With Hashem's help, today we will begin Sefer Yeshayahu. Before we begin, I want to offer a brief introduction concerning Yeshayahu the prophet. Chazal say that the order of the prophets is Yirmiyahu, Yechezkel, Yeshayahu, and the Trei Asar (the twelve minor prophets). That is to say, naturally, after Sefer Melachim we should have studied Sefer Yirmiyahu, then Yechezkel, and then Yeshayahu. So say Chazal, this is the order of the prophets. But in truth we must know that although the order of the prophets in the writing is this way, in reality Yeshayahu came before Yirmiyahu. Chronologically Yeshayahu preceded Yirmiyahu and also Yechezkel.
Why, then, was he not placed first? Because Sefer Melachim ultimately ends with calamity, with exile. That is how we concluded Sefer Melachim. After that, Yirmiyahu is a book that is entirely calamity. The prophet of wrath over the destruction is Yirmiyahu. Yechezkel, by contrast, is already mixed, containing both calamity and consolation. Yeshayahu is entirely consolations. The meaning is that the calamities within it are few, its essence is consolations. Since this is so, they joined calamity to calamity. Melachim ends with calamity, so they placed next to it Yirmiyahu, which is calamity. Yechezkel is in the middle, its beginning calamity, its end consolation, so the ending, which is the consolation, they joined to Yeshayahu, since Yeshayahu is already entirely consolations. And therefore the order was formed: Yirmiyahu, Yechezkel, Yeshayahu, and the Trei Asar. In reality, as we said, historically Yeshayahu came first.
These books contain prophecies of rebuke and consolation for Am Yisrael. They also contain prophecies of calamity against the nations of the world for all that they did to us. And this is to show us, why were those calamities written, to show what the Holy One, blessed be He, would prophesy about those nations: the burden of Edom, the burden of Bavel, what Hashem would prophesy about those nations and how in the end Hashem exacts punishment from them for what they did to us. Now, the book begins with the vision of Yeshayahu, but we must know that the beginning of Yeshayahu's prophecy was in the year of the death of King Uziyahu. There it is written that when Uziyahu became afflicted with tzaraas, the prophet Yeshayahu was sent to him. Some say, and the Radak himself in his introduction is uncertain, he says there is room to say that he began to prophesy already at the beginning of Uziyahu's reign, only in the year of his death he was sent to him, but in truth his prophecies had begun earlier. And there is room to say that his prophecy truly began in the year of the death of King Uziyahu, then was his first vision. Why do they hold that in the year of the death of King Uziyahu was the first mission? Because there it is written that Hashem says "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us," and it is written that Yeshayahu said "Here I am, send me." So it implies that from here his prophetic mission began. The Radak still is uncertain, for he says it could be "Here I am, send me": here I am, who have prophesied until now, send me to continue the mission and to continue prophesying from here onward. But many of the commentators, among them Rashi, accept that Yeshayahu's mission began from the year of the death of King Uziyahu, then Yeshayahu was sent; from the moment he said "Here I am, send me," here his mission began.
The Radak writes that we find in the books of Sefarad that Yeshayahu appears adjacent to Sefer Melachim. We find Sefer Yirmiyahu arranged after Yeshayahu, even though according to Chazal it really should be Yirmiyahu and afterward Sefer Yeshayahu. Why in truth did they arrange Yeshayahu before Yirmiyahu? The Abarbanel gives several reasons. He means, why in the books of Sefarad did they arrange Yeshayahu and after him Yirmiyahu. The first reason is that Yeshayahu preceded in time, as we said, chronologically he was before him. The second reason the Abarbanel says is that Yeshayahu was of royal lineage. We will see later, Yeshayahu ben Amotz; Amotz and Amatzyah were brothers. Consequently he was of royal lineage. Since he was of royal lineage, therefore they placed him first, he had honor from the fact that he was of the tribe of Yehudah, the royal tribe. The third reason: Yeshayahu had a high level of prophecy. Yeshayahu spoke through vision, through sight and not through a dream. Therefore it is written "the vision of Yeshayahu," vision being the higher level among the ranks of prophecy. Another matter, Yeshayahu contains many consolations, and therefore they placed Yeshayahu first, since they want to have us hear matters of consolation, they placed the consolation to Yisrael first.
The Ramban says, this is how he writes in Sefer HaGeulah, that Sefer Yeshayahu is divided into three parts. First, its beginning until the part of the downfall of Sancheriv, most of the prophecies there are about the enemy Sancheriv and his fall. After the miracle occurred, this is the second part, he begins to prophesy about their redemption from Bavel: "Comfort, comfort My people." There we see he no longer mentions Ephraim but only Yehudah, because in truth Ephraim had already been exiled, they are no longer mentioned there, and those who remain are only Yehudah, and therefore he mentions only them. The third prophecy, says the Ramban, is "I, I am He who comforts you," meaning He comforts you from the third exile, just as I comforted you from the second exile when they were exiled to Bavel; these are already consolations after the subsequent exile. "I, I am He who comforts you," and therefore we do not find there in the third part Bavel but only Edom, which speaks about the exile in which we find ourselves, that we are in truth in the exile of Edom and also Yishmael. Whoever heard the shiurim on Daniel will see that our exile is called both the exile of Edom and the exile of Yishmael, because we are in truth subject to both. We are subject to Edom, in truth we cannot build a balcony here without Uncle Sam giving approval, without those slaves whom we built for, without Don Obama approving it. So this means we are in the exile of Edom and also in the exile of Yishmael, the nations around us, the peoples of Arabia, are the ones who oppress and distress us. So Yeshayahu prophesies also about this era in the third part, "I, I am He who comforts you," about this exile from which we are destined to leave.
How many years did Yeshayahu prophesy? As I mentioned earlier, some say he began to prophesy at the end of King Uziyahu, some say at the beginning. Those who say at the beginning of King Uziyahu's reign, it comes out that he prophesied 113 years. From the beginning of Uziyahu's reign until the end of Chizkiyahu's reign, in truth who killed him? Menasheh, correct? It comes out that it is approximately, yes, that is, the son of Chizkiyahu. It comes out that it is roughly 113 years. But if we explain that it is only from the end of Uziyahu's reign, then when he said "Here I am, send me," it comes out that he prophesied for 61 years. Some say he lived 120 years. Chazal say regarding Sefer Yeshayahu, about this it is said that one who sees Yeshayahu in a dream should anticipate consolation, since Sefer Yeshayahu is mostly consolations. Chazal say Yeshayahu was the greatest of the prophets. Two prophets prophesied in this language, in the language of vision: Yeshayahu and Ovadyah. He was a prophet the son of a prophet. From where do we know that Amotz was a prophet? Every prophet whose name and his father's name are mentioned in Tanach, this means that his father too was a prophet. Therefore when it is written here Yeshayahu ben Amotz, this means that Amotz too was a prophet. Chazal say four prophets prophesied in one period, meaning at the same time, and they are Hoshea, who was their beginning, Yeshayahu, Amos, and Michah. These four prophesied in the same period.
It is written about him that Yeshayahu received the mission with love. When the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." Rabbi Azaryah in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon interpreted the verse, explained the verse regarding Yeshayahu. Yeshayahu said: I was strolling in my house of study, I heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, saying "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us." I sent Michayahu and they struck him on the cheek. I sent Amos and they called him a stammerer, heavy of tongue. From now, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? And he says "Here I am, send me." Yeshayahu says: Master of the Universe, I am ready for Your mission. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: My son Yeshayahu, My children are troublesome, they are obstinate. Do you accept upon yourself to be shamed and struck by My children? If so, you go on My mission. And if not, you do not go on My mission. Are you ready? Do you know into what a sickbed you are placing yourself? Do you have the readiness? He said to Him: on that condition. "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who plucked; my face I did not hide from insult and spitting." And I am not worthy to go on a mission to Your children, that is, it is a great privilege for me, but I feel that I am unworthy. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Yeshayahu, "you have loved righteousness," you have loved to justify My children, "and hated wickedness," for you hated to declare them guilty. You do not speak slanderous words about them, you do not say disparaging words about them. "Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: what is "above your fellows"? By your life, all the prophets received prophecy from prophet to prophet, but you receive from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. So Hashem said to Yeshayahu, "the spirit of Hashem spoke through me." By your life, all the prophets prophesy simple prophecies, and you double consolations: "Awake, awake," "Rouse yourself, rouse yourself," "I will surely rejoice," "I, I am He who comforts you," "Comfort, comfort My people." All his prophecies came in doubled language.
Through what did Yeshayahu merit this? It is written in Tanna DeVei Eliyahu: Once I was sitting in the great study hall in Yerushalayim, and one student came and asked me and said to me, Rabbi, how did Yeshayahu ben Amotz differ from all the prophets, that he would prophesy all the good things and all the consolations to Yisrael, more than all the prophets who prophesied harsh things about Am Yisrael? I said to him, my son, because he accepted upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven with joy more than all the other prophets. As it is said, "And I heard the voice of Hashem saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us, and he says, Here I am, send me." He accepted the yoke of His kingship with joy.
Chazal say three prophesied in the language of "eichah" (how): Moshe, Yeshayahu, and Yirmiyahu. Moshe saw them in their honor and their tranquility, he said "How (eichah) can I alone bear your trouble, your burden, and your strife." Yeshayahu saw them in their recklessness, he said "How (eichah) has she become a harlot." Yirmiyahu saw them in their degradation, after they had already received the punishment for all that they did, he said "How (eichah) does the city sit solitary, that was full of people." Chazal say all the harsh prophecies that Yirmiyahu prophesied about Yisrael, who in truth came after Yeshayahu, Yeshayahu preceded and healed them. Already beforehand he spoke words of healing corresponding to those things they would say. Yirmiyahu said "the enemy has stretched out his hand," Yeshayahu said "Hashem will set His hand again a second time." The enemy stretched out his hand against us; Yeshayahu said Hashem will set His hand again a second time; even though the enemy stretched out his hand, Hashem will set His hand again a second time and He will dwell and return and restore His Shechinah among us. And you find that Yeshayahu prophesied more prophecies than all the prophets, and not only that but he prophesied about all the nations of the world: the burden of Arabia, the burden of Moav, the burden of Dumah.
Yeshayahu's death: the Gemara says Ben Azzai found a genealogical scroll in Yerushalayim, and thus was written in it. Take note, this does not appear in the writings of the prophets, it is only in that hidden scroll that Ben Azzai found. Written in it: Menasheh killed Yeshayahu. Rava said, Menasheh judged him in order to kill him. He asked him questions: behold, Moshe your teacher said thus, you said thus; we will not elaborate on all this, this is a very well known Gemara. And Yeshayahu said, if I answer him a response, I will make him a deliberate sinner. Better that he be an inadvertent sinner and not a deliberate one. He went and uttered a Name and was swallowed into a cedar. They brought the cedar, Menasheh commanded that it be sawed. When it reached the mouth of Yeshayahu, his soul departed, Yeshayahu passed away. Why? Since he had said "and I dwell among a people of impure lips." It comes out then that he did not reach only the days of Chizkiyahu, but continued and lived also in the days of his son. It is written in the Pesikta, when Yeshayahu prophesied that Nevuchadnetzar would destroy the Beis HaMikdash, Menasheh became angry at him and said, seize him. A carob tree opened itself and swallowed him. The carob tree is a tree, so although in the genealogical scroll it is written that it was a cedar, in another place it is written that it was a carob tree. It is written, who wrote Sefer Yeshayahu? Chizkiyahu and his company. Why in truth not Yeshayahu himself? Since he did not manage to write his book, for he died still while in the midst of uttering his prophecies. Since this is so, he did not manage to write his book, and Chizkiyahu and his company are the ones who wrote Sefer Yeshayahu. Chazal say, Yeshayahu came and established them upon six, and afterward returned and established them upon two, meaning the foundations of Judaism. "Thus said Hashem, keep justice and do righteousness."
Yeshayahu, as is known, married his daughter to King Chizkiyahu, here is the long and famous story where death was decreed upon him, he said to him give me your daughter, and in the end through this life was decreed for Chizkiyahu, as we learned these matters in their place. Yeshayahu and Yechezkel, Chazal say, whoever saw Yechezkel saw Yeshayahu. To what is Yechezkel comparable? To a villager who saw the king. For Yechezkel elaborates at length on the entire Maaseh Merkavah. By contrast Yeshayahu is comparable to a city dweller who saw the king. And we have already explained that a villager who sees the king is amazed by every single thing he sees. He had such a garment, he had such a chariot, he had such wheels, there was such a horse. By contrast the city dweller who sees the king is not so amazed, he already knows, he is already familiar, he does not have such great amazement. Therefore Yechezkel, all that he described in wondrous descriptions, "and I saw like the appearance of the chashmal and the appearance of lightning" and he describes Hashem sitting and so on, all this is because his level was lower than that of Yeshayahu, and therefore he is amazed by everything and describes in fine detail. But know, Yeshayahu too saw all those things, only what he did not describe was because from the greatness of the power of his prophecy he was not amazed by all those visions.
Chazal say, at the time Sancheriv marched on Yerushalayim, Yeshayahu and Chizkiyahu were sitting in the study hall, and a fire went out from between the two of them and consumed him and his multitudes. Do you hear? It is not only that the angel of Hashem went out and struck Sancheriv, but from what power did the angel of Hashem come? From the power of the Torah study of Yeshayahu and Chizkiyahu who sat in the study hall and studied Torah. This is how one defeats enemies. When Chizkiyahu fell ill, Yeshayahu seated a yeshiva at his doorway. We will conclude with the burial of Yeshayahu. It is written in Seder HaDoros that Yeshayahu is buried in Kfar Bar'am, and over him is a rotem tree and near him is a spring of living water. And some say that in this place is buried the prophet Ovadyah. May the Holy One, blessed be He, merit us to walk in the way of Yeshayahu, and that all the prophecies of consolation of Yeshayahu be fulfilled in us, and may we merit to understand his words in their fullness, amen and amen.