captives, and for the prisoners to free from captivity.
Malbim defines those categories in the following way:
1) Humble Ones/Anavim
1) Humble Ones/Anavim
Humble ones who do not express resentment at all.
They just expect the salvation.
And for them, there is no need for a special undertaking to show them.
Malbim goes on to explain these humble ones only need to see Hashem has anointed the person for spiritual leadership, that this is the person who brings the tidings of yeshua (salvation).
For them, it's all straight-forward because they remained secure in their faith & expected these tidings all along.
At the same time, Hashem understands those who are barely holding on.
He has special plans for them too:
For them, it's all straight-forward because they remained secure in their faith & expected these tidings all along.
At the same time, Hashem understands those who are barely holding on.
He has special plans for them too:
2) The Broken-Hearted/Nishbarei Lev
Those who do not wait for the future salvation.
Simply, their heart is broken and despondent over the present and they are discombobulated by the difficulties.
For them, I undertook a special mission: to bandage the brokenness of their heart to show them they should not despair — because there is hope.
The Hopeless Broken-Hearted
We must anticipate Mashiach every day.
That's one of Rambam's Principles.
So who are these broken-hearted who don't do that — yet still merit salvation & even extra attention?
In fact, according to Malbim, their brokenness seems defined by their inability to hope any longer.
It's not that they don't know or don't care.
They DO care.
But they've just suffered so much, they simply broke down.
Not only are they broken & despondent, they're disoriented — discombobulated by their problems.
In other words, these people feel utterly swamped by their suffering & confusion.
When the Mashiach comes to announce the Geula/Redemption, the anavim will be like, "Oh, fantastic! Baruch Hashem! I've been expecting this!"
But the broken-hearted are going need to some prepping.
They'll need to be propped up.
It sounds like they initially won't believe it's here.
They're going to need chizuk/encouragement first. Hashem has a special plan laid out for them.
First, they'll need their hope returned to them. They'll need to be shown they shouldn't despair, that there is still hope.
And THEN, they'll be able to receive the tidings of Salvation — it's finally here.
That's one of Rambam's Principles.
So who are these broken-hearted who don't do that — yet still merit salvation & even extra attention?
In fact, according to Malbim, their brokenness seems defined by their inability to hope any longer.
It's not that they don't know or don't care.
They DO care.
But they've just suffered so much, they simply broke down.
Not only are they broken & despondent, they're disoriented — discombobulated by their problems.
In other words, these people feel utterly swamped by their suffering & confusion.
When the Mashiach comes to announce the Geula/Redemption, the anavim will be like, "Oh, fantastic! Baruch Hashem! I've been expecting this!"
But the broken-hearted are going need to some prepping.
They'll need to be propped up.
It sounds like they initially won't believe it's here.
They're going to need chizuk/encouragement first. Hashem has a special plan laid out for them.
First, they'll need their hope returned to them. They'll need to be shown they shouldn't despair, that there is still hope.
And THEN, they'll be able to receive the tidings of Salvation — it's finally here.
Hashem Will Not Give Up on You
I think this speaks to a lot of people who have been trying & trying, but feel like they're unable to hang on any longer, like it's too much to keep their head above water.
Or they feel like they're failing no matter how hard they try.
They struggle to hold on & barely know what they're doing or even what they should be doing anymore.
In fact, I hear this a lot: People can barely figure out what they SHOULD be doing.
Everything is so confusing with such conflicting messages.
Situations develop with no clear solution or straight-forward way to handle them.
Even asking experts for advice sometimes leads to a dead end...or makes things worse.
Or the experts simply do not know; it's beyond them too.
The world has been turned upside-down.
But the above verse indicates that even if you feel that way, even if you're giving up, Hashem is not giving up on you.
He understands you & even formulated a special plan to heal people like you.
Or they feel like they're failing no matter how hard they try.
They struggle to hold on & barely know what they're doing or even what they should be doing anymore.
In fact, I hear this a lot: People can barely figure out what they SHOULD be doing.
Everything is so confusing with such conflicting messages.
Situations develop with no clear solution or straight-forward way to handle them.
Even asking experts for advice sometimes leads to a dead end...or makes things worse.
Or the experts simply do not know; it's beyond them too.
The world has been turned upside-down.
But the above verse indicates that even if you feel that way, even if you're giving up, Hashem is not giving up on you.
He understands you & even formulated a special plan to heal people like you.
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