How has the faithful city become a harlot, she that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. Until now he spoke about Yehuda. From here he begins to speak, to deliver a prophecy to them about Yerushalayim, until verse 27. How has the faithful city become a harlot, she that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her. First let us see what Rashi says. Rashi says, righteousness lodged in her, the morning daily offering would atone for the sins of the night. A person who went to sleep in Yerushalayim slept like a tzaddik. He had the daily offering, the korban tamid, that atoned for the sins of the night. Which one? The morning daily offering. The afternoon daily offering would atone for the sins of the day. So a person would go to sleep, and he would go to sleep like a tzaddik. Righteousness lodged in her. Another matter, righteousness lodged in her, they would postpone in capital cases, because if they did not find a merit for him on the first day, they would not conclude his verdict. There is a halacha, that when they judge a person to death, before they sentence him to death, the law is that they must search for a merit for him. And if they did not find a merit for him, they would not conclude the verdict that same day, they would wait another day. They would let the verdict lodge overnight. Why? Perhaps someone would be found who would judge him to merit, who would say some point of merit about him. It is brought that when they took out that man to be executed, it is brought there that they went and proclaimed that if there was anyone who had some point of merit, let him come and argue merit on his behalf before they took him out to be executed. So the Gemara asks, how could that be? We have a rule that we do not argue merit for one who incites and leads astray, and here you say that man practiced sorcery and incited and led astray. The Gemara says, because of the government. So that the government would not say that they executed him without a trial, they searched for some argument of merit for him. So you see that in the time when they were tzaddikim, they would not judge capital cases immediately, but rather righteousness lodged in her. If they wanted to do true justice, they would not immediately decree a death sentence, but they would say, let us leave it another night, let us wait, perhaps they will find a merit for him. Righteousness lodged in her. And now, in contrast, see what is happening now, murderers. Now they have become murderers. That is, they were murdering one another. It is brought in the Pesikta, Rabbi Menachem the son of Rabbi Hoshaya says, there were 481 synagogues in Yerushalayim, corresponding to the numerical value of "melati" (she that was full). In gematria it equals 481, four hundred and eighty one synagogues. Whoever knows what Yerushalayim was, this is astounding. Yerushalayim is speaking of a square area of something like four kilometers. A very small place, that was Yerushalayim. And there were 481 synagogues there. Perhaps that is a sign that there were Yemenites there. 481 synagogues in such a small place. Corresponding to the numerical value of "melati." And now murderers, he says, see what they have done now, that same place that had so many synagogues, so many tzaddikim, now murderers, they killed Uriah, they killed Zechariah.
The Malbim explains that here the prophet speaks in a poetic manner, like some person who visited Yerushalayim in the past, and now comes to visit again, and he stands amazed, stunned. This is not the city I knew. How it looked then, and how suddenly I see it now. So when I saw it, it was a faithful city, full of justice, righteousness lodged in her. He says this was a place that had the ultimate of righteousness, faith and justice. And now when I return into it, suddenly I see the whole place has turned to evil. I see that now there are murderers. How did this change happen so suddenly? And what actually troubles him? It happens, there is a situation where a person was a tzaddik and afterward became wicked. But the rule is that the yetzer hara does not seduce a person all at once. Rather it always says to him, today do this and tomorrow do that, until it says to him, go worship idols. But here he wonders greatly, how is it possible that the change happened in a single moment? Because he says, righteousness lodged in her. What does righteousness lodged in her mean? It means, only just tonight there was righteousness here. Lodged in her, on the last night there was righteousness here. How can it be that now, so fast, there are murderers? This is something against nature, against logic. If there is deterioration, deterioration is slow. How can it be that here the deterioration happened in such a sudden manner, how did the change happen all at once?
Now he says, how has the faithful city become a harlot? The Malbim explains, a person's perfection depends on two things. One, between man and God, two, between man and his fellow. One without the other is impossible. The tablets are joined together. What does joined together mean? It means that there must be both between man and God, that is the first tablet, and also between man and his fellow, that is the second tablet. It is written that when Moshe Rabbenu ascended on high, the ministering angels came, he came to bring down the tablets, saw the calf, and wanted to break them. The Midrash says, the elders came and grasped from one side, and Moshe from the other side, until his hand prevailed and he pulled them from their hands and broke them there beneath the mountain. So they ask, what was this? What kind of clash of titans? Moshe was stronger, he pulled, they did not... what was actually the dispute here? They say that Moshe Rabbenu said, a people that worships idols, how can I give them the tablets? How can I give them the Torah? The elders came, grasped from the other side. What is written on the other side of the tablets? Between man and his fellow. They say to him, you are right, "I am," "you shall have no," all the things on the side of this tablet, they must be broken. But they are tablets, tablets means two. Two means, leave one for us. Honor your father and your mother, matters between man and his fellow, do not murder, do not commit adultery, these are things a person is warned about toward his fellow. Do not covet, yes, these can still be given to this people. Moshe Rabbenu prevailed and took them. How did Moshe Rabbenu prevail? It means, Moshe Rabbenu said to them, pay attention, it is written "luchot" (tablets). "Luchot" is spelled without a vav. What does it always mean when something is spelled without a vav? It means singular, alone. These tablets, though it seems to you like two, but know that they are one upon them. You cannot give this without that. It does not work. It must come together. And if I give them between man and his fellow without between man and God, then that is the Maskilim in Europe. That was their way, we will care for between man and his fellow, and what became of them was assimilation and the Holocaust, may God have mercy. Impossible, it does not go without the other, and also the reverse is not so. There cannot be between man and God, they will tell you he is perfect, listen, he really hurts people, he insults, he behaves badly with people, but I tell you what prayer he has, what a tzaddik, what a... there is no such thing, not a tzaddik and not nonsense. There cannot be a tzaddik in between man and God if he is not decent in between man and his fellow. So he comes and says, note that in the perfection of between man and God she was a faithful city. Faithful means faithful to her God. She had faith. How can it be that while she is called a faithful city, in a moment she betrays Hashem Yitbarach? And in between man and his fellow, he says, she that was full of justice, they would do justice. Between man and his fellow there was no concept of theft, no concept of murder, there were no such things. How is it possible that at that same moment she was full of justice, and now there are murderers? Suddenly the people now became murderers, and this is "now," that is, it turned over so fast.
The Malbim says, what does "merachtzim" (murderers) mean? The Malbim explains that the wording of the verse "merachtzim," this is called the heavy conjugation. "Rotzeach" (murderer) is in the light conjugation. In grammar, there is the heavy conjugation and the light conjugation. "Rotzeach," you bring it out of your mouth easily. In contrast "meratzeach," this is a verb much harder to pronounce. So why does he use the wording "meratzeach"? The Malbim says, "meratzeach" is a company and association of murderers, among whom there are those who give orders and those who receive orders. What is called a mafia. In contrast, yes, there are executors and there are those giving orders. In contrast "rotzeach," he says, is expressed in a lone individual. They say he is a murderer. But "meratzeach" is usually either the head of the mafia or one of the mafia. They are called "merachtzim," because they are already an organization of murderers.
I saw a beautiful explanation that explains what "she that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers" means, so it is brought in the book Misgeret HaShaar. He explains it by way of wit. He says, if it happens that they need to do some mitzvah, some act of charity, then he says, listen, wait, wait, no need to hurry. Let us check whether he deserves it, whether it is really fitting now to give, whether this is the right time, whether there is really a surplus in the fund. He does not hurry. But when it comes to an act of wickedness and injustice, he does not say, let us deliberate over the matter, is it fitting to do this evil, rather this he does immediately. And this is what he says, righteousness lodged in her. When it comes to matters of righteousness, it lodges in her. There is nothing to hurry about, let us wait, let us sleep on it a night. But murderers, and now, and now. To execute is "and now," he does not wait, he does not delay, and now murderers.
Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. The prophet now answers a response to the one who wonders. How can it be in a single moment, only just at night they were tzaddikim, and in the morning they became wicked? He says to him, no, no, no, sir, you are mistaken, this was not in a single moment and it was not in a single second. He says to him, know that the deviation was slow, day after day, until now you see the results. Know that at the beginning there were things more hidden and you did not see them, and they caused what you see now. For behold he says to him, already from ancient days your silver has become dross. When a person would give his fellow a coin, so it was a coin, or he would sell him silver, he would actually be selling him silver mixed with dross. He would deceive him. He would tell him 24 karat gold, and there was maybe not even 14 karat. And even before that he says to him, people would sell drink, "sovacha," this is from the expression of a glutton and drunkard, the wine a person would guzzle, they would sell it mixed with water. That is, do you think that they suddenly went to evil? He says to him, no, know that this has deep roots, the corruption began already from ancient years. And the Malbim says, you must explain as I explained. Because if you do not explain as I explained, that the prophet here is actually responding and describing that the corruption was from long ago, then the order here is very puzzling. We have said once that the way of a poetic expression always goes from the light to the heavy. We would never say he murdered people and he also did not pay the grocery store on time. We would always say, he owed people money, he also did not pay on time, and he even reached the point where he even murdered. Right? That is always the manner of speech. How can it be that he speaks of "now murderers," and after that he speaks to you about small change? What is "your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with wine," compared to murder? With water, yes. He says, what is this compared to murder? Therefore he comes and says that there is here like a question and answer. He wonders, how can it be? Righteousness lodged in her and now murderers so fast? The answer, know that from then, already from before, the sin began among them. Hidden, not recognized, the deterioration was slow, until they reached the state of "and now murderers."
Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves, everyone loves bribes and pursues payments, they do not judge the orphan, and the cause of the widow does not come to them. Whoever sees this verse thinks it is a newspaper headline. Truly familiar to us from our own time. And it is written that every prophecy that was needed for the generations was written down, what was not needed for the generations was not written down. Yeshayahu is speaking about our generation. Your princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, everyone loves bribes, pursues payments. Rashi says, pursues payments, meaning repayments. He brings here the Targum. "Amrin gevar lechavreh," I will translate it. It says, a man says to his fellow, do me a favor in my case and I will pay you in your case. The meaning, a judge who was a robber, and the robbed one cries out against him before another judge. He comes before judge B and says to him, judge A robbed me, plundered me. What does that judge do? He goes to his friend, the judge who is supposed to judge him, and says to him, vindicate me today, acquit me, and I will repay you in kind when they cry out against you before me. Tomorrow they will surely come to complain also against you, I know how much of a tzaddik you are. So tomorrow they will complain against you before me, I will already arrange it, I will arrange matters, I will acquit you. Like that poor fellow who threw a shoe at Beinisch, right? He got three years. Some journalist sat down to make a list of which crimes were not given three years. Crimes of murder and robbery and rape and all the most serious things, he tells you this one got two years, this one got half a year, he got that, and that one dared to throw a shoe, threw at him three years, you will sit in prison. This is what is called, arrange it for me, I will take care of you, next time if someone does something to me, I already rely on you, eh? Everything will be fine. Everything stays in the family. And this is what is written, pursues payments. Payments means like repaying him in kind. Today you acquit me, tomorrow I will acquit you.
And the cause of the widow does not come to them. The widow would come to cry out, and the orphan would leave the courthouse. She asks him, tell me, what did your crying out before the judge accomplish? Did it help you that you cried out about the injustice, about the robbery they did to you? And he says, all this day I labored at the work and in the end it did not help me. However much I cried out, however much I spoke, it did not help me. And she turns back and says, if this one who is a man did not accomplish anything, then I who am a woman and to whom they are less inclined to listen, all the more so? And this is what is written, see how it is precise in the verse. They do not judge the orphan. The orphan comes and cries out, they do not judge his case. What did I get from you? And the cause of the widow does not come to them, because the widow already turns around at the gate and goes home. She does not even come to them, because she understands that there is no point at all in speaking. She understands, as someone once said, in the Supreme Court, justice (tzedek) is just the name of a star. Are you looking for justice there? That is not what you will find there.
The Malbim says, the primary cause of the breaches of the people, these were the princes, these were the deputies, these were the heads of the people. They turned from the way, they joined with thieves, and there was an agreement between them that the thieves would give them a share of the stolen goods and you would look away. Such was the agreement between the princes and deputies and the thieves. But he says, this did not include all the princes. Not all the princes were so corrupt. Not all of them were companions of thieves. And this is what he says, your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves, but not all of them. On the other hand, everyone loves bribes. Bribery, in this they were all equal. If someone came to pay in order to be acquitted in his case, in this none of them refused a bribe. To make organized agreements with thieves, that was not all of them. But if you came to pay in order to receive a just verdict, in this all the princes were equal. None of them was clean of it. Because they loved bribes, they were pursuers of payments. See what an original explanation the Malbim gives. What does pursuers of payments mean? Payments, says the Malbim, is not from the expression of repayments as we pronounce it today, but rather it is from the expression of peace (shalom). The Malbim says, when he wants to receive a bribe, so if I received a bribe only from you, my heart is still, well... no, I do not feel good with myself. Why? Because you sinned too, do not fail to pay me a bribe. So what would he do? He would take a bribe also from that one, and from that one do not withhold your hand. From this one 1000 dollars and from that one 1000 dollars. Why not? A shame, surely, that one too wants to give a bribe, he knows how things work here. Fine, you took from both, now what do you do? I have no choice, I cannot make a just judgment, because if I make a just judgment, one will come and tell me at the end of the day, sir, I did not receive value, I gave a bribe and did not... I have no choice, I make peace. I make a compromise. Each of them leaves feeling that he is okay, I made a compromise in order to grant him a bit. And therefore, since everyone loves bribes, consequently he was a pursuer of payments. This was the reason he pursues peace. To make peace, each of them would feel that in the end he received something, he came out with half his desire fulfilled, there is value for the fee, I paid, I profited. But the orphan was not a party to peace at all, he does not know the schemes, he did not know, and therefore the orphan does not give a bribe, so consequently they do not judge the orphan. Neither to judge nor to make a compromise, since why is this worthwhile to me? What did I get for it? And the cause of the widow does not come to them. The cause of the widow, what is the difference? The Malbim says, the judgment of the orphan is in the hands of the court. The court is called the father of orphans. And we said that the judgment of the orphan is clear-cut, it means, we have clear halachot regarding the orphan. And even so they did not judge him. So the cause of the widow, which as we have said many times depends on agreements and depends on what was in the ketubah and whether he entrusted her with a bundle, and there are many more conditions in this, here the cause of the widow requires, her case is not clear-cut, it requires what is called examining and checking and asking all the right questions, so this does not come to them at all, because it requires much study, this they would not deal with at all.
The Malbim says, after the divine admonisher came to heal the breach of the daughter of his people, he arranged matters like an expert doctor seeking a cure for a fatal illness. And what is the way an expert doctor seeks a cure? For after he investigates to know the nature of the illness and its matter. First, let us characterize the illness, what does this patient have. He seeks out the proximate cause that brought about the illness. He will search for the immediate cause that caused the illness. For example, first he characterizes it, he has pneumonia. He seeks out the immediate cause, they tell him yesterday he worked in the rain outside, he had to fix something, he got pneumonia because of that. And after that he seeks out the primary cause. What, for example, is the primary cause? He has already for a long time a failure in his entire immune system, because he does not eat such and such, he is missing such and such vitamins, this is the primary cause because of which he even reached such a state. So too here. After he set out the nature of the illness, which is what is called today a diagnosis. The reality is, how has the faithful city become a harlot, now murderers, a terrible and dreadful state. He comes and clarifies, what is the proximate cause of this? He says, your silver has become dross. After that he says, wait, and what is the root of it all? The root of it all is that your princes are rebellious. Since the princes are the ones who are rebellious, consequently this caused it to cast itself upon the entire reality of the whole people. So like the faithful doctor, when he sees the illness, after he has a diagnosis and knows what the proximate cause is and what the primary cause is, then at first he begins to treat the proximate cause, and after that he moves to treat the primary cause, in order to uproot the illness from its root.
And he strives to remove the illness itself. After that, he cleans up the proximate cause, so that it will not return. After that, he goes to the primary cause and strives to cure it too, so that he does not reach the same problem again. So too, now he will begin to detail for us how Hashem will heal the illness itself. That is in the next verse, in verse 24.
But before that, I saw a wonderful explanation. It is written that when the princes do not walk in a decent way, consequently the people also follow after them like a flock. So when the prophet comes to rebuke the people, why do you behave improperly? What do they say to him? Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves, everyone loves bribes, pursues payments, does not judge the orphan. Look at what leaders we have. With such leaders, what do you want from us? In effect they come to clear themselves by what? By dumping the file on the leaders. So we are supposedly fine. So what are you saying, woe, sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, corrupting children? It is all the fault of the leaders. When the leaders are not right, then we are like this.
To this the prophet says to them, from the sole of the foot to the head there is no soundness in it, wound and bruise and fresh injury. Do not hang everything on the leaders, because when I look I see from the sole of the foot to the head. I see from the feet all the way up. It does not begin from the top, it is not the fish rotting from the head, but it is from the top down to the bottom, along the entire ranks of the people. I see the same deterioration and it is impossible to hang it specifically on the upper spiritual part, who are the leaders of the people, the judges, the princes. It is impossible to hang it only on them, because from the sole of the foot to the head there is no soundness in it.
Since we have already mentioned from the sole of the foot to the head, we are after Rosh Hashanah. So one of the great ones of Israel said, he says that a person arrives at Rosh Hashanah, does teshuva. And afterward, unfortunately, he returns to his old ways. So the prophet comes and rebukes them, he says from the sole of the foot to the head there is no soundness in it. From the sole of the foot, who is after Sukkot, that is the sole of the foot, that is the end of the regel (the festival). Sole of the foot, from after Sukkot, and up to the head, up to Rosh Hashanah, there is no soundness in him. He is entirely, may God have mercy, full of iniquities and transgressions, wound and bruise and fresh injury. They tell us, no, be careful, do not be from the sole of the foot to the head with no soundness in it, but rather after the festival ends, gather strength for Torah, come to the study hall, strengthen yourself in the toil of Torah, so that from the sole of the foot to the head he will be entirely in holiness and purity.
Let us advance. So now the prophet comes and begins to heal the illness itself. Verse 24: Therefore says the Lord, Hashem of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, woe, I will be consoled of My foes and I will take vengeance on My enemies. Therefore says the Lord, why does he use here the expression "Adon" (Lord)? To tell you, they are all His servants, and consequently a servant who rebels against his master is deserving of punishment. Hashem of hosts, all the hosts above and below are in His hand, they are His. So it is in His power to punish. Because sometimes there is a king who does not have the power to punish. He has no army, no soldiers to punish. But here, not only is He the Lord, but He is Hashem of hosts. Hosts, He has the power to punish, He has hosts in His hand to punish. Woe, I will be consoled of My foes, Hashem says to them, I will be consoled of the foes to Me, My foes, and I will take vengeance on My enemies.
What is the difference between being consoled and taking vengeance? What is the difference between foes and enemies? The Malbim says, foes are those who actually cause distress. Enemies are the haters, those who act out of hatred. Here the Malbim says, when we speak of foes, we speak of sins between man and his fellow. Between man and his fellow, a person causing distress to his fellow. You cannot call him an enemy of Hashem. He did not come to fight against Hashem when he robbed his fellow. He does it because he wanted the money, but he is not fighting against Hashem. You cannot call him an enemy of Hashem. So he is in the category of My foe, he does not do it to provoke. But he is in the category of a foe. Woe, Hashem, I will be consoled of My foes. Hashem says, if there were only foes, so to speak I would be consoled of them. The meaning, I would not desire to take vengeance on them, since they are not enemies to Me. But I will take vengeance on My enemies. The enemies to Me, these are the deniers of Hashem, those who deny the providence of the Holy One blessed be He, those who do not believe in Hashem, the Holy One blessed be He says, on them I will take vengeance. That is, of them one cannot say I will be consoled. To be consoled is when someone caused me distress, I was consoled over it, I received comfort, alright, I got over it. But when someone did not cause me distress but rather denies Me, Hashem says, here there is no room to be consoled, but rather on them I will take vengeance, because this is so to speak with initial intent and premeditated intent to deny Hashem.
So how does the doctor here actually remove the illness? The city, we said, the city had become a harlot. The Holy One blessed be He says, by removing the harlots from before Me, by removing the deniers, I will take vengeance on the enemies, first I removed the illness. It is like some tumor, may God have mercy, that is found in the body, and this tumor must be removed. The Holy One blessed be He says, these enemies and deniers, the first thing is, them I will remove. And the murderers, that is between man and his fellow. Hashem says, I will be consoled of My foes. After he removes the cause, which is the illness itself, now let us approach the proximate cause.
What causes this, we said? Your silver has become dross. Hashem says, and I will turn My hand against you, and I will refine your dross as with lye, and I will remove all your tin. And I will turn My hand against you, the meaning is I will place My hand, Rashi says, blow after blow until the transgressors are consumed. I will refine your dross as with lye. "Bor," here it is from the expression "borit" (lye, soap). What does Rashi say? Soap, savon, in the vernacular. This is the soap we have today, Rashi already mentions it. Savon in the vernacular, that is not in Hebrew. In Hebrew it is called "borit." It is from the expression "bar levav" (pure of heart). "Bar levav" means clean of heart, so "borit" is an expression of cleanliness.
So at first Hashem says, I will refine your dross as with lye. At first I will refine the silver in the crucible. When one refines silver in a crucible, what separates from it? The dross, the waste, the tin that is mixed with it. After this will be separate and that will be separate, the silver by itself, the tin by itself, and I will remove all your tin. So I will be able to eradicate the tin, so that it will not exist at all in the world. The meaning, what causes the cheats and the metal counterfeiters to introduce tin into the silver? The fact that there is tin in the world. If there were no tin in the world, what would he mix with the silver? The silver would remain in its purity. So therefore Hashem says, I need two actions. The first action is to separate the tin from the silver, the second action is to destroy the tin, to eliminate the tin so that it will not exist in the world. So too he says here, the wicked are mixed with the tzaddikim like dross mixed in silver. The first thing is, I will separate them. After I separate the wicked mixed within the people of Israel, they will be recognized on their own, then I will cut them off and nullify them from the world.
After he removes the secondary cause, which is what is called the mixture that is within the people of Israel, now he moves to treat the primary cause, who are the wicked judges, who are the heads and the peaks because of whom is the entire illness of this whole body called the people of Israel. And I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning, afterward you will be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. I will restore your judges as at first and your counselors as at the beginning. Here the Malbim has a very wonderful explanation. Why "as at first" and "as at the beginning"? What is the difference between them? And why regarding your judges did he say "as at first," and regarding your counselors "as at the beginning"?
The Malbim says, your judges is a person who judges in matters between man and his fellow. Your counselors is usually one who counsels in spiritual matters. Although a counselor is relevant also in physical matters, but if he speaks of a judge versus a counselor, then a judge deals with physical matters, earthly matters, a dispute you have against your fellow, that is a judge. What is a counselor? A counselor is a person who directs from a spiritual standpoint. So it comes out that if so, your judges speaks of the physical matters, your counselors these are the spiritual counselors.
What is the difference between "as at first" and "as at the beginning"? The Malbim says a foundational principle. "At first" (barishona) is always something that had a second to it. Something that has a second, so I say to you this is first and this after it is second. But "as at the beginning" (batechila) is something that was as it was at the beginning and did not change. It has no other reality. "First" has a reality, that is, listen, there was a second, now it will return to be as the first. But if I say "as at the beginning," that means what was at the beginning will return, and after it there was nothing else. Because if there was something else after it, then I would call it "barishona," something where there was something else, that was a second, and I say I will return to "the first." Understood? So I repeat. "At first" is something after which there was a change, I tell you it will return like the first. "At the beginning" is I return to what was at the beginning, but after it there was no change.
An example, the Malbim says, it is written for example regarding Yeravam, and his hand returned and became as at first. What happened to Yeravam's hand? His hand withered. He said seize him, the hand dried up. So at first what was it? Healthy. Second, what happened to it? It withered. Right? His hand withered. He said seize him, his hand withered. After that he prayed for him, it returned as at first. Because there was a change, there was a second, it returned to be as at first. In contrast, the cows that came up from the river. There it is written that he sees the cows coming up from the river, and they swallow, the thin cows swallow the fat cows, and behold, what is their state? And behold he sees them, their appearance is bad as at the beginning. Why at the beginning? Because there was no second state. They were not thin, then fat, and after that returned to being thin. They were always thin, right? So their appearance is bad, what is the correct expression? As at the beginning. Because it remained the same, as at the beginning. Yes, for example regarding Avraham, that Avraham pitched his tent, at the place where his tent had been at the beginning. Because he had no other place. So where he was at the beginning, he returned and pitched his tent there. But the altar, it is written that Avraham made an altar, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. Because the altar he built twice. And therefore it tells you, there was a second and after that there was a first. So "first" is always something after which there is a second, whereas "beginning" means as it was and did not change.
Now, pay attention. A judge, when I say judge, there is a situation of a judge who judges with integrity and there is a judge who judges with corruption. He is not called a judge, well he is also called a judge, only he is a wicked judge. He is a judge who does not judge with justice, but he too is called a judge. But when I speak of a counselor, a counselor, the Malbim says, is always a counselor for good. There is no such thing as a counselor for evil. There is no such concept, he is not a counselor. The title counselor is for good. In contrast a judge who judges badly, I cannot say he is not a judge. He has the position of judge, he is a judge. A counselor is only one who gives good counsel. Counselor is not relevant to say about one who gives bad counsel. And therefore now see how wonderful. Judges, they had righteous judges. Afterward what became of them? Wicked judges. Counselors, they had righteous counselors. Afterward what? No counselors. They had at the beginning righteous judges. Afterward what? No counselors, because there is no such thing as a counselor for evil, a counselor for evil is not relevant. So the counselors ceased. So now he says this: And I will restore your judges as at first. Because there were second, wicked judges, I will restore them as the first, who were righteous. But your counselors, there were no second, wicked counselors, because a wicked counselor, the name counselor does not apply to him. So your counselors as at the beginning. There were only good counselors, after that there were no counselors. Because to the wicked the title counselor is not applicable. So regarding the counselors I will restore them as at the beginning, as it was at the beginning, that they were good, because there were no bad counselors after them, the name counselors does not apply to them. And therefore he said and your counselors as at the beginning. That they, the counselors, will be as at the beginning, meaning that they will be counselors as it was from the start, that there were no wicked counselors after them.
Afterward he says, afterward you will be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. One, what is the redundancy of city of righteousness, faithful city? Second, theoretically he could have said you will be called the faithful city, the city of righteousness. Could he have swapped them too? If we are learning with the Malbim, then we know that no, because everything is written with precision. So let us see what the Malbim analyzes here. What is the difference between "ir" (city) and "kirya" (walled city)? What is the difference between the concept of "ir" and "kirya"? The Malbim says, the "kirya" is surrounded by a wall, it has walls, therefore it is called a "kirya." In contrast "ir," this is a city without walls, this is a city, cities of open country, cities that sit without a wall.
Now, righteousness is in matters between man and his fellow. And in contrast, when it comes to faithfulness, faithful, this is faithfulness to Hashem, this is between man and God. When it comes to matters between man and his fellow, the righteousness needs to be seen. Therefore it is written, if a person transgressed against his fellow, let him even stand in the synagogue before everyone and say, I transgressed against so and so, and ask him for forgiveness, and he should not say, fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, a person should cover his sins. No, in between man and his fellow do not cover your sins. In contrast, faith between you and Hashem, these are matters given to the conscience of the heart. A person does not need to display them outwardly. This is between him and his Maker. And therefore he comes and says this: afterward, when they will already be tzaddikim, you will be called the city of righteousness. Righteousness, we said, is between man and his fellow. Is this in public or in private? In public. This is like "ir." A city is made without walls, open and exposed. Cities of open country. But in contrast, the faithful "kirya." Faithful speaks of faith between you and Hashem. This is something internal, something in the conscience. This is already called "kirya." "Kirya" we explained is from the expression of roofing, it is from the expression of a wall, it is from the expression of closed. It has walls. This is a matter that needs to be in things that are more internal. This will be from the aspect of a "kirya," that has faithfulness to Hashem Yitbarach.
Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her returnees with righteousness. The Malbim says, when tzedaka (righteousness/charity) and mishpat (justice) come together in a verse, then tzedaka is between man and God, mishpat is between man and his fellow. Tzedaka ordinarily can be also in between man and his fellow, also in between man and God. But when the expression tzedaka and mishpat appears together, then the Malbim says mishpat is always between man and his fellow. For "let us draw near and be judged together, he takes him to the judge who will be in those days," that is mishpat. And in contrast tzedaka is one who is righteous between himself and Hashem. As it is written, "he did the righteousness of Hashem," what is the continuation? "and His judgments with Israel." You see, the righteousness of Hashem, between me and Hashem, that is called tzaddik, tzedaka. In contrast mishpat, "and His judgments with Israel," that is between you and your fellow.
So now, after he finished the prophecy, which he begins from the beginning of the book, from the beginning of the chapter, and he comes and tells us, behold there are sins of Yehuda, there are sins of Yerushalayim. The Malbim says, note that most of the rebuke from the beginning of the chapter until verse 21, this is a prophecy specific to the tribe of Yehuda, and it is a prophecy that rebukes mainly for sins between man and God. The offerings, the teshuva, the prayer, that pertains to the tribe of Yehuda. The tribe of Yehuda speaks not only of those who dwell in Yerushalayim, but of the whole inheritance of Yehuda. But most of the rebuke that he rebukes from the verse "how has the faithful city become a harlot" until here, this is a rebuke that pertains to whom? To the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, the city of Yerushalayim in particular, these are sins between man and his fellow. Counterfeiting, fraud, lack of righteousness and justice. And the explanation for this is also natural and understandable, since within the city was the commerce, within the city was the... all the matters connected to between man and his fellow were more prevalent within the city. Justice was within the city, they would go to the judge who sat in Yerushalayim. So therefore the matters of between man and his fellow within Yerushalayim were more corrupted in this. So that is the main rebuke of the inhabitants of Yerushalayim itself, matters between man and his fellow. In contrast, the inhabitants of Yehuda in general, their deficiency was more in matters between man and God. They lived in a more scattered manner, they were not really one inside the other, that they would have more prevalent sins of between man and his fellow. And this is very common, that when people live in a commune, people live in a place that is more closed, they rub against each other more. In contrast, people who live in a scattered manner, there is less friction between one and the other, so the dispute in between man and his fellow is less common. So Yehuda as a whole had a deficiency of between man and God. Yerushalayim had more of a deficiency of between man and his fellow.
Now he comes and says, know that each one will be repaired in the same domain in which he was deficient. Zion, that is the royal city, that is Yerushalayim. We said, in what did Zion go astray? Yerushalayim went astray in between man and his fellow. Zion will be redeemed with justice. When will she have redemption? When she returns to do justice. When the righteousness in between man and his fellow will be perfect in her. But her returnees, that is the tribe of Yehuda, the tribe of Yehuda who will return from exile back to where? To the lands of their dwellings, that is to the inheritance of Yehuda. Her returnees with righteousness. Righteousness we explained, when tzedaka appears with mishpat, it is between man and God. They, when will they return? When there will be among them tzedaka of between man and God. When they return to do the will of Hashem.
I saw an explanation more by way of wit. Zion will be redeemed with justice and her returnees with righteousness. The Gemara says that if a man's wife is taken captive, he is obligated to redeem her. This is one of the conditions of the ketubah. Among the conditions of the ketubah, if she was taken captive, he is obligated to redeem her. It is written in the Gemara, all this is specifically the first time. But if she was taken captive a second time, he is not obligated to redeem her, but only from a matter of kindness. But really according to the halacha, there is no obligation to redeem her. And this is what he says, Zion will be redeemed with justice. For according to the law he is obligated to redeem her, since the first time she is taken captive, there is an obligation to redeem her. But her returnees, if again she is taken captive once more, her returnees with righteousness. Here if he redeems her it is only charity, if Hashem redeems her. The first time, so to speak, Hashem is obligated to us, there is a ketubah between us and Hashem. But her returnees, you were exiled a second time, Hashem says, it is only charity that I will do if I redeem you, because really from the essence of the law I am not obligated, this is only in the category of kindness and charity.
Verse 28: And the shattering of transgressors and sinners together, and those who forsake Hashem will be consumed. This verse, the Malbim says, is a continuation of what we said earlier. Zion will be redeemed with justice, and the shattering of transgressors together. The redemption of Zion and those who return to Zion, and the shattering, the crisis will befall the transgressors and the sinners, meaning that Hashem will eradicate them, punish them, it will all be together. At the time that these return, at that same time Hashem will exact from the transgressors and the sinners. And this is what is written, and the shattering of transgressors and sinners together, along with Zion that will be redeemed with justice. At that same time will be the shattering of the transgressors and the sinners and they will be consumed from the world.
Now he begins to explain to us how the transgressors will be shattered. What is the difference between transgressors and sinners and iniquity? The Malbim says a foundational principle that he explains in several places. A person who does an "avon" (iniquity), "avon" means a person who denies. It is a distortion of the intellect. "Avon" is a distortion of the intellect. A person who denies a mitzvah or denies the commandment, says there is no Creator of the world, or Hashem did not command to do this. This is called "avon," it is from the expression of distortion (ivut), there is already something distorted in his intellect, denial. A transgressor (poshea) and a sinner (chotei), both believe in Hashem. Both believe that there is a mitzvah and there are mitzvot, but both do not do the will of Hashem. What is the difference between a transgressor and a sinner? The transgressor rebels against his master, casts off the yoke. There is a Creator of the world, there are mitzvot, I do not feel like it. I do not want to. This is called a transgressor. In contrast the sinner, he does not act out of rebellion. He too says there is a Creator of the world, there are mitzvot, but what can I do, this urge is stronger than me? Not that it is really stronger than him, but that is how he excuses himself. But at any rate, I do not deny Hashem, I do not say Hashem did not command, I do not say I do not accept, but it is hard for me, it is hard for me. That is in the category of a sinner.
Therefore he says, the shattering of transgressors and sinners together. The shattering of the sinners together with the transgressors, even though these did more evil than those, because a transgressor sinned more than the sinner, with all this he tells you, their shattering will be together. The trouble that will come upon them will come together, and he will not be able to slip away and say, but I did not deny Hashem, only out of difficulty. In the end the shattering will be as one.
Verse 29: For they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired, and you will be disgraced by the gardens that you chose. Those who forsook Hashem will be shamed by the gods that you desired to worship them. "Elim" is from the expression "el," idols. The Malbim says, there were then two sects. There were those who would worship the idols out of desire. What is the difference between desiring something and choosing something? I desire something because I want it. Desire is craving. I choose something because according to the intellect I say this is fitting and not that. Desire is because the heart craves. But in contrast to choose, that is the intellect, it decides and chose this over that.
Now, they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired. The Malbim says, there were those who were idol worshipers out of desire. The imagination misled him to think that there is something exalted here, there is some divinity here, he desires this idolatry. But there are those who chose this from an intellectual standpoint. He tells you, sir, this idolatry provides benefit, it bestows abundance, here I can show you. This is already intellect, he already follows his intellect, so to speak with data, he has proofs. This is a person who denies Hashem out of intellect. And this is what he says, for they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired, and you will be disgraced by the gardens that you chose. What is the gardens that you chose? They would place the idols in gardens. Since the idol has power, and he will prove it to you, how it has power to draw down heavenly influences, that it will bring down rain on my field. So therefore, from the gardens that you chose, you chose the idols and placed them in gardens.
Now, what is worse? Shame (busha) or disgrace (chafer)? The Malbim says, to be disgraced is worse than to be shamed. And therefore he says, they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired. They will have shame, behold the god you desired, that you craved, did it give you benefit? It did not help you at all. You will have shame from this. But you will be disgraced by the gardens that you chose. Those who went to choose idols out of an intellectual choice and placed them in their gardens so that they would bestow influence upon them, they will already have a much greater shame, so it will be disgrace. From the expression... it is written "and the moon will be shamed and disgraced... and the sun will be disgraced," yes. So disgrace is worse than shame. The Malbim says, what is the difference between shame (busha), humiliation (kelima), reproach (cherpa) and disgrace (chafer)? These are four expressions between which there is a difference. The Malbim says, busha is essentially being ashamed. I was ashamed. This is called busha. Kelima and cherpa, that is someone shamed me. Someone humiliated me, someone reproached me. Chafer, the Malbim says, and cherpa is worse than kelima. It can be that I humiliate you over nothing. You did nothing and I simply humiliated you. But there is no such thing that I reproach or from the expression chafer over nothing. It is always because of a justified reason. It is worse. And therefore he comes and tells you here, those who go to believe in idolatry out of ideology, they will have reproach, that is chafer, it is much worse than shame.
Now he will explain how. For you will be like a terebinth whose leaf withers, and like a garden that has no water. The Malbim says, now see how wonderful, how the punishment is measure for measure. The punishment essentially resembles the sin, both in its quality and in its quantity. Those who desired, we said, the gods that you desired, thought that there was power in it of itself, they will be like those, when its leaves wither. These, that is a tree, when its leaves wither, the moisture that the tree has is cut off, the leaves began to wither. Tell me, is the tree no longer connected to the ground? Does it have no roots? It has roots, but they no longer draw sustenance. In contrast, a garden that has no water. Those who went to place the idols in gardens, because what did they think? That they would receive abundance and there would be abundance upon their gardens, dew and rain from the power of the idolatry, they will be like a garden without water. A garden that has no water, vegetables without water, what happens to them? Completely dead. It is not like a tree, a tree can, years after it dried up, still be standing. But in contrast a garden without water, it is over, it rotted, became nothing and void.
And then he comes and tells you, see, behold they will have a greater punishment. Because those who acted only out of desire, they will still exist, they will have a root. But those who did it out of ideology, about them he says they will have, one, you will be disgraced, which is a greater shame. Second, he tells you, there will be such a state where they will be cut off entirely. It will be like a garden without water, that has no existence at all. Now he comes and explains, those who desired the idolatry because they thought there is power in it, they will be lacking their own power, like those in the tree in autumn foliage, they lack their own power. But they still have hope, if strong, abundant rain falls on you, it could be that the roots will again give their fruit and the tree will once more return to grow. But those who chose the gardens because they thought that the abundance comes from idolatry, and did not believe at all in the higher spiritual abundance, they will not be worthy of the higher spiritual abundance again, and consequently their nullification will be a complete nullification, that they will not return at all to their former state.
Verse 31: And the strong one will become tow, and his work a spark, and the two will burn together and there is none to extinguish. The Malbim says, the strong one, that is the powerful person, he will become tow. And his work, the idolatry that he made and did, it will be a spark. The spark will ignite the tow, and the two will burn together and there is none to extinguish. That is, the idolatry itself is what will burn the person. The sin itself is what will burn the person. The transgression itself is what will destroy the person. There is no external punishment here. The destroyer that the person created, it is what also exacts from him.
The Gaon of Vilna explains an explanation on the verse in Mishlei: one who despoils his father drives away his mother, a son who causes shame and disgrace. An explanation through which he explains for us two more verses in Sefer Yeshayahu. The Gaon of Vilna says, one who despoils his father drives away his mother. That is, whoever despoils his father, that is in his home. And his mother he drives away from her home. That is, the father will have disgraces but at home. The mother will have disgraces such that she flees and leaves the home. And where is the disgrace greater? Outside, when she was banished from the home by the son's deed, that is already a disgrace that everyone sees. Pay attention, says the Gra, it is written here a son who causes shame and disgrace. What is the difference between shame (busha) and disgrace (chafira)? The Gaon of Vilna says, we see the verse: for they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired, and you will be disgraced by the gardens that you chose. We see, and the moon will be disgraced and the sun will be shamed. We see that there is an expression of being disgraced, and this is what we see, you did a disgraceful deed, meaning shameful. And there is an expression of shameful. The Gaon of Vilna says, what is the difference between shame and disgrace? Shame, says the Gra, is in secret. And disgrace is in the open. Whenever it is written shame, the meaning is the shame was done in secret. And in contrast a disgraceful deed, the meaning is a deed whose disgrace and shame was revealed to all. According to this the Gaon of Vilna says, understand what is written, for they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired and you will be disgraced by the gardens that you chose. The Gra says, since shame is in the hidden and disgrace is in the open, where do you see this? And the moon will be disgraced and the sun will be shamed. The Gra says, the moon, where is its place? In the lower firmament. Consequently the disgrace of the moon is in the open. Therefore it says, will be disgraced. But the sun is in the upper firmament. So the shame of the sun is in the hidden. And therefore, and the sun will be shamed. The moon in the open in the lower firmament, and will be disgraced, whereas the sun is in the upper firmament, and the sun will be shamed. Shame is always in the hidden.
How now will the verse be explained, for they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired and you will be disgraced by the gardens that you chose? The Gra says, they had two kinds of idolatry. Either they would worship something that endures forever, and then their aim was to worship for eternal life, the life of the World to Come. An example of something that endures forever, they worship stone, they worship wood. And then it is for eternal life. Or they would worship something that does not endure forever, but rather something whose existence is temporary. As an example, to worship a lamb. To worship some power that is temporary here in the world. This they would worship for a temporary benefit of what? Of this world. That is, in simple words, either they would worship something that endures forever, and then they want it to bestow upon them likewise good abundance forever, speaking of the World to Come, or they would worship something that does not endure forever, and then they actually would want from it also abundance only here, here in this world, something that does not endure. The Gaon of Vilna says, this is the difference between the terebinths and the gardens. The terebinths, the Gra says, are the trees, they are something that endures. There are trees from the six days of Creation, very ancient trees. But the gardens in contrast, gardens are a planting of human beings, and it usually speaks of vegetables, so it is something that does not endure. Those who worship, those who worship for the World to Come, where will their shame be? When he arrives there and sees that that idol you worshiped is not waiting for you there with a full fund. Suddenly it becomes clear to him that he invested in vanity and emptiness. The shame will be after death. But in contrast, those who worship for this world, where will the shame be? Here, when he sees that behold, you did not receive what you thought you would receive. You expected abundance here, you expected livelihood, health, success, you worshiped for this world, and you did not receive. And this is how the verse is now explained. They will be shamed by the terebinths, we said the terebinths are something that endures, and they would worship the terebinths for the World to Come. They will be shamed, that will be disgraces in the World to Come. Shame is something hidden. Therefore he said they will be shamed. No one sees you there in your shame. Human beings here do not see it, so your shame there, your disgrace there, will be hidden. In contrast, and you will be disgraced by the gardens, those who worshiped the gardens as we explained that this is not something that endures, and this is for this world, and behold a week passed and two weeks and a month and two months and your hope was disappointed, you will have disgrace here in this world. Well, certainly he must write the expression "and you will be disgraced," because the expression "and you will be disgraced" speaks of a shame that is revealed here in this world. The Gra adds further, why regarding the terebinths does he write, for they will be shamed by the terebinths that you desired, and regarding the gardens he writes that you chose? Why regarding terebinths, terebinths meaning trees, why regarding trees does he write you desired, and by the gardens he writes you chose? Since the World to Come is something that everyone desires. Everyone aspires to it. And therefore this is called that you desired. In contrast the gardens, that is that you chose. The tzaddikim do not aspire here to this world. They do not seek here attainments in this world, they do not seek here possessions in this world. And therefore he says this is the gardens, those who seek, as I said, worship the gardens, something that does not endure forever, for the benefit of this world, that is that you chose. That is, you chose the cravings of this world, the pleasures of this world, and therefore you worship them. And that is that you chose. In contrast, those who worship for the World to Come, everyone desires the World to Come, the wicked and the tzaddikim, everyone wants to merit a portion in the World to Come. Therefore this is called that you desired, something that everyone desires. After that the Gra says, now understand the verse, one who despoils his father drives away his mother, a son who causes shame and disgrace. One who despoils his father drives away his mother. The Gaon of Vilna says, corresponding to that he despoils his father, he said to you about this a son who causes shame. Why? For we explained shame is always a deed in secret. And you undermine your father's life in secret, one who despoils his father. Therefore this is called a son who causes shame. After that a son who causes disgrace, that is corresponding to drives away his mother. For his mother he drives out from his home. He causes her, she cannot, she is not able to bear with him, she flees from the home. And then everyone says, wait, what happened? Why did she leave the home? Ah, her son is making her life miserable, do not ask... what disgraces, what shames. He made his father's life miserable, that is what is called it all stays in the family, that is within the walls of the home, they do not know about it, that is a son who causes shame. In contrast, that he drives away his mother, that is already a son who causes disgrace. Since you cause his mother to be disgraced, disgrace we explained is a shame that is in the open, everyone sees that she fled the home, disgraces result from it, that she maintains in her home such a corrupt son, such a son who causes disgrace, such a son whose deeds are improper.