"Instead of your shame you shall have double, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion; therefore in their land they shall possess double, everlasting joy shall be theirs." This pasuk requires some explanation. "Instead of your shame you shall have double, and confusion they shall sing over their portion." What does this mean? Rashi explains: "Instead of your shame" - until now you were shamed, they would humiliate you, Israel was in a lowly state. "Instead of your shame, double." What is this? It was not merely shame we had. It was double shame. What is double shame? It means shame that was doubled, twice the ordinary. "Instead of your shame double, and confusion they sing their portion." They too always sang confusion as their portion. Until now Israel's portion was that people would sing confusion over them. What does "sing" mean? There is a rinah (song) whose meaning is not necessarily joy. "And the rinah passed through the camp." Does anyone know in what context this was said? When Achav died it is written "and the rinah passed through the camp." There we explained that the intent is not joy, but rather that a report passed through. Every "rinun" comes to describe a sound that travels from place to place, meaning the report spreads and spreads. It is like today when people "spread rumors" about someone. When they say they are spreading rumors about someone this or that, what do they mean? That someone is happy about him? No. Rather they mean talk, an expression of speech. So he says "instead of your shame double." Instead of your having had double shame, and not only that, but "confusion they sing their portion." The meaning is that until now people were always spreading talk of confusion about Israel. About Israel they would always tell...
All sorts of rumors about us, words of shame, words of confusion, stories and fabrications that the nations invented about us. Whether it be blood libels, which by the way were renewed this year, and some Ukrainian newspaper spread and wrote, this year 5774, spread and wrote that people should watch their children because the Jews on Passover use the blood of Christian children for matzot, so it is advisable to keep the children close to their parents lest, God forbid, some Jew take a Christian child to use his blood. And if these are pagan libels remembered from previous centuries, there are newer libels, and these are libels that are far more readily accepted by the attentive ear of the world, that we, Israel, torment those who dwell at our borders, and we simply bomb them, and we murder children, and if you want an example and a byword it is the child a-Dura who made noise throughout the whole world, after which it turned out that he was apparently even alive, but no matter, that did not stop anyone from fabricating a fabrication and inventing an invention that our soldiers killed him and murdered him, and the poor boy raised his hands and even so they shot him, and this only shows our corruption. And as if that were not enough, they sent Goldstone here to issue a report about us and write all the most terrible and dreadful things, and they knew whom they were sending, they sent a Jew to deal with us, and he even managed afterward to write that he apologizes, but everyone read his report, and his apology, who read it? That is to say, we are "confusion they sing their portion." People spread stories of confusion about us and this is our portion perpetually.
And we have shame, "instead of your shame double." We have double shame. We are always in a situation where we are attacked, where we are guilty of everything happening in the world, where we are the center of troubles, where because of us America is persecuted and has problems with the Arab nations, where the Jews are blamed for everything. In truth they do not know it but it is correct, this I say between us, that it is correct, because everything happening in the world is for Israel's sake. But not for the reasons they say. For entirely different reasons. Because we have an account with the Creator of the world, and therefore everything that happens in the world is to bring us back in teshuvah, to straighten us toward the path of truth. Not for the reasons they say, but truly we have a reckoning with the Master of the world, and everything happening in the world is for Israel. Even if some dam breaks in China, as we once told at length regarding the Chofetz Chaim, it is so that we should learn a moral lesson, so that we should draw conclusions from it. In any case, "instead of your shame double, and confusion they sing their portion," and our portion was that people always sang words of confusion about us, therefore "in their land they shall possess double." Corresponding to this, in their land they shall possess double, everlasting joy shall be theirs. And this corresponds to the suffering and shame we had throughout all the years of our exile.
The Radak explains: "Instead of your shame double." Instead of our being in exile a subject of shame and disgrace, the opposite of it will be honor for us. "Double" means twofold, that just as we had shame we will have honor. This is the meaning of "double" according to the Radak, corresponding to the number of years. "Double" - corresponding to those years you will have years of honor. The Targum explains that the meaning is "instead of your shame double," instead of the shame you had you will have twofold honor. So the "double" is not as Rashi explains that we had double shame, meaning we had doubled shame. No, the "double" is already the reward. "Instead of your shame," instead of the shame you had, you will have double honor, twofold honor, so according to Targum Yonatan. "And confusion they sing their portion." The "instead of" mentioned earlier applies also to confusion. "Instead of your shame double," and instead of confusion they sing their portion. And corresponding to the confusion we had, so too here the "they sing" is already the reward, like the "double" which is the reward, the "they sing" is the reward. "They sing their portion," corresponding to the confusion, instead of the confusion, our portion will be in song, our portion will be a good portion that we will have praise in our portion. As the Targum says, "and the nations shall be ashamed" - what does "shall be ashamed" mean? They will be shamed. It means the nations who boasted in their portion will be shamed, and now suddenly it will become clear that their portion is vain and empty, and we will be praised in our portion, that it will become clear that our God is the God of truth. "Therefore in their land they shall possess double." They will not need to leave the land for trade in order to earn money, but rather in their land they will possess double. From the good of the world they will inherit twofold of what they had. And the joy will be a perpetual joy that will never cease.
The Malbim explains: "Instead of your shame." First of all, what is the difference between shame (boshet) and confusion (kelimah)? The Malbim, in his manner, is precise about this and explains that there is a difference, and this we have seen before: shame is what a person is ashamed of within himself, even without others. He is consumed with shame. No one shamed him. But he is ashamed of himself. In contrast, confusion is when someone else shames his face. Confusion is always someone shaming him. He cannot say he is confused of himself. A person is ashamed of himself, knows that he did something improper and he is ashamed, no one knows of it, from within himself, that is already called shame. But confusion is always something where someone else shames him, someone else embarrasses him. "Instead of your shame" - what was shame within yourselves, over your having lost the great virtue you had, the great merit, the greatness Israel had when the Shechinah dwelled among Israel, when the Beit HaMikdash existed. We have shame in this situation, even without the nations. We are ashamed of our current state that we lost our great virtue. Instead of this you will be exalted, instead of this you will have double, we will have twofold honor in exchange for that shame. And instead of the confusion that others shamed us with throughout the length of exile, "they shall sing their portion." Those who shamed us, they themselves will sing and chant songs about the portion of Israel. Do you understand how the Malbim explains it? What is "they shall sing their portion"? "They" - who is "they"? "They" is not "you." "Your shame" is you. I address you directly, "your shame." That is second person plural. I do not say "you shall sing," I say "they shall sing." Who is "they shall sing"? The nations, they will write songs, they will sing about the portion and virtue of Israel today. And this is really the greatest punishment there can be for all those who oppressed us. Because when someone oppresses us and he dies, that did not give us much. But when he arises, these to eternal life and these to reproaches and everlasting abhorrence, ah, that truly gives us greatness and elevation. That the gentile who wanted to destroy us, that Hitler who wanted to wipe us out, suddenly it becomes clear where he is and in what suffering he exists today, and what a terrible Gehinnom he has, and how Israel, whom they did not harm at all, is at the height of elevation, that is the greatest suffering for him, that is the greatest punishment. So then the great virtue is that they will sing about the portion of Israel. They will sing and chant songs about the greatness and virtue of Israel. What at first they sang about us, songs of disgrace, songs of contempt, now they will sing in their songs, and what will they say? What will their song be? "Therefore in their land they shall possess double, everlasting joy shall be theirs." Do you hear? They will sing to us: therefore in their land they shall possess double, they, Israel, so the nations will sing to us. And instead... and everlasting joy shall be theirs. So they will sing about Israel, that Israel shall have everlasting joy. And let us note that corresponding to the length of exile they shall have everlasting joy. Because the exile was long, therefore the joy will be an everlasting joy, a joy for all time. And corresponding to their having taken our land from us, therefore in their land they shall possess double. What is "they shall possess double"? For there is the land of the three nations that we have not yet merited to inherit. In addition to the seven nations we inherited before, there is the land of three nations we have not yet inherited, who are the Kenite, the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite. They appear in Sefer Bereishit. And these are nations we have not yet merited to inherit, not even in Yehoshua's time. And them they will possess as double. This will be for us as a doubling of what we already had before, and this will be for us for the disgrace and contempt we suffered throughout the length of exile.
"For I Hashem love justice, I hate robbery in a burnt offering; and I will give their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." "For I Hashem love justice," and since I love justice, I therefore hate robbery in a burnt offering. I do not accept the burnt offerings and sacrifices of idolaters, of the nations, because they come through robbery. "And I will give their recompense in truth" - Rashi explains that the actions of Israel from here on will be in truth. This means their path, their conduct, will now be in truth, in the way of uprightness. Or, an additional explanation Rashi gives: "their recompense," meaning the reward for what they did until today, they will receive in truth. The meaning is that Hashem will be faithful to give our reward for all that we suffered, the revilings of the nations and the destructions and the murders and the persecutions, all of this the Holy One will bestow and give us now in truth. The meaning is He will give us a true reward corresponding to this. The Radak says: "For I Hashem love justice." Says the Radak, here the Holy One really wants to give a reason for what we mentioned earlier. The Holy One said, "instead of your shame double, and confusion they sing their portion." This means we will receive double. We will have double, instead of all we suffered. He wants to explain to us why. If we suffered a certain thing, one should give us at the same value. Why should we receive double? Says the Holy One, because "I Hashem love justice." And it would be an injustice and not justice if I did not give you double. Why? Because Israel are the choicest of the nations. And Israel clung to the Holy One, and Israel believed in Hashem, and Israel spread the Torah of Hashem. And with all this, even though this nation was the closest nation to the Master of the world, it is the most suffering nation. It is the most persecuted nation. Seemingly there is an injustice in this. Says the Holy One, "and I Hashem love justice." I love that people do justice, all the more so that I should do justice. If I demand this from My creatures, that I love justice, surely I, the Judge of all the earth, will not fail to do justice? So surely I will do justice. Furthermore, I hate robbery in a burnt offering. Even in the service by which they serve Me, they come to offer Me a sacrifice, if it is robbery, says the Holy One, I am not interested. I hate robbery in a burnt offering. Says the Holy One, therefore, since this is so, I must repay them, instead of the exile, instead of the evil they had, double the good of what they had. Since all that they suffered was for My Name's sake. Do you understand why now I will give them double? Why it will be double? Because this nation served Me and nevertheless suffered. So then they deserve double, that they receive good corresponding to what they suffered then. Therefore says the Holy One, "and I will give their recompense in truth." All that they did and accomplished for My Name, I will give them in truth. The meaning is with complete reward as befits them. "And an everlasting covenant" - everlasting covenant means forever, it means eternally, it means without cessation. Says the Holy One, and an everlasting covenant, this covenant will be perpetual. Not like the covenant by which I took them out of the land of Egypt, which was temporary. For behold, Israel was exiled, and afterward again there was a Second Temple and again they were exiled. So it appears that this covenant is temporary. Says the Holy One, no, here it will already be an everlasting covenant. A covenant after which there is no exile. A covenant after which there is no anger and burning wrath of Hashem. But rather this will be a complete and true redemption. The Malbim explains: "For I Hashem love justice." Says the Malbim, and since this is so, it is necessary that just as the exile lasted a long time, so too the salvation will be for a long time. And how long is a long time by the Holy One? It is eternity. And says the Holy One, I hate robbery even in a burnt offering. So it is necessary that I return to them the robbery that was robbed from them, their land, with fruits and with praise. That is to say, Israel's land was robbed from them. Says the Holy One, that which was robbed, you will receive doubly, it, the land, the fruits, and the praise. And therefore this is what we said earlier, "in their land they shall possess double." What is "they shall possess double"? Double of what they had before. "And I will give their recompense in truth." Why? Because "I Hashem love justice." And My covenant is eternal. And I hate robbery in a burnt offering, so is it possible that I would not repay them in truth as befits them, doubly what they lost? I, Hashem, hate robbery even if it is in a burnt offering, all the more so if it is not in a burnt offering. So surely, says the Holy One, He will be faithful to return to them doubly according to their deeds.
And then, "and their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall recognize them, that they are the seed which Hashem has blessed." "And their seed shall be known among the nations." Seemingly this is puzzling. How will their seed be known among the nations? You are already speaking to me about a period of redemption. You are already speaking to me about a situation where Israel will no longer be in exile. How will their seed be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples? Says the Radak, when they go to the lands of the nations to travel or for trade. First of all, from here it is implied that seemingly the prohibition of leaving the land for outside the land for the purpose of travel, this prohibition will as it were be nullified. And apparently what we will need to say, since the Torah is not exchanged, what we will need to say is that since the whole world will be considered as the land of Israel, and the land of Israel will be considered as Jerusalem, then there is no longer a prohibition to travel the world, because to be in the world means to be in the land of Israel, since all of it will be the land of Israel. So then when they go to the lands of the nations to travel or for trade, their seed will be known among the nations. And even though they will not need to, they will be known and recognized due to the honor and greatness they will have. And they will go, says the Radak, in honorable clothing, in garments of freedom and embroidery. It will be said of them, these are the children of Israel, these are the seed which Hashem has blessed. And note, it is written "and their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples." At first it is written "their seed among the nations," and regarding the offspring it is written "among the peoples." Why? He says, because the "offspring" refers to the young men. The offspring, since they are the young men, they are the ones who go according to their desire to see the lands of the idolaters. Do you understand? It is simple, someone a bit older, what does he have to seek in travels now? Rather, who are those who seek to see the lands of the idolaters? Those who seek India and Goa and all sorts... they are the young men, they go according to their desire to see the lands of the idolaters. So their offspring among the peoples. Even when they enter among the peoples, they will be known and recognized. Even today Israelis are known and recognized throughout the whole world. Usually it is by the destruction they leave in the places to which they arrive, and their vulgar behavior in all sorts of places to which they arrive. So indeed known among the nations. But we hope that the future "known among the nations" will be for praise. That everyone will see they are the seed which Hashem has blessed, they will see wondrous conduct, and they will not see a reality such as we know today of lack of education and lack of decency. The Malbim says: "and their seed shall be known among the nations." The seed of Israel will be known among the nations for renown and glory. And not only the great ones, but also "and their offspring among the peoples." Also the small ones. And not only among the goyim, for the expression "goyim" always expresses the lesser among the nations, but rather their seed will be known among the goyim, and their offspring will be recognized among the peoples. The "peoples" are the important nations, the refined nations. I can speak of goyim regarding Africa, and I can speak of goyim regarding Europe. Am I speaking of the important nations, the decisive nations, or am I speaking of the backward nations, of Rwanda, what am I speaking of? So regarding this he says, "and their seed shall be known among the goyim." When they are among the backward goyim, they will be known. And even their offspring will be recognized also among the peoples. "Peoples" means the more important goyim. Until all who see them shall recognize them, they will say they are the seed which Hashem has blessed. Since they will be recognizable and distinguished in the beauty of holiness, says the Malbim. And then through this it will be recognizable to all who the children of Israel are.
"I will greatly rejoice in Hashem, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom bedecks himself in glory, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem," we will have joy in Hashem, says the Radak, these are the words of Jerusalem. And so says the Targum, "Jerusalem said, I will rejoice, I will be joyful in the word of Hashem." So one possibility is that Jerusalem will thank and praise the Holy One at the time of redemption when her children return within her. Says the Radak an additional explanation, that these are the words of Israel returning from exile. That when Israel returns from exile, "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem," we will have special joy in the Master of the world. And the Radak brings in the name of "my father and master, of blessed memory," excuse me, that I have already told you more than once, that when the Radak brings an explanation in the name of his father, make your ears like a funnel. Because usually he has sweets. And says the Radak in the name of his father, note, it is written "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem," and it is written "my soul shall be joyful in my God." He mentions the name Elokim. Why once does he mention the name Hashem and once mention Elokim? At first, when he said "in Hashem" he said "I will greatly rejoice," and when he mentions Elokim he said "my soul shall be joyful." What is the difference? Says the Radak, already bringing in his father's name, the name Hashem is the attribute of mercy, Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh. "My God" is the attribute of judgment. Therefore at first, when he says "in Hashem," "I will greatly rejoice." Why? Because in the attribute of mercy everyone rejoices. When the Holy One redeems us with mercy, then everyone rejoices, both the body and the soul. Because it is with mercy. So "I will greatly rejoice," both the body and the soul, I will rejoice in Hashem. In contrast, when it is in the attribute of judgment, if Hashem redeems us in the attribute of judgment, that means with suffering. That means with pain. But is it worthwhile or not worthwhile? Certainly worthwhile, in order to merit redemption, certainly worthwhile. Who agrees with this? The soul. The soul is more elevated, it is higher, it says it is worthwhile to suffer in order to merit redemption. The body, in contrast, seeks pleasures, seeks pleasantness, seeks comfort. Therefore the body does not so much understand this. So therefore when he speaks of when the redemption is with mercy, then "I will greatly rejoice," a doubling, both the body and the soul, it will be in Hashem, in Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh. But in contrast if it is "in my God," it will be a redemption by way of the attribute of judgment, and then it may be that it will be with suffering, with difficulty, so only "my soul shall be joyful in my God." Only my soul, for the soul is higher, the soul is elevated, it receives suffering with love more than the body, so it will be joyful in my God. But in contrast the body itself will find it difficult to understand and accept the suffering. So therefore "my soul shall be joyful in my God." "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, a robe of righteousness He has covered me." Says the Radak, the garments a person wears come as it were to express the salvation with which the Holy One will save us. And through this we will be "as a bridegroom bedecks himself in glory, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Just as the bridegroom bedecks himself in glory with fine garments, and what is "bedecks himself in glory"? It means that he is like the kohen, for the kohen has fine garments. So too "a bride adorns herself with her jewels." She has jewelry and special garments, so too Israel, this salvation will make them appear like a bridegroom and bride splendid in their garments. The Malbim, in his manner, explains the precision of the holy tongue. What is "I will greatly rejoice" (sos asis) and what is "joyful" (tagel)? What is the difference between them? Says the Malbim, there is a difference between sisa (rejoicing) and gilah (joy). Says the Malbim, sisa means outward actions that display joy. Sas, sas means one can see externally how he is happy. In contrast gilah is inner joy. Something in a person's heart, some matter he did not wait for, did not anticipate, and suddenly it arose and came to be. Some matter he did not believe would happen, and suddenly it happened. So sisa is external, gilah is inner joy from something we did not hope for, something we did not anticipate. And there is also a difference between the name Hashem and "my God," and this we have already explained in the past several times in the name of the Malbim, that when we say Hashem, it refers to the Holy One from the aspect of His general providence over the world. In contrast, when I say "my God," it is particular. Regarding the particular providence that Hashem is "my God" in a particular way, watching over us, Israel, in a particular way. And regarding this he says, "my soul shall be joyful in my God." The meaning is in His particular providence over me as Israel. And regarding what? "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, a robe of righteousness He has covered me." Says the Malbim, there is a difference between garments (begadim) and a robe (me'il). The garment is what a person wears within, and it is usually more fitted to his body. What was customary, say, like a warm undershirt, something of this sort, that was the inner garment. Over it people would wear an outer robe, something like the coat we have today, only less tailored. So the robe was like a cloak worn over it, and the garment was like an inner undershirt, something like a warm undershirt worn underneath. Says the Malbim, note, here he says Hashem will clothe me with salvation. "Yesha" (salvation) means a salvation that will be exactly according to my measure. This is "He has clothed me," this is clothing, this is inner. It is fitted to the person. A particular salvation unique only to me. And besides this, besides my particular salvation, everyone will recognize the true religion. Because everyone will see that the religion Israel served, the God whom Israel served, He is the God of truth. So this is no longer speaking of me particularly, but rather of the revelation of Hashem's honor in the world. Of the revelation of His blessed name in the world. And this is what he says, "a robe of righteousness He has covered me." What is "a robe of righteousness"? That to everyone my righteousness will be revealed. To everyone it will be recognizable that I was righteous in that I served God, and did not stray after the vanity of all the other nations. And then it will be in the category of a robe of righteousness. Why is this a robe? Says the Malbim, first, because the robe is external. And then through this everyone will see that the God I served is the God of truth. It is like a robe of righteousness, everyone will realize that righteousness was with us. "A robe of righteousness He has covered me." Another matter, the robe, as we said, is not fitted to measure. Rather the robe is wider, not sewn to measure. And if so, this comes to hint that this robe of righteousness will serve to teach the whole world faith in Hashem. So it is not only for me, it is not a garment, it is not salvation, where the salvation is like a garment, sewn to measure. Rather it is a robe of righteousness, so that everyone will recognize our righteousness in that we serve Hashem, and through this they too will begin to serve the Holy One. So that is to say it is something we want to market onward. That we want everyone to accept it. So therefore the description "robe" fits here. Since a robe is something not sewn to measure, but rather fits everyone. Because now this will be the service of Hashem where everyone will serve Hashem as one. So there are two aspects here. First, it is not sewn to measure as we just explained, and second, that the robe is external and revealed to all, and then it will be revealed to everyone that the true religion is the religion of Israel.
"As a bridegroom bedecks himself in glory, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Says the Malbim, the Holy One clothed me with garments of salvation. Says the Malbim that the phrases of the pasuk parallel each other. Hashem clothed me with garments of salvation, "as a bridegroom bedecks himself in glory." The salvation is the garment I receive from the Holy One. And this is like "a bridegroom bedecks himself in glory." Why "bedecks" (yechahen)? Why not "as a bridegroom who bedecks himself in glory"? The Malbim explains, he has an original interpretation, that the bridegroom bedecks the woman in glory. "As a bridegroom bedecks" the woman in glory. This means, he gives her splendid garments, jewelry. As a bridegroom bedecks his bride in glory. That is to say what he gives her. So too the salvation. The salvation, the Holy One gave us salvation, not from ourselves. The Holy One saved us, like a bridegroom who bedecks his bride in garments of glory. "And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." And the robe of righteousness He has covered me, what robe will it be? Like a bride who adorns herself with her jewels. Through the robe of righteousness our righteousness will be recognizable. Note, if the salvation is what Hashem does for us, our righteousness is what we did. It is our merits. So he says, "a robe of righteousness He has covered me," this robe that will wrap me will be for my righteous deeds, for my clinging to the Master of the world. And then this is like a bride who wears her jewels, her own. Not what the bridegroom gave. Beyond what he gave, she has her own jewels, her own jewelry. So too this robe of righteousness will express our clinging to the Holy One throughout the years of exile, the service of Hashem that was within us, and this is "as a bride adorns herself with her jewels," and through this it will be recognizable to all that our service of Hashem is the true service. And then "a robe of righteousness He has covered me," this will be like a bride who wears her own personal jewels, which came from her preparation, from her deeds. And this comes to express our righteous deeds that came from our deeds, that came from our service and our clinging to Hashem.
"For as the earth brings forth her growth, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so Hashem Elokim will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations." The Radak says, here he further compares the salvation of Israel to seed that you sowed in the ground. Naturally the seed becomes spoiled. Naturally the seed rots. And afterward it grows and sprouts more beautifully than it was before. Both more beautiful, and more excellent, and more abundant. From one grain many grains grow. Says the Radak, for in most cases the new is better than the old. In most matters the new thing is better, more excellent than the old thing. So too he says, Israel in exile, they are as if their hope was lost, as if they were spoiled, they reached such a state that they are most lowly. But it is like seed. The seed, before it begins to grow, is spoiled, it rots. So he says, know that "as the earth brings forth her growth," when the redemption comes they will flourish, they will multiply, they will add to what they had before, whether in honor, whether in virtue, whether in abundance of people. Everything will change for the good, like the plant that rotted and afterward grows. Another matter he says, he compares them here to a garden. "As a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up." The garden sprouts its seeds not all at once. Today this grows, tomorrow that grows, the day after that grows. And everything also according to the seasons of the year. There are plants that grow in summer, there are plants that grow in winter. According to the times of the year. So too Israel, they will have good after good. This comes to say that in fact the goods will pursue them. Like a garden whose seeds constantly spring up, spring up, spring up. Constantly in summer, in winter, in autumn, always there are growths particular to those seasons. And so too everyone, all the nations will know and recognize their good, which is greater than all the goods in the world. Because sometimes it may be that you would say, well, so Israel is now on the crest of the wave. It is something temporary. It happens that a lowly nation suddenly rises. But he says no, it will not be so. It will be like a garden whose seeds constantly spring up, spring up, spring up, and around again. So too the nations will recognize, it will be "righteousness and praise before all the nations." That everyone will see - "before" (neged) means not against them, but facing them. Facing all the nations the success of Israel will be recognizable, which is not natural. The Malbim explains, that just as there is a difference in the bringing forth of the plants, says the Malbim, and by the way here he explains like the explanation of the Radak's father, only that the Malbim also gives an addition. Says the Malbim, we see that sometimes the earth sprouts plants even without our having sown it. Usually it is thorn and thistle, but the earth sprouts plants. And there is a place that sprouts plants after we sowed it. "For as the earth brings forth her growth." The earth is not a garden. The earth is just, you walk in a field, there are plants. Like the earth that brings forth her growth by itself. It was not sown, it grew on its own. "And as a garden," this is a garden where someone sowed, "her sown things," what was sown in it, springs up. It sprouts the seed that you sowed in it. So the Holy One, "so Hashem Elokim will cause righteousness and praise to spring up." As the earth brings forth her growth by itself, so Hashem will cause righteousness to spring up by Himself. And regarding what does he speak here? About the salvation. That the salvation, as we said, will not be according to our deeds. That the Holy One will save us without our deeds, but rather only through Hashem's kindness upon us, in Hashem's desire for us. And this he says, this is the salvation, it is not through our deeds, so it is "as the earth brings forth her growth by itself." As it sprouts by itself from Hashem's will. Hashem will do righteousness (tzedakah), for as we explained in the past, when the Holy One saves us with tzedakah, tzedakah you give to one who does not deserve it. One who deserves it, that is no longer tzedakah, that is a wage. To whom does one give tzedakah? You do not deserve it, I do kindness with you, I give you tzedakah. By law you cannot claim from me. I do tzedakah with you. Says the Holy One, He will cause tzedakah to spring up like earth that sprouts her growth. The earth does not need to sprout her growth, so the Holy One too as it were does not need to give us tzedakah, and Hashem nevertheless will do salvation with us. This corresponds to the garments of salvation. A particular salvation that Hashem will save us even though we do not deserve it. And afterward, "as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up." Hashem will cause to spring up like a garden that sprouts her sown things, which is what we explained, that we planted, that we sowed, this will be praise before all the nations. Like a person who sows a garden and it grows, he boasts. In contrast, if something grew for him just like that without his sowing, that is not something I did, he does not take pride in it. I do not know, a plant just grew here, he does not take pride in it. But when a person sowed, he says look at this whole field, look at these growths, this is mine. This I cultivated, this I nurtured, this I watered, this I... he has praise in this. Regarding this he says, "and praise before all the nations." "Praise before all the nations" comes here, they will boast before the nations regarding what we did. And this is "a robe of righteousness He has covered me," as we mentioned earlier. The robe of righteousness is by virtue of what we said, that through this there will be righteousness before the eyes of all the nations, that all the nations will recognize that Israel's mitzvot are truth, its Torah is truth. And this is "a robe of righteousness He has covered me," which we explained is like a bride who wears her own personal jewels, in her merits. And this fits "as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up." That the garden sprouts her sown things, what I sowed. This is like a robe of righteousness, something we did, our righteous deeds and our clinging to the Holy One. And then automatically praise before all the nations. In what you do you have room to boast before the nations, facing the nations. But what the Holy One - "as the earth brings forth her growth" - there is no room to boast before all the nations, Hashem will cause righteousness to spring up, it does not come from you, the Holy One bestowed upon you in tzedakah and in kindness something you do not deserve. So may Hashem grant us merit for the complete redemption speedily, amen and amen.