Introduction: Consolation After Rebuke
Chapter 43 follows immediately upon the harsh verses at the conclusion of the previous chapter: "And He poured upon him the fury of His anger and the strength of battle... and it set him on fire round about" - exceptionally severe and sharp words. Yet precisely here, right afterward, the prophet turns to the Jewish people and says: Do not despair. These harsh decrees are not the end of the road, and your very creation as a nation necessitates that the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem you.
Pasuk 1: He Who Created You, Yaakov, and Formed You, Yisrael
וְעַתָּה כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה בֹּרַאֲךָ יַעֲקֹב וְיֹצֶרְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַל־תִּירָא כִּי גְאַלְתִּיךָ קָרָאתִי בְשִׁמְךָ לִי־אָתָּה׃ - But now, thus said Hashem, your Creator, O Yaakov, and your Former, O Yisrael: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are Mine.
The Malbim distinguishes between "Creator" (Borei) and "Former" (Yotzer). "Borei" refers to bringing something into existence yesh me'ayin (ex nihilo), creating the matter itself. "Yotzer" is like the work of a potter: once the clay already exists, shaping it into a vessel - that is imparting the form. Similarly, there is a difference between "Yaakov" and "Yisrael": Yaakov is the name of the nation when they are on a lower level, while Yisrael is their name when they are guided in a supernatural and exalted manner. At the inception of their being, when the Holy One, blessed be He, initially created them - the beginning of their raw material - they were in the aspect of Yaakov. But in terms of their essential form, they are in the aspect of Yisrael, dominating nature, with the Holy One, blessed be He, leading them through supernatural providence.
From here, explains the Malbim, the parallel clauses of the verse correspond to one another. "Thus said your Creator, Yaakov" - and what did He say? "Fear not, for I have redeemed you." From the very dawn of your existence, when I chose you to be a people and redeemed you from Egypt, it was in the category of creation (beri'ah). And this very fact necessitates that I redeem you a second time: For what purpose did I bring you out of Egypt, if not for you to be My people? I did not redeem you back then only for you to become a slave to Nevuchadnezzar. The very fact of your initial creation necessitates the redemption that follows.
And corresponding to "your Former, Yisrael" - after I formed you and elevated you to become an exalted nation above all other nations, Yisrael being related to serarah (mastery and nobility) - against this it is said, "I have called you by your name, you are Mine." The fact that I called you by name signifies that you belong to Me, that you are not subject to the laws of nature but directly under My providence, as in "the eyes of Hashem your God are always upon it." "You are Mine" mandates that I relate to you through supernatural guidance, entirely outside the rule of the ministering angels of nature.
It emerges that from the perspective of the Holy One, blessed be He, being "your Creator, Yaakov," it is guaranteed that you will not remain under the dominion of earthly rulers, represented by the Babylonian and Persian exiles, for He created you from the start to be free. And from the perspective of His being "your Former, Yisrael," it is guaranteed that you will not be under the dominion of the heavenly ministers; for while every other nation is governed by an angelic prince in heaven, Yisrael is guided by the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself. There is thus an exalted quality both in terms of the raw material and in terms of the form.
Pasuk 2: Two Forms of Deliverance - Natural and Miraculous
כִּי־תַעֲבֹר בַּמַּיִם אִתְּךָ־אָנִי וּבַנְּהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּךָ כִּי־תֵלֵךְ בְּמוֹ־אֵשׁ לֹא תִכָּוֶה וְלֶהָבָה לֹא תִבְעַר־בָּךְ׃ - When you pass through water, I am with you, and through rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be scorched, and a flame shall not singe you.
The Malbim explains: There are two kinds of deliverance. Natural deliverance occurs when the Holy One, blessed be He, accompanies a person and protects him in advance so that harm never approaches him at all. Corresponding to this, the verse says: "When you pass through water, I am with you" - you will cross safely; "when you walk through fire, you shall not be scorched" - I will protect you from harm and keep danger far from you. In contrast, there is supernatural deliverance: it is not merely that I ensure the water does not touch you and the fire does not approach, but that even when you are brought into the very midst of the water and the fire, you are still preserved. This is the meaning of the added phrases: "and through rivers, they shall not overflow you" - even when you are inside the river itself, the rushing current will have no effect on you; "and a flame shall not singe you" - when you are already inside the flame, yet it does not burn you.
Thus, the verse is divided into two parallel parts: "When you pass through water, I am with you" and "when you walk through fire, you shall not be scorched" represent natural deliverance, where the water and fire never reach you. "And through rivers, they shall not overflow you" and "a flame shall not singe you" represent supernatural deliverance, where you are already inside them and yet they cause no harm. This aligns precisely with the distinction established in the preceding verse: From the standpoint of "your Creator, Yaakov," the lower level, natural protection is assured - that the kings of Babylon and Persia will not harm us, and that we will not even approach the fire and water. But from the standpoint of "your Former, Yisrael," the level of the perfected form, the exalted individuals concerning whom it is said, "I have called you by your name, you are Mine," who are not subject to the astrological powers or heavenly princes - a special protection is promised: even if you enter directly into the water and the fire, they will not harm you at all. How can one be saved miraculously beyond nature? Only by virtue of "you are Mine."
The Radak explains these verses in several ways. One explanation: These words refer to Cyrus, king of Persia, who sent the Jewish people out of the Babylonian exile, and "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you" refers to the initial redemption when they ascended and built the Second Temple. A second explanation, cited in the name of his father: The prophecy speaks of the First Temple era and Sancheriv - he came and besieged Jerusalem in the days of Chizkiyahu, which is the aspect of "it blazed around him," as the fire was all around; and the prophet tells him do not worry, Sancheriv will not overcome you and will not conquer Jerusalem, and even though he exiled the Ten Tribes, he will not harm you. And a third explanation: The words refer to the future redemption, meaning that the entire phrase "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you" points to the time to come. Just as He redeemed us from Egypt, so too, "As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders." Do not despair at the sight of troubles and tragedies - in the end, the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem the Jewish people.
Furthermore, the Malbim adds a rule: Scripture always progresses from the lesser to the greater. "Water" is less than "rivers" - a bit of water on a table is not called a "river"; a river always expresses something much greater. Therefore: not only "in the water I am with you," but even in the mighty rivers "they will not wash you away." Likewise, "fire" can be minor, like someone lighting a match, whereas a "flame" expresses a great blaze. Therefore: not only "through fire you will not be scorched," but even a flame that already touches you - "it will not burn you."
An Incident: The Origin of "Vehu Rachum"
In connection with this verse, an interesting story is brought in the *Kol Bo* (siman 18), as well as in *Sefer HaManhig* and the *Abudraham* in the name of Ibn Yarchi (and it is also cited in the sefer *Bemishnat Hachalomot*). The *Kol Bo*, some say, was authored by a woman, and the author's identity is not definitively known. It recounts the origin of the "Vehu Rachum" prayer recited on Mondays and Thursdays across all Jewish communities - that it was composed following a dream.
The story goes as follows: When the Jews went out from Jerusalem into exile, a ship of Jews arrived at a city ruled by a governor. He asked them, "From what people are you?" They answered, "We are Jews." He told them, "If you are Jews, I want to test you just as your ancestors Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah were tested - we will cast you into the fire and see if you burn." They said to him, "Give us thirty days, and we will give you an answer." The Jews sat in fasting and prayed to Hashem. Toward the end of that period, an elderly, God-fearing Jew stood up and said, "I was shown a verse in a dream, but I do not remember which verse; all I remember is that it contains twice the word 'ki' and three times the word 'lo', and I do not know what the dream means."
There was a great, wise elder there, who said to him: "You were shown our verse - 'When [ki] you pass through water, I am with you; and through rivers, they will not [lo] wash you away; when [ki] you walk through fire, you will not [lo] be scorched, and a flame will not [lo] burn you.' Twice 'ki': *ki ta'avor*, *ki telech*. And three times 'lo': *lo yishtefucha*, *lo tikaveh*, *lo tivar bach*. Therefore, the verse indicates that you were chosen by Heaven to enter the fiery furnace without fear, and you have an explicit promise."
The governor prepared a great fire, and that elder stepped into it. It is related that the fire divided into three parts, and suddenly three righteous men were seen welcoming him inside the fire. The righteous men began to praise and glorify their Creator: the first began with "Vehu Rachum" through "for You are a God who is good and forgiving"; the second began with "Ana Melech Rachum Vechanun Zechor" through "for You are a God and King, gracious and merciful"; and the third began with "Ein Kamocha Rachum Vechanun" through the end. Following this incident, it was instituted to recite this praise during the Shacharit prayer on Mondays and Thursdays, to arouse Heavenly mercy. Presumably, those three were Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, who came to greet him. Thus, the enactment of "Vehu Rachum" was instituted by great and righteous individuals. Therefore, the next time someone announces "No Tachanun today" - do not leap with joy, but rather understand that this is a great and holy ordinance from the loftiest holy ones, revealed through a special miracle from Heaven, and recognize the supreme stature and holiness in reciting "Vehu Rachum."
Verse 3: I Have Given Egypt as Your Ransom
כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעֶךָ נָתַתִּי כׇפְרְךָ מִצְרַיִם כּוּשׁ וּסְבָא תַּחְתֶּיךָ׃ - For I am Hashem your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
Rashi interprets the verse as referring to the past: "I have given Egypt as your ransom" - Egypt served as our ransom; their firstborn died and our firstborn were spared. Israel then deserved destruction, as it is written, "to pour out My wrath upon them in the land of Egypt," and the Holy One, blessed be He, took the Egyptians in our stead.
The Malbim continues along the line he began: Corresponding to natural salvation, it says, "I am Hashem your God" - "your God" (*Elokecha*) denotes providence, divine providence (*hashgachah pratit*) watching over you so that no harm befalls you. And corresponding to miraculous salvation transcending nature, it says, "the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" - by virtue of the holiness of your deeds you merit a miracle, and "Holy One" signifies an elevated, miraculous providence.
And how was this accomplished? "I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead." We already saw in chapter 20, verse 4: "So shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, naked and barefoot." Sancheriv came and besieged Jerusalem in the days of Chizkiyahu, sending his men to threaten Israel and demand that Chizkiyahu surrender. Ultimately, he was forced to flee when notified that his own land was under attack, but he promised he would return. And indeed he kept his promise: he returned to his land, fought Cush, and exiled them all, and struck Egypt as well, though from Egypt he only took captives. Then he returned here to finish his business with Chizkiyahu, and here his story ended with the downfall of 185,000 troop commanders in a single night. Thus, there was captivity from Egypt and exile from Cush - and both of these things were supposed to happen to us: some of us to captivity and all of us to exile, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, substituted others in our place.
The Malbim notes a precision in the wording: why regarding Egypt does it say "your ransom" (kofrēcha), whereas regarding Cush and Seba it says "in your place" (tachtecha)? A "ransom" (kofer) is monetary, as in "You shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer" - one cannot pay a monetary redemption to save someone sentenced to death by a Beit Din; a ransom is only effective where there is no death sentence, but rather some other punishment. Furthermore, a ransom is never of the same kind: money in exchange for captivity, money in exchange for punishment. But tachat ("in place of") is always of the exact same kind - "a life for a life" (nefesh tachat nefesh), "an eye for an eye" (ayin tachat ayin) (and even though Chazal expounded this as monetary compensation, the literal term tachat denotes one item in place of another of the same kind), just like the ram Avraham Avinu offered "in place of his son" (tachat beno), an offering in place of an offering. Therefore: Israel was sentenced to exile, not captivity. Egypt's captivity was not of the same category, so it is called a "ransom" - "I gave Egypt as your ransom." Cush, however, was punished with exile, which is precisely what we were sentenced to, so they are truly "in your place" - of the very same type and kind.
The Radak, following his second approach that the prophecy refers to the future, explains that this refers to the End of Days: as stated in Sefer Daniel, the king of the north will come with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, stretching out his hand over the lands, and the land of Egypt will not escape. Regarding this it is said here that Egypt will be seized by the king of the north in place of the Jewish people. (Whoever wishes to know who the king of the north is and whom he fights against can listen to the recording on Sefer Daniel, where all those prophecies are explained.)
Verse 4: Precious, Honored, and Beloved
מֵאֲשֶׁר יָקַרְתָּ בְעֵינַי נִכְבַּדְתָּ וַאֲנִי אֲהַבְתִּיךָ וְאֶתֵּן אָדָם תַּחְתֶּיךָ וּלְאֻמִּים תַּחַת נַפְשֶׁךָ׃ - Because you are precious in My eyes, you have been honored, and I have loved you; and I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your soul.
Notice that there are three expressions of closeness here: precious (yakar), honored (nichbad), and beloved (ahuv). The Malbim explains the distinction between them: Yakar refers to rarity, something that is uncommon, as in "The word of Hashem was rare (yakar) in those days" - which is followed by "there was no frequent vision." Take gold, for example: what makes it so valuable? Its rarity. Imagine that tomorrow gold were as common as stones and aluminum became scarce - every gram of aluminum would sell for thousands, while with gold they would tell you: bring a truck and load it up. Rhinos in Africa are nearing extinction, and why? Simply because they are poached exclusively for their horn, which sells in Russia and elsewhere for one hundred and forty dollars a gram. What is that horn? A piece of bone. But because it is rare, it is considered precious (yakar). Nichbad ("honored"), on the other hand, is due to intrinsic worth; something can be common and yet deeply honored because of its inherent excellence. And ne'ehav ("beloved") refers to something that might neither be rare nor prestigious, but it finds favor in My eyes, and I simply love it.
The prophet says in the name of Hashem: Know why I redeem you and why I gave Egypt as your ransom: "Because you are precious in My eyes" - from the perspective of the root of your soul, which originates from a lofty realm, and from the quarry of your forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov; there are not many like that, it is exceedingly rare. "You have been honored" - on your own account, because you engage in Torah and fulfill mitzvot, which is an intrinsic virtue. "And I have loved you" - even if you were to possess no virtue at all, as it says, "And I loved Yaakov, but Esav I hated"; My will and affection are simply set upon them. And these three correspond to what was said earlier: "And you, Israel, My servant... whom I have chosen, the seed of Avraham My beloved."
Therefore, "and I will give a person in your place" - even for a single individual of Israel, I will place a person, a gentile, in his stead, one for one: if a Jew was destined to be exiled, the gentile will be exiled in his place. But "and nations instead of your soul" - when it comes to your soul, your precious neshamah quarried from beneath the Throne of Glory, in exchange for it I hand over entire nations, numerous peoples.
Verse 5: Why "Do Not Fear" Is Said Twice
אַל־תִּירָא כִּי אִתְּךָ־אָנִי מִמִּזְרָח אָבִיא זַרְעֶךָ וּמִמַּעֲרָב אֲקַבְּצֶךָּ׃ - Fear not, for I am with you; from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you.
The Malbim asks: The prophecy already opened with "Fear not, for I have redeemed you" - why, then, repeat "Fear not" here? In truth, they had two distinct reasons to fear. The first was while still in exile: lest we be lost among the nations and annihilated among them. Regarding this, it was said above, "Fear not," "When you pass through water," and "I gave Egypt as your ransom" - the nations will serve as a ransom for your soul, and you will not perish among the peoples; even though you pass through water and fire you will not be burned - you will dwell among the nations and not be wiped out. This is a promise that the Jewish people will endure forever. The second fear: even granting that we will not perish, what about the redemption? When will we return to our Land? How will the Holy One, blessed be He, gather the outcasts of Israel scattered across the entire globe? To address this comes the second "Fear not": "Fear not, for I am with you; from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you" - I am the One Who exiled you, and I am the One Who will gather and assemble you, as it is written: "He Who scattered Israel will gather him"; the One Who dispersed is the One Who will gather.
In another verse it is written, "And He will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah." Why is the term "assembling" (asifah) used for Israel, while for Judah "gathering" (kibbutz) is used? The Malbim explains, consistent with his approach elsewhere: The Ten Tribes were exiled to eastern lands - not the East that we know today, such as Iraq, Yemen, or Morocco, but the Far East. There they dwell concentrated together in one area, so they do not require gathering from multiple places, but merely assembling (asifah) to bring them here. Regarding them it is said, "From the east I will bring your seed." By contrast, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, to whom we all trace our descent, are dispersed throughout the entire world - in Australia, China, America, Africa, and everywhere else - and so they require an ingathering (kibbutz). Concerning this it says, "And from the west I will gather you."
Yet another detail warrants attention: why, regarding the east, does it say "I will bring your seed," referring to their descendants, whereas regarding the west it says "I will gather you," referring to them themselves? The Malbim explains: The Ten Tribes were exiled in the days of Chizkiyahu, and the original exiles themselves could no longer be brought back, as they had long since passed away; only their offspring could be brought. But the exile of the tribe of Judah occurred much later, so they themselves could be gathered - "I will gather you," you yourself. Thus, everything is beautifully clarified: for the Ten Tribes, it is assembling (asifah) and refers to their descendants, while for the exiles of the west, it is gathering (kibbutz) and refers to them themselves.
Verse 6: I Will Say to the North, Give Up
אֹמַר לַצָּפוֹן תֵּנִי וּלְתֵימָן אַל־תִּכְלָאִי הָבִיאִי בָנַי מֵרָחוֹק וּבְנוֹתַי מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ׃ - I will say to the north, "Give up," and to the south, "Do not hold back; bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth."
Regarding the Jews in the north, who, as explained, are shut in by the mountains surrounding them and unable to leave, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: "I will say to the north, 'Give up.'" And concerning those in the south, who are not physically enclosed but there is concern that the nations will not allow them to leave, it says: "And to the south, 'Do not hold back'" - meaning, I tell the nations: do not detain the people of Israel from leaving. "Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth" - for the time of Redemption has arrived.
Verse 7: All Creation Was Created for This Purpose
כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו יְצַרְתִּיו אַף־עֲשִׂיתִיו׃ - Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yes, I have made him.
Not only will I command the four winds of heaven to bring out those in exile, but know this: "Everyone who is called by My name" - all of Creation, upper and lower realms, everything associated with My Name, "and whom I have created for My glory" - all of Creation that was brought into being so that the glory of Heaven would be revealed through it - I formed and made it all solely in order to bring out "a blind people that has eyes." The entire Creation was made for this purpose.
This is a foundational verse and serves as the source for the four worlds discussed at length by the Kabbalists, also cited in the Zohar. The four worlds are known by the acronym ABY"A, from highest to lowest: Atzilus (Emanation), Beriah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation), and Asiyah (Action). "Called by My name, and for My glory" refers to Atzilus, for in the world of Atzilus there is nothing other than His glory, "evil cannot abide with You" (Tehillim 5:5), and there is nothing alongside Him - this corresponds to the Tetragrammaton, the Four-Letter Name of Havayah, where there is nothing besides Him. And the worlds that cascade downward from there: "I have created him" (beratayu) - the world of Beriah; "I have formed him" (yetzartayu) - the world of Yetzirah, which is the realm of the Throne; "yes, I have made him" (assitayu) - the spiritual world of Asiyah, from which the lower, physical world of Asiyah descends.
The Malbim explains the distinction between bara (created), yatzar (formed), and asah (made). Beriah ("created") means bringing substance and the core entity into existence yesh me'ayin (ex nihilo, something from nothing), as in "In the beginning Elokim created," which the Ramban explains as creating the primordial hyle (matter); modern scientists called this an atom. The Holy One, blessed be He, created the initial matter, and subsequently, day by day, formed yesh miyesh (something from something). Only Bereishis was the creation of raw matter yesh me'ayin, and from that primary primordial matter all compounds were formed, since everything in Creation consists of those same atoms in different combinations. Yetzirah ("formation") means taking and joining components together and fashioning a shape from them. Asiyah ("making") refers to the final finishing and completion of the form.
Thus, the creation yesh me'ayin was "for My glory"; and then I perfected and completed everything for the purpose mentioned in the next verse: "Bring out a blind people that has eyes." The ultimate purpose of Creation is the glory of Hashem, and His glory is revealed through the ingathering of the exiles; it is therefore inevitable that all of reality must assist in this endeavor, as this is the ultimate purpose of all Creation.
Verse 8: A Blind People That Has Eyes
הוֹצִיא עַם־עִוֵּר וְעֵינַיִם יֵשׁ וְחֵרְשִׁים וְאׇזְנַיִם לָמוֹ׃ - Bring out a blind people that has eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
"A blind people" - a nation that seemingly sees reality but shuts its eyes. As we saw earlier, "Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger that I send?" (42:19), where the prophet refers to them as blind and deaf because they are rebuked yet stop up their ears - they are "the deaf that have ears," and they have eyes yet do not see. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: All of Creation was prepared for this reality, in which the Redemption will occur, and His Name, blessed be He, will then become renowned and revealed across all the worlds.
Verse 9: A Challenge to the Nations of the World
כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִם נִקְבְּצוּ יַחְדָּו וְיֵאָסְפוּ לְאֻמִּים מִי בָהֶם יַגִּיד זֹאת וְרִאשֹׁנוֹת יַשְׁמִיעֻנוּ יִתְּנוּ עֵדֵיהֶם וְיִצְדָּקוּ וְיִשְׁמְעוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ אֱמֶת׃ - All the nations are gathered together, and the regimes are assembled; who among them can declare this, and announce to us past things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say: "It is truth."
After prophesying about the ingathering of the exiles, the prophet turns to the nations of his era. The Malbim explains: in his day, the nations were fond of telling fantastical tales - Arabian Nights-style legends - about their deities. Anyone who has read Greek mythology and the mythologies of the ancient world knows how they depict wars among the gods: how one god fought another and took his wife, and how his son rose up against him and murdered him - endless fabrications. In the words of the Malbim: "And their tales were filled with boundless futilities beyond count, as is well known from the tales of Greek mythology, which remain as relics of these foreign fables."
It is to them that he turns: let the nations and regimes gather, "who among them can declare this" - is there anyone among you who can declare what will occur in the future? Here I am proclaiming a prophecy regarding the ingathering of the exiles and the return of Israel to their land; is there anyone among you who ever uttered such a prophecy? With all the tales about idols and deities, did a single one of them ever predict the future? "And announce to us past things" - all they ever recount is about the past: once there was such-and-such a war, and that god subdued this god... But why can they say nothing about the future?
And not only that. "Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified" - when you tell me of a wonder that occurred in the past and expect me to believe you, bring a witness who saw the event, someone who is credible in my eyes and can testify that your words are true. But even regarding the past events they recount, they have no witnesses, and they cannot substantiate their claims. "Or let them hear, and say: 'It is truth'" - or at the very least, let it be a story that conforms to human intellect, so that the listener might say: plausible, reasonable. Yet their tales are so fantastical that the listener immediately says: falsehood, impossible, nonsense and absurdity.
And in the words of the Malbim: their futile tales are products of the Dark Ages, cobwebs woven by pagan priests, recounting ancient days that no living human ever saw and where no witness can attest to having seen the event; and the stories themselves contradict the truth. For the definition of truth is that the account accords with intellect and reality, whereas here anyone who listens will ridicule them. If so, how can you expect us to believe your tales even about the past?
The Malbim also analyzes the specific terms: what is the difference between nikbetzu (gathered) and ye'asefu (assembled)? As we have already explained, kibbutz applies to scattered items brought together, whereas asifah is bringing something from the outside into an interior. "You gathered them into the house" (asaftem habayta) does not mean you gathered them from dispersion, for there was nothing scattered to gather; rather, you brought them inside. Similarly, what is the distinction between goyim (nations) and le'umim (regimes/states)? Le'umim are organized nations that share a common religion, law, justice, and order; they do not need to be gathered, for they are already unified under that shared religion and law, and simple assembly suffices for them - "and the regimes are assembled." But goyim refers to scattered peoples who are not considered an organized commonwealth and do not dwell in an orderly place, and therefore, "All the nations are gathered together" - they require gathering from their dispersion.
The Homily of Chazal: In the Future, the Holy One Brings Forth a Sefer Torah
The Gemara in Masechet Avodah Zarah (2a) expounds upon this verse. Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa expounded, and some say it was Rabbi Simlai: In the future to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings a Sefer Torah, places it in His lap, and says: "Whoever engaged in its study, let him come and take his reward." Immediately, the idolaters gather and arrive in a confused crowd, as it says, "All the nations are gathered together, and the regimes are assembled." The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them: "Do not enter before Me in a confused crowd; rather, let each nation enter along with its scribes," as it says, "and the regimes are assembled," and le'om refers only to an empire or kingdom, as it says, "and one nation shall be stronger than the other" (Bereishit 25:23). That is to say, not in a chaotic mixture, but each kingdom must approach on its own - for there is an individual reckoning with each kingdom.
Immediately, the Roman Empire enters first, because it is of primary prominence. And from where do we know it is prominent? As it says, "and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces" (Daniel 7:23) - this refers to wicked Rome, whose renown spread throughout the entire world. And between a king and the community, a king enters first for judgment; therefore, they enter first. The Holy One, blessed be He, asks them: "For what do you deserve reward?" They say before Him: "Master of the Universe, we established many marketplaces, we built many bathhouses, we amassed much silver and gold, and we did all of this only for Israel so that they could engage in Torah study." The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them: "Fools of the world! Everything you did, you did for your own needs; you established marketplaces to place harlots in them, bathhouses to pamper yourselves, and the silver and gold that you amassed is Mine, as it says, 'Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold, says the Lord of Hosts' (Chaggai 2:8). Is there anyone among you who can declare 'this'?" And this is the question: "Who among them can declare this" - and "this" refers only to the Torah, as it says, "And this is the Torah that Moshe set" (Devarim 4:44). Is there any nation among you that truly engaged in Torah? Immediately, they departed in bitter disappointment.
The Roman Empire exited, and the Persian Empire entered, for it is second in prominence. He says to them: "In what did you engage?" They say before Him: "Master of the Universe, we built many bridges, we conquered many cities, we waged many wars, and we did all of this only for Israel so that they could engage in Torah study." Yet in truth, all those wars were intended to destroy Israel - but they concoct excuses. It is like the Iranians claiming: "Why did we fight Saddam Hussein for eighteen years? Only so the Jewish people could engage in Torah; we occupied Saddam Hussein so they could learn Torah in the Land of Israel." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: "Everything you did, you did for your own needs; bridges - to levy tolls, cities - to impose forced labor, and as for wars, I waged them, as it says, 'The Lord is a Master of war' (Shemot 15:3). Is there anyone among you who can declare 'this'?" And "this" refers only to Torah. Immediately, they departed from before Him in bitter disappointment.
And what is the continuation? "And announce to us past things, let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified" - they come and say: Master of the Universe, give us the mitzvot now, we wish to fulfill them; "let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified" - we will provide testimony and prove that we truly wish to fulfill the Torah. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them: What purpose will it serve? It is already too late. Even so, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not act tyrannically with His creations; He gives them the mitzvah of Sukkah, yet unleashes a scorching sun upon them, whereupon they leave and kick it on their way out. The Gemara asks: But an Israelite who is in discomfort (mitzta'er) is also exempt from the Sukkah and may leave? The Gemara answers: Yes, but an Israelite does not kick it, whereas they kick it. At that moment, the Holy One, blessed be He, laughs, and the Holy One laughs only on that day, as it says, "He who sits in heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall mock them" (Tehillim 2:4). Thus, we find that our verse is also speaking of the Ultimate Future.
The Brisker Rav's Question: Why "Fools" and Not "Liars"?
The Brisker Rav raises a profound question: This refers to the Ultimate Future, a time when it has already become clear that "Hashem, G-d, is truth" and His Torah is truth. How could the nations come to judgment and present such utter nonsense - "Everything we did, we did only for Israel; we established markets for the sake of Israel"? Who would believe such a tale? They do not even believe their own lie, so what purpose is there in presenting it before the Master of the Universe? Furthermore, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, reply to them? "Fools of the world!" Are they mere fools? They are liars! Why, then, are they called "fools of the world"?
Rather, in the Ultimate Future, what we read earlier will indeed become evident: "Everyone who is called by My Name and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made" - that all of creation was created for the sake of Israel. It will become clear that the markets they established, the bridges they built, and all the inventions they devised were truly for the sake of the Torah. Just like the Trans-Siberian Railway that was built back then, which no one understood why it was necessary, on which thousands toiled and many died - and through it the Mir Yeshiva was saved, along with Rabbeinu Yerucham, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, and the entire yeshiva. Everything was created for the sake of Israel.
If so, are the nations arguing falsehood or truth? Truth! They will reach this conclusion on their own, seeing that everything truly was for Israel. Therefore, they say to the Master of the Universe: "Behold, now everything is clear - we built markets for Israel, we repaired bridges for Israel; do we not deserve a reward for this?"
He replies to them: "Fools!" And why fools? "You are not liars, and you are correct regarding the facts; it is now indeed clear that everything was for the sake of Israel. But what was your intention? You intended it for your own needs - to collect tolls, to impose forced labor, taxes, and the like. Now tell Me: a person who performed an action, toiled, and exerted immense effort, and with just a slight shift in intention could have earned an enormous reward, yet without that intention is punished for it instead - what should he be called? A fool! For you already invested the effort anyway; all you lacked was the proper intention." Therefore, they cannot be called liars, for the facts are as they say; but it was sheer foolishness not to intend it for the right purpose. That was their flaw - their intention, that they intended it for themselves. Consequently, at the end of the process, not only will they receive no reward for it, but they will even be liable to punishment, since through many of their actions they further distanced the Jewish people from the Torah and the mitzvos.
In Summary:
The chapter opens with comfort following the rebuke: the very fact that we are the creations and formations of the Holy One, blessed be He - "Who created you, O Yaakov, and Who formed you, O Yisrael" - necessitates redemption. From the aspect of creation (Beriyah), we are guaranteed natural salvation, that we will not remain subjugated beneath the kings of Babylonia and Persia; and from the aspect of formation (Yetzirah), the level of Yisrael, we are guaranteed miraculous salvation transcending nature - "and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you," "neither shall the flame burn you." The Holy One, blessed be He, gives nations as a ransom in our place, because we are precious, honored, and beloved before Him; and He promises to gather our dispersed from the east and the west, from the north and the south. And the ultimate purpose of all creation - "Whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made" - is the revelation of Heaven's glory through the redemption of Israel. Hence the challenge to the nations: none among them can foretell the future, and they possess neither testimony nor plausible reasoning; and in the Ultimate Future, when it becomes clear that everything was created for Israel, it will also become clear that their loss lay not in action, but in intention - and therefore they will be called "fools."