The Me'am Loez (The Book of Yeshayahu, pages 17-22) on Yeshayahu/Isaiah Chapter 2 contains illuminating messages regarding Yehudah (Jews) and Yerushalayim:
Note:
Most of the following Hebrew text & English translations come from here:
https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1002.htm
Note:
Most of the following Hebrew text & English translations come from here:
https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1002.htm
Yeshayahu 2:2
And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. | וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, נָכוֹן יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית-ה' בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים, וְנִשָּׂא, מִגְּבָעוֹת; וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם |
ME'AM LOEZ:
"And it will come to pass" — a phrase denoting a new world order — after the refinement process of the previous chapter, that there will be a most profound change in the nature of man.
Mankind will abandon all modern and subtle forms of idolatry and make the leap of faith up to God.
Not only the Jewish people will return to God wholeheartedly, but also with all the gentile nations.
They will forsake the mountains, symbolic and real upon which they worshipped their gods, and together with their children and wives — "all of the nations" — they will come "flocking" to Him, running up the "Mountain of the House of God," the Temple Mount.
How great will be the common rejoicing of man on that day!
This will all come to pass in the days of the Mashiach.
Right now, we're seeing a warped version of this.
Nations go up to the Temple Mount today, not to return to Hashem wholeheartedly, but to express the dominance of their false beliefs, whether its an anti-Torah religion or atheist visitors treating the holy place like just another tourist attraction.
Furthermore, the non-Jewish presence infiltrating Eretz Yisrael today represents the opposite of that predicted by the Navi.
These non-Jews have not abandoned their idolatry of any kind and make no leap of faith to Hashem Elokai Yisrael.
On the contrary, they do everything they can to poison Am Yisrael with false & harmful beliefs, whether in the form of religious missionaries or secular gentile immigrants who wish to make the Holy Land a secular non-Jewish country in which THEY can feel perfectly comfortable according to their own anti-Torah standards.
The authentic Mashiach-led "new world order" still lies in our future.
The "new world order" plotted among world leaders today is led by the worst of humanity.
Please note the Me'am Loez specifies how the innate positive change in human nature, the proactive acknowledgement of Hashem's Mastery, and the new world order will occur AFTER Mashiach comes: "in the days of Mashiach."
We may be at the End of Days, but have not yet arrived at the "days of Mashiach."
Mashiach has not yet been revealed.
Nations go up to the Temple Mount today, not to return to Hashem wholeheartedly, but to express the dominance of their false beliefs, whether its an anti-Torah religion or atheist visitors treating the holy place like just another tourist attraction.
Furthermore, the non-Jewish presence infiltrating Eretz Yisrael today represents the opposite of that predicted by the Navi.
These non-Jews have not abandoned their idolatry of any kind and make no leap of faith to Hashem Elokai Yisrael.
On the contrary, they do everything they can to poison Am Yisrael with false & harmful beliefs, whether in the form of religious missionaries or secular gentile immigrants who wish to make the Holy Land a secular non-Jewish country in which THEY can feel perfectly comfortable according to their own anti-Torah standards.
The authentic Mashiach-led "new world order" still lies in our future.
The "new world order" plotted among world leaders today is led by the worst of humanity.
Please note the Me'am Loez specifies how the innate positive change in human nature, the proactive acknowledgement of Hashem's Mastery, and the new world order will occur AFTER Mashiach comes: "in the days of Mashiach."
We may be at the End of Days, but have not yet arrived at the "days of Mashiach."
Mashiach has not yet been revealed.
Yeshayhu 2:3
And many peoples shall go and say: 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth [Torah], and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. | וְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים, וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל-הַר-יְהוָה אֶל-בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, וְיֹרֵנוּ מִדְּרָכָיו, וְנֵלְכָה בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו: כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה, וּדְבַר-יְהוָה מִירוּשָׁלִָם |
ME'AM LOEZ:
This change will take place first among those nations nearest to the Land of Israel, who will then go and draw their fellow gentile neighbors "to go up to the Mountain of God."
They will come in droves to learn "His ways" of faith and follow "His paths" of proper behavior.
They will come to see that true faith — "[Torah]" — comes only "from Jerusalem" and the true rules of behavior — the word of God — come only "from Zion."
As shown on any world map, the "nations nearest to the Land of Israel" are Muslim-Arab nations.
According to the Me'am Loez, they will be the first to experience this new change, and draw their neighbors after them.
Interestingly, a glance at the world map shows the neighbors of our neighbors (depending on which direction) as the African continent and the Asian continent, with the Soviet states taking up a huge chunk of that Asian "neighborhood."
Europe lies beyond the Soviet states & two seas (the Mediterranean & the Black Sea).
And the Americas, plus the countries of Oceania, lie even farther away.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought people assume the new change will either occur simultaneously OR Edom will play a big part.
But the Me'am Loez presents a very different order of events.
Also, Sefer Ovadia discusses the burning destruction of Edom, and the complete annihilation of Esav, in verse 18.
In verse 8 of Sefer Ovadia, Malbim states that understanding will perish from Mount Esav, people will be stunned, confused, and "eat straw," and die in the War of Gog.
Here, Malbim defines Har/Mount Esav as the head of Edom, which he says is "little Rome."
(I guess meaning not the Roman empire, but Rome itself, which today hosts Vatican City.)
Yes, Har Esav is considered a geographical location near Eretz Yisrael, and the Malbim uses that too, but this is Malbim's interpretation of Mount Esav in this verse — an interpretation which makes a lot of sense, if you think about it.
Anyway, I think what's foretold throughout Neviim is very different than many people's assumptions.
And going back to the original point:
It's important to note that these nations will come NOT to influence us but to LEARN THE TRUTH from us.
Again, this is the opposite of what occurs today.
Unfortunately, many Jews place the idea of Zionism on such a high pedestal that any non-Jew (no matter how much of an idolater or menuval) who claims to support Zionism receives fawning approbation, even from Jews who should know better.
However, the main goal is keeping the TORAH'S values.
With few exceptions, that's not happening...yet.
By extracting from its purely religious context the mitzvah of JEWS settling the Land & warping it into a political ideal (which originally included Communism), Zionism has made room for all sorts of anti-Torah attitudes & behaviors paradoxically considered worthy & respected.
But the whole point of ANYONE coming to Eretz Yisrael to learn more about what Hashem wants from all of us.
Anyone who comes to Eretz Yisrael to do otherwise is NOT fulfilling what is written here.
According to the Me'am Loez, they will be the first to experience this new change, and draw their neighbors after them.
Interestingly, a glance at the world map shows the neighbors of our neighbors (depending on which direction) as the African continent and the Asian continent, with the Soviet states taking up a huge chunk of that Asian "neighborhood."
Europe lies beyond the Soviet states & two seas (the Mediterranean & the Black Sea).
And the Americas, plus the countries of Oceania, lie even farther away.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought people assume the new change will either occur simultaneously OR Edom will play a big part.
But the Me'am Loez presents a very different order of events.
Also, Sefer Ovadia discusses the burning destruction of Edom, and the complete annihilation of Esav, in verse 18.
In verse 8 of Sefer Ovadia, Malbim states that understanding will perish from Mount Esav, people will be stunned, confused, and "eat straw," and die in the War of Gog.
Here, Malbim defines Har/Mount Esav as the head of Edom, which he says is "little Rome."
(I guess meaning not the Roman empire, but Rome itself, which today hosts Vatican City.)
Yes, Har Esav is considered a geographical location near Eretz Yisrael, and the Malbim uses that too, but this is Malbim's interpretation of Mount Esav in this verse — an interpretation which makes a lot of sense, if you think about it.
Anyway, I think what's foretold throughout Neviim is very different than many people's assumptions.
And going back to the original point:
It's important to note that these nations will come NOT to influence us but to LEARN THE TRUTH from us.
Again, this is the opposite of what occurs today.
Unfortunately, many Jews place the idea of Zionism on such a high pedestal that any non-Jew (no matter how much of an idolater or menuval) who claims to support Zionism receives fawning approbation, even from Jews who should know better.
However, the main goal is keeping the TORAH'S values.
With few exceptions, that's not happening...yet.
By extracting from its purely religious context the mitzvah of JEWS settling the Land & warping it into a political ideal (which originally included Communism), Zionism has made room for all sorts of anti-Torah attitudes & behaviors paradoxically considered worthy & respected.
But the whole point of ANYONE coming to Eretz Yisrael to learn more about what Hashem wants from all of us.
Anyone who comes to Eretz Yisrael to do otherwise is NOT fulfilling what is written here.
Yeshayahu 2:4
And He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. | וְשָׁפַט בֵּין הַגּוֹיִם, וְהוֹכִיחַ לְעַמִּים רַבִּים; וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבוֹתָם לְאִתִּים, וַחֲנִיתוֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת--לֹא-יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל-גּוֹי חֶרֶב, וְלֹא-יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה |
ME'AM LOEZ:
But even as those gentile nations come up to God, God will rebuke them for their being "many" — for their being divided into warring factions and for their not bringing true peace on earth.
He will then "judge between them" and resolve for all time their border disputes which gave rise to their wars.
All the world's nations will then renounce war and destroy all their weaponry.
And as reparations for their persecuting the Jews, they will put their war technology —their "swords and spears" — to the peaceful use of reclaiming the Land of Israel.
All this God will do through His servant, the Mashiach, who will "judge between the nations" in God's Name at the Temple Mount.
Interestingly, as the nations rush up to the Temple Mount to learn the authentic rules of decent behavior, they will encounter rebuke, along with a re-organizing of their authentic boundaries.
This brings yet more proof why we should not take sides in the Russian-Ukrainian war: Mashiach will inform them of the real boundaries of their countries.
(For more reasons, please start here: does-an-unwinnable-unrecoverable-war-justify-massive-destruction-displacement-trauma-and-loss-why-does-so-much-of-the-media-insist-all-this-chaos-is-such-a-positive-unavoidable-turn-of-events.html )
Mashiach will work it out according to Hashem's intentions.
Furthermore, all their war technology will be utilized in the "peaceful use" of a Jewish return to Eretz Yisrael.
Again, a warped version of this parallels the Iron Dome, a gentile-invented war technology used to protect Jews in Eretz Yisrael, but as a military device, not peaceful use.
And the reason why the great despiser of Israel, Obama, allowed Jews in Israel to buy the Iron Dome is to perfect the Iron Dome for American defense, if necessary.
In other words, the purpose of the Iron Dome in Israel is human experimentation with the Jews as guinea pigs which, in Hashem's Great Chessed, has worked out very well for the Jews in Eretz Yisrael.
This brings yet more proof why we should not take sides in the Russian-Ukrainian war: Mashiach will inform them of the real boundaries of their countries.
(For more reasons, please start here: does-an-unwinnable-unrecoverable-war-justify-massive-destruction-displacement-trauma-and-loss-why-does-so-much-of-the-media-insist-all-this-chaos-is-such-a-positive-unavoidable-turn-of-events.html )
Mashiach will work it out according to Hashem's intentions.
Furthermore, all their war technology will be utilized in the "peaceful use" of a Jewish return to Eretz Yisrael.
Again, a warped version of this parallels the Iron Dome, a gentile-invented war technology used to protect Jews in Eretz Yisrael, but as a military device, not peaceful use.
And the reason why the great despiser of Israel, Obama, allowed Jews in Israel to buy the Iron Dome is to perfect the Iron Dome for American defense, if necessary.
In other words, the purpose of the Iron Dome in Israel is human experimentation with the Jews as guinea pigs which, in Hashem's Great Chessed, has worked out very well for the Jews in Eretz Yisrael.
Yeshayahu 2:5
| O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD | 'בֵּית, יַעֲקֹב--לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה, בְּאוֹר ה |
ME'AM LOEZ:
Peace will reign on earth and all peoples of the world will now seek only God.
The nations will then beg the Jewish people to lead the way, seeing themselves as unworthy: "House of Jacob, let us — teach us how to — walk in the Light of God.
But this itself will be a great rebuke for the Jewish people.
Here, the nations who never experienced the Light of God are ready to give up everything just in order to get closer to Him; all the more so should we, the Jewish people, forsake our own internal fighting and come together to serve God:
"House of Jacob, let us walk together in the Light of God."
In contrast to the above verses, this one hints to our behavior prior to Mashiach.
While the nations lack the Light of God received via the Torah now, we DO have access to it!
So we should put aside our internal strife NOW to come together in avodat Hashem.
Please note the emphasis on coming together to SERVE HASHEM.
It's not about feel-good associations with people who refuse to even consider doing teshuvah.
The message of the Navi from Hashem clearly states our joining together in achdut must be toward the common goal of serving Hashem.
While the nations lack the Light of God received via the Torah now, we DO have access to it!
So we should put aside our internal strife NOW to come together in avodat Hashem.
Please note the emphasis on coming together to SERVE HASHEM.
It's not about feel-good associations with people who refuse to even consider doing teshuvah.
The message of the Navi from Hashem clearly states our joining together in achdut must be toward the common goal of serving Hashem.
Yeshayahu 2:6-8
כִּי נָטַשְׁתָּה, עַמְּךָ בֵּית יַעֲקֹב--כִּי מָלְאוּ מִקֶּדֶם, וְעֹנְנִים כַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים; וּבְיַלְדֵי נָכְרִים, יַשְׂפִּיקוּ
וַתִּמָּלֵא אַרְצוֹ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב, וְאֵין קֵצֶה לְאֹצְרֹתָיו; וַתִּמָּלֵא אַרְצוֹ סוּסִים, וְאֵין קֵצֶה לְמַרְכְּבֹתָיו
וַתִּמָּלֵא אַרְצוֹ, אֱלִילִים: לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ, לַאֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו
(6) For Thou hast forsaken Thy people the house of Jacob; for they are replenished from the east, and with soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the brood of aliens.
(7) Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.
(8) Their land also is full of idols; every one worships the work of his own hands, that which his own fingers have made.
ME'AM LOEZ:
But You, God, did not forsake Your People to gentile persecution without reason — the Jewish people themselves are to blame: "they filled their land with sorcery, gold and silver, steed and idolatry."
And you, Jewish people, yourselves "forsook Your people-ness" by becoming like the gentiles rather than being God's people.
Your forsook the ways handed down to you by the ancestors and took up "brainchild" philosophies of the gentiles.
***
You have degraded your humanness by "stooping to your own handiwork": to your sorcery, gold and steed — to your wisdom, wealth and power.
How low have you fallen to subordinate man to these inanimate and external things!
OUCH.
That's some rebuke.
And I couldn't help thinking "Facebook" as I read it.
Or "Google," another problematic stooge originally invented (at least in part) by assimilated Jews.
Even though these Internet poisons were not invented in Israel, a lot of the technology they use has its root in the Israeli hi-tech industry.
And could the magic of instant communication and all the other wizardry of hi-tech be considered a type of "sorcery" by the Navi speaking millennia ago?
Furthermore, "inanimate and external" are perfect descriptions of smartphones and tablets.
And also of TVs and radios!
Unfortunately, the lure of social media and all sorts of other platforms sucked in and continues to suck in many religious Jews, who imitate what they see promoted on their tablets and smartphones, whether they imitate it outright or try to work out a frum version of it ("You have degraded your humanness by 'stooping to your own handiwork' ").
As for the "brainchild" philosophies (wonder what the original Hebrew for that intriguing term?), so many Jews today (including well-intentioned frum Jews) promote psychological and political theories, regardless of how superficial or at odds with Torah values.
And how many twist themselves into pretzels to cram Torah thought into the image of whatever current scientific theories come into in vogue?
It's a tragic truth that today, many Jews do indeed forsake their own special "people-ness" in a misguided effort to imitate the non-Jewish world.
(Reading transcripts of & listening to Rav Avigdor Miller's lectures, plus reading his books, can remedy this.)
This next part gets even more interesting, in light of all the talk of prepping and the elites' underground luxury shelters...
That's some rebuke.
And I couldn't help thinking "Facebook" as I read it.
Or "Google," another problematic stooge originally invented (at least in part) by assimilated Jews.
Even though these Internet poisons were not invented in Israel, a lot of the technology they use has its root in the Israeli hi-tech industry.
And could the magic of instant communication and all the other wizardry of hi-tech be considered a type of "sorcery" by the Navi speaking millennia ago?
Furthermore, "inanimate and external" are perfect descriptions of smartphones and tablets.
And also of TVs and radios!
Unfortunately, the lure of social media and all sorts of other platforms sucked in and continues to suck in many religious Jews, who imitate what they see promoted on their tablets and smartphones, whether they imitate it outright or try to work out a frum version of it ("You have degraded your humanness by 'stooping to your own handiwork' ").
As for the "brainchild" philosophies (wonder what the original Hebrew for that intriguing term?), so many Jews today (including well-intentioned frum Jews) promote psychological and political theories, regardless of how superficial or at odds with Torah values.
And how many twist themselves into pretzels to cram Torah thought into the image of whatever current scientific theories come into in vogue?
It's a tragic truth that today, many Jews do indeed forsake their own special "people-ness" in a misguided effort to imitate the non-Jewish world.
(Reading transcripts of & listening to Rav Avigdor Miller's lectures, plus reading his books, can remedy this.)
This next part gets even more interesting, in light of all the talk of prepping and the elites' underground luxury shelters...
Yeshayahu 2:9-10
וַיִּשַּׁח אָדָם, וַיִּשְׁפַּל-אִישׁ; וְאַל-תִּשָּׂא, לָהֶם
בּוֹא בַצּוּר, וְהִטָּמֵן בֶּעָפָר, מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד יְהוָה, וּמֵהֲדַר גְּאֹנוֹ
(9) Man will be bent and man will be humbled; but do not forgive them.
(10) Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty.
ME'AM LOEZ:
The time will come when "mankind will be bent" and forced to face the futility of their external gods.
At that time, they will run to "hide in the rocks and underground" as a self-humiliation before God for bowing down to those things.
But because this will be done from lack of choice and not out of true remorse, God does "not forgive them."
I still can't help thinking of smartphones and tablets and any Internet connection (especially the fake competitions & boasts popular in social media) as "the futility of their external gods" and "those things."
And here stands a reference to hiding underground.
This idea continues in the next verses, especially with regard to elitists who consider themselves "superior creatures"...
And here stands a reference to hiding underground.
This idea continues in the next verses, especially with regard to elitists who consider themselves "superior creatures"...
Yeshayahu 2:11-17
עֵינֵי גַּבְהוּת אָדָם, שָׁפֵל, וְשַׁח, רוּם אֲנָשִׁים; וְנִשְׂגַּב יְהוָה לְבַדּוֹ, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא
כִּי יוֹם לַיהוָה צְבָאוֹת, עַל כָּל-גֵּאֶה--וָרָם; וְעַל, כָּל-נִשָּׂא וְשָׁפֵל
וְעַל כָּל-אַרְזֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן, הָרָמִים וְהַנִּשָּׂאִים; וְעַל, כָּל-אַלּוֹנֵי הַבָּשָׁן
וְעַל, כָּל-הֶהָרִים הָרָמִים; וְעַל, כָּל-הַגְּבָעוֹת הַנִּשָּׂאוֹת
וְעַל, כָּל-מִגְדָּל גָּבֹהַּ; וְעַל, כָּל-חוֹמָה בְצוּרָה
וְעַל, כָּל-אֳנִיּוֹת תַּרְשִׁישׁ; וְעַל, כָּל-שְׂכִיּוֹת הַחֶמְדָּה
וְשַׁח גַּבְהוּת הָאָדָם, וְשָׁפֵל רוּם אֲנָשִׁים; וְנִשְׂגַּב יְהוָה לְבַדּוֹ, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא
(11) The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
(12) For the LORD of hosts hath a day upon all that is proud and lofty, and upon all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low;
(13) And upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan;
(14) And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up;
(15) And upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall;
(16) And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all delightful imagery.
[Me'am Loez translation verse 16: And above all the fleets of Tarshish and above all the marbled halls.]
(17) And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
ME'AM LOEZ:
...God will be exalted above the "haughty" who see themselves as superior creatures, feeling demeaned even relating to others, and above the self-"elevated" who contemptuously put others down.
He will be exalted above those who are "haughty and exalted" both in their hearts and in their actions and above those who are "elevated" in their hearts, but put on a "humble" façade.
This reminds me of the current virtue signaling and social justice warriors promoted today.
Especially regarding "those who are 'elevated' in their hearts, but put on a 'humble' façade" —it's like all those white guys who self-flagellate for being, well, white guys (the deception of "white male privilege").
A lot of the environmental "green" movement or the animal rights movement fit this description of snooty (and fake) virtuousness, putting themselves down as polluters of the environment or as equals to or even beneath animals, or describing themselves and other humans as "glorified apes/mammals" and so on.
And a lot of the world's wealthiest & most powerful people indulge in a "humble façade" of all this virtue-signaling too while feeling oh-so " 'elevated' in their hearts," pretending to be like everyone else, while setting completely different standards for themselves against all the billions of people they feel beneath them.
Here's more from the Me'am Loez on these verses:
Especially regarding "those who are 'elevated' in their hearts, but put on a 'humble' façade" —it's like all those white guys who self-flagellate for being, well, white guys (the deception of "white male privilege").
A lot of the environmental "green" movement or the animal rights movement fit this description of snooty (and fake) virtuousness, putting themselves down as polluters of the environment or as equals to or even beneath animals, or describing themselves and other humans as "glorified apes/mammals" and so on.
And a lot of the world's wealthiest & most powerful people indulge in a "humble façade" of all this virtue-signaling too while feeling oh-so " 'elevated' in their hearts," pretending to be like everyone else, while setting completely different standards for themselves against all the billions of people they feel beneath them.
Here's more from the Me'am Loez on these verses:
ME'AM LOEZ:
And on that day, God will be exalted above all those who exalt themselves with their wisdom like the majestic "cedars and oaks;" above all those who live on "high mountains and hills" to segregate themselves from what they see as inferior humanity; above all those who live in "tall towers or behind fortressed walls" to flaunt their power and prowess, and above all those who haughty themselves with their wealth of "fleets and marbled halls."
"...to segregate themselves from what they see as inferior humanity..."
That, along with all the references to living in places in order to segregate and protect themselves (while flaunting & aggrandizing themselves, their self-congratulatory "prowess") makes me think of underground luxury shelters, luxury panic rooms in mansions, luxury bug-out destinations, and so on.
What the Navi says here is: All that ain't gonna help in the end.
That, along with all the references to living in places in order to segregate and protect themselves (while flaunting & aggrandizing themselves, their self-congratulatory "prowess") makes me think of underground luxury shelters, luxury panic rooms in mansions, luxury bug-out destinations, and so on.
What the Navi says here is: All that ain't gonna help in the end.
Yeshayahu 2:18-21
וְהָאֱלִילִים, כָּלִיל יַחֲלֹף
וּבָאוּ בִּמְעָרוֹת צֻרִים, וּבִמְחִלּוֹת עָפָר--מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד יְהוָה, וּמֵהֲדַר גְּאוֹנוֹ, בְּקוּמוֹ, לַעֲרֹץ הָאָרֶץ
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, יַשְׁלִיךְ הָאָדָם, אֵת אֱלִילֵי כַסְפּוֹ, וְאֵת אֱלִילֵי זְהָבוֹ--אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ-לוֹ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺת, לַחְפֹּר פֵּרוֹת וְלָעֲטַלֵּפִים
לָבוֹא בְּנִקְרוֹת הַצֻּרִים, וּבִסְעִפֵי הַסְּלָעִים--מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד יְהוָה, וּמֵהֲדַר גְּאוֹנוֹ, בְּקוּמוֹ, לַעֲרֹץ הָאָרֶץ
(18) And the idols shall utterly pass away.
(19) And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake mightily the earth.
(20) In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the rats and to the bats;
(21) To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crevices of the crags, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.
ME'AM LOEZ:
On that day, "all idols will completely disappear," even those in the far-flung places on earth where they will still exist...those who worshipped those idols will be so ashamed, they will run to "hide in caves and underground tunnels."
And as they run to hide, they will cast aside their idols in the most disgraceful way by "throwing them into the holes of rats and bats."
Of course, I'm imagining everyone tossing their smartphones and tablets into ratholes & bat nests out of shame. ("Heavens, I can't believe I was actually watching CNN! I'm so embarrassed!")
That's an amusing thought.
And again, the Navi speaks of people running to hide in caves and underground tunnels, places we know are being carved out and built up today.
Rashi interprets la'arotz ha'aretz/to break the earth as "to break the WICKED of the earth."
Again, this possibly indicates a type of earthquake or meteor-strike that breaks the underground shelters of the wicked, most of whom are the wealthy & powerful elite.
Despite claims of the shelters being deep & fortified enough to withstand an earthquake or meteor-strike, it's clear no manmade structure can survive a direct hit or a fault-line running straight through the shelter.
Or a volcano opening up in the structure's immediate vicinity.
Our best technology cannot fortify any structure enough to withstand a direct attack from a particularly forceful act of nature.
And Hashem knows each person's address.
Either way, the verse indicates a literal breaking of both the earth and the wicked.
Meaning, it doesn't seem to indicate hurricanes, tornados, EMPS, or nuclear missiles.
Interestingly, while the above verses describe people running to these underground shelters out of fear (the reason the elites & anyone who can manage it construct these shelters), the Me'am Loez emphasizes they run to hide out of shame, not fear.
I guess we'll see.
That's an amusing thought.
And again, the Navi speaks of people running to hide in caves and underground tunnels, places we know are being carved out and built up today.
Rashi interprets la'arotz ha'aretz/to break the earth as "to break the WICKED of the earth."
Again, this possibly indicates a type of earthquake or meteor-strike that breaks the underground shelters of the wicked, most of whom are the wealthy & powerful elite.
Despite claims of the shelters being deep & fortified enough to withstand an earthquake or meteor-strike, it's clear no manmade structure can survive a direct hit or a fault-line running straight through the shelter.
Or a volcano opening up in the structure's immediate vicinity.
Our best technology cannot fortify any structure enough to withstand a direct attack from a particularly forceful act of nature.
And Hashem knows each person's address.
Either way, the verse indicates a literal breaking of both the earth and the wicked.
Meaning, it doesn't seem to indicate hurricanes, tornados, EMPS, or nuclear missiles.
Interestingly, while the above verses describe people running to these underground shelters out of fear (the reason the elites & anyone who can manage it construct these shelters), the Me'am Loez emphasizes they run to hide out of shame, not fear.
I guess we'll see.
Yeshayahu 2:22
Cease ye from man, in whose nostrils is a breath; for how little is he to be accounted! | חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן-הָאָדָם, אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ: כִּי-בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב, הוּא |
ME'AM LOEZ:
So, "abandon" your idols which are only manmade because "man," their maker, has no significance.
And when you abandon your manmade idols, abandon also your man-made-into-idol because his whole existence is so precarious: "his soul lies in his breath," he must breathe every minute to live.
"What, then, is his significance?"
Again, this interpretation just screams to me "Internet" and all the Internet devices.
Yes, these manmade devices...and ALSO the man-made-into-idol, which is so much a part of social media.
Via social media & websites, politicians, pundits, and all kinds of celebrities receive the status of man-made-into-idol.
Even before the Internet, TV & radio created the phenomenon of the "pop idol" and the culture of fan clubs for the mostly immoral music stars and movie stars.
Yet at the end of the day, who are these people?
Nobodies.
They need to breathe the same way as anyone else in order to remain alive.
They're not innately superior to all their adorers.
It's all fake. It's all invented.
Finally, I cannot resist adding the interpretation of Chapter 3, verse 12 because it is so applicable today...
Yes, these manmade devices...and ALSO the man-made-into-idol, which is so much a part of social media.
Via social media & websites, politicians, pundits, and all kinds of celebrities receive the status of man-made-into-idol.
Even before the Internet, TV & radio created the phenomenon of the "pop idol" and the culture of fan clubs for the mostly immoral music stars and movie stars.
Yet at the end of the day, who are these people?
Nobodies.
They need to breathe the same way as anyone else in order to remain alive.
They're not innately superior to all their adorers.
It's all fake. It's all invented.
Finally, I cannot resist adding the interpretation of Chapter 3, verse 12 because it is so applicable today...
Yeshayahu 3:12
As for My people — their oppressors are pranksters and women rule over them. O My people! Your leaders are leading you astray and the way of your path they have destroyed. | עַמִּי נֹגְשָׂיו מְעוֹלֵל, וְנָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ; עַמִּי מְאַשְּׁרֶיךָ |
ME'AM LOEZ (The Book of Yeshayahu, page 29):
...namely, the people's false leaders: the government will become an "oppressive" police state and will be run by a band of "pranksters;" [znus] will become so widespread that "women will rule over them;" on top of this all, "your leaders" — your false prophets and wise men — who are supposed to guide you, instead just "destroy the way of your path" — not only did they destroy your following God's way consistently, but also your following it as an occasional path.
False leaders?
Like...unqualified or unjustly elected?
Check!
The government as an oppressive police state?
Check!
The government run by a band of pranksters/mockers?
(This so reminds me of the world leaders who prefer golfing, amusement parks, and hanging out at pubs to actually running the country.)
Check!
Widespread znus that rules over men (live & in the flesh and/or Internet addiction)?
Check!
Female leaders (who, despite all the predictions to the contrary, proved themselves no better than male leaders)?
Check!
False prophets and "wise" men meant to guide society, but instead shove everyone onto a self-destructive path (look at all the professors & other academic intellectuals in favor of euthanasia, abortion, pritzus, atheism, freedom for criminals, unchecked immigration (allowing entry to terrorists & violent psychopaths, rather than innocent hard-working people only), same-gender unions, gender-switching, and other social evils)?
Check!
It's also worth looking at what Rashi says:
"Adulterous women govern them" and "weaklings governed them."
(www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15934/jewish/Chapter-3.htm/showrashi/true#v12)
The former reminds me of persistent rumors regarding America's first female Vice-President and the latter reminds me of the President. Even his vocalized threat toward America's enemies came out in such a soft, feminine voice with no grit.
If I was ISIS, I would just laugh with glee & contempt in response.
A lot of leaders today come off as weak. In fact, so many Republicans label their own politicians as RINOs — Republicans In Name Only.
And the leaders of Medinat Yisrael, including many army higher-ups, reveal themselves as weak mockers and pranksters.
Rumors of Muslim terrorists running Israeli prisons also reveal despicable weakness (and the use of znus) in the prison leadership.
However, Rashi also quotes Targum Yonatan, who interprets nashim moshlu as noshim moshlu — "creditors rule over them," which also makes sense, given the role of the Federal Reserve Bank and taxation, plus the Ponzi scheme of social security payments.
In other words, it's all there.
Today's world can be found in the prophecies of Yeshayahu.
And the comforting words for our beautiful future also lie in those same prophecies.
Like...unqualified or unjustly elected?
Check!
The government as an oppressive police state?
Check!
The government run by a band of pranksters/mockers?
(This so reminds me of the world leaders who prefer golfing, amusement parks, and hanging out at pubs to actually running the country.)
Check!
Widespread znus that rules over men (live & in the flesh and/or Internet addiction)?
Check!
Female leaders (who, despite all the predictions to the contrary, proved themselves no better than male leaders)?
Check!
False prophets and "wise" men meant to guide society, but instead shove everyone onto a self-destructive path (look at all the professors & other academic intellectuals in favor of euthanasia, abortion, pritzus, atheism, freedom for criminals, unchecked immigration (allowing entry to terrorists & violent psychopaths, rather than innocent hard-working people only), same-gender unions, gender-switching, and other social evils)?
Check!
It's also worth looking at what Rashi says:
"Adulterous women govern them" and "weaklings governed them."
(www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15934/jewish/Chapter-3.htm/showrashi/true#v12)
The former reminds me of persistent rumors regarding America's first female Vice-President and the latter reminds me of the President. Even his vocalized threat toward America's enemies came out in such a soft, feminine voice with no grit.
If I was ISIS, I would just laugh with glee & contempt in response.
A lot of leaders today come off as weak. In fact, so many Republicans label their own politicians as RINOs — Republicans In Name Only.
And the leaders of Medinat Yisrael, including many army higher-ups, reveal themselves as weak mockers and pranksters.
Rumors of Muslim terrorists running Israeli prisons also reveal despicable weakness (and the use of znus) in the prison leadership.
However, Rashi also quotes Targum Yonatan, who interprets nashim moshlu as noshim moshlu — "creditors rule over them," which also makes sense, given the role of the Federal Reserve Bank and taxation, plus the Ponzi scheme of social security payments.
In other words, it's all there.
Today's world can be found in the prophecies of Yeshayahu.
And the comforting words for our beautiful future also lie in those same prophecies.
A photo of Harei Yehudah in Eretz Yisrael
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