Introduction: A Prophecy of the Future
The Malbim opens here with an introduction: This prophecy extends through chapter 29, and its subject is an account of the future. King Chizkiyahu will rebel against the Assyrian empire, and the prophet comes to tell the people: the trust you place in Egypt will not stand. Assyria will indeed arrive here, but ultimately it will fall. According to this, the structure of the prophecy is arranged: first words of rebuke, then a description of the tribulations that will come through the king of Assyria, and finally a description of the downfall of the king of Assyria. The prophet uses an allegory regarding Judah: as it were, the House of Judah has been ruined and destroyed, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, says that He will rebuild the House of Judah anew.
The Cornerstone: King Chizkiyahu
לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה, הִנְנִי יִסַּד בְּצִיּוֹן אָבֶן, אֶבֶן בֹּחַן פִּנַּת יִקְרַת מוּסָד מוּסָּד, הַמַּאֲמִין לֹא יָחִישׁ. (טז) - Therefore, so said the Lord Hashem: Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a firm foundation; he who believes will not hurry. (16)
Before building a house, one lays a foundation. Therefore Hashem says: "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion" - first I will lay a tested foundation stone upon which the house will be built. And who is that stone? That is King Chizkiyahu. The Malbim explains that this stone possesses three virtues. The first is in terms of its material: even bochan, a strong stone that has been tested and proven to be sound, not one made of chalk and sand. The second is in terms of its value: pinat yikrat, a precious stone like sapphire, worthy of serving as the cornerstone. And the third is in terms of its purpose: musad musad, the foundation of all foundations, a bedrock upon which all the other foundations are laid, supporting the entire edifice.
The meaning of the allegory is that this king, in terms of his personal character, will be tested and proven, regarded as a complete tzaddik, free of lusts and pure of thought. In terms of his lineage, he will be the chief cornerstone, descending from the primary line of the House of David - this is pinat yikrat. And he will also be the foundation of foundations: he will gird himself with counsel and strength and begin to save Israel, and through him salvation will emerge, serving as the foundation for all subsequent salvations. However, the prophet adds that one should not think this will happen immediately. Do not sit watching the clock and say, "Well, it will surely arrive tomorrow." Hama'amin lo yachish: he who believes in this will not rush or hurry, for many troubles will yet pass before this comes to pass.
Justice and Righteousness: The Measuring Line and Plumb Line of the Edifice
וְשַׂמְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט לְקָו וּצְדָקָה לְמִשְׁקָלֶת, וְיָעָה בָרָד מַחְסֵה כָזָב וְסֵתֶר מַיִם יִשְׁטֹפוּ. (יז) - And I will make justice the line and righteousness the plummet, and hail will sweep away the refuge of falsehood, and waters will wash away the hiding place. (17)
After describing the foundation, the prophet begins to describe the building itself. The Malbim explains: It is the way of builders that after laying the cornerstone, they measure out from it to the right and to the left to determine the length and breadth of the building. This is the tool for measuring length and width. In the second stage, when they begin to build the wall upward, they want to ensure it is built straight, and this is checked with a line: a plumb weight tied to the end of a taut cord, dropped from the top of the wall to see that it hangs in a straight vertical line - this is the builder's level.
Based on this, the verse is interpreted: "And I will make justice the line" - interpersonal justice (bein adam lachavero) is the measuring line by which the length and breadth of the building are determined. As it were, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: according to the justice practiced between man and his fellow, I will decide how to build the House of Judah in length and breadth. "And righteousness the plummet" - righteousness (tzedakah), which represents good deeds between man and God (bein adam laMakom), is the plummet, and according to it the height of the building will be set. The meaning of this is that righteousness in matters between man and God brings spiritual endurance and wondrous divine providence, which is why it is symbolized by height. On the other hand, justice, which is an earthly matter, is the line of length and breadth, representing material existence. Thus, proper interpersonal conduct is required for the material existence of the House of Judah, and devotion between man and God is required - symbolized by the plumb line that measures height, representing wondrous divine providence and spiritual dimensions.
And since you are now constructing a fortified edifice so that you will have strength in your own right, from the justice and righteousness you practice, you will no longer have any need to rely on Assyria, and doing so is completely superfluous. Therefore: "and hail will sweep away the refuge of falsehood." Ya'ah is an expression of sweeping away: Hashem says, I will sweep away with hail those who served as a refuge of falsehood - namely Assyria and Egypt - and the hail will smash them. Yet hail shatters and leaves the debris in place, like a broken tree that remains standing where it fell. The prophet wishes to convey that nothing will remain of them, and so he adds: "and waters will wash away the hiding place" - that very hiding place in which you trusted will be washed away and carried far away by waters, until not a single trace of it remains.
The Annulment of the Covenant with Death
וְכֻפַּר בְּרִיתְכֶם אֶת מָוֶת, וְחָזוּתְכֶם אֶת שְׁאוֹל לֹא תָקוּם, שׁוֹט שׁוֹטֵף כִּי יַעֲבֹר וִהְיִיתֶם לוֹ לְמִרְמָס. (יח) - And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your pact with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge sweeps through, you shall become a trampling ground for it.
Consequently, the prophet says, the alliance you made with Assyria and Egypt will be nullified. Vechupar (and it shall be annulled), the Malbim explains, is an expression of cancellation, just like lechaper al he-avon, which means to wipe away and nullify the sin. Then, "when the overflowing scourge sweeps through, you shall become a trampling ground for it" - you will be trampled before the Assyrian camp as it passes through the land of Judah. Yet the prophet still does not say that we will fall into his hands entirely, for even though he will reach here, ultimately Hashem will rescue us from him.
מִדֵּי עׇבְרוֹ יִקַּח אֶתְכֶם, כִּי בַבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר יַעֲבֹר בַּיּוֹם וּבַלָּיְלָה, וְהָיָה רַק זְוָעָה הָבִין שְׁמוּעָה. (יט) - As often as it passes through it shall take you; for morning by morning it shall pass through, by day and by night, and it shall be sheer terror to understand the report.
"As often as it passes through it shall take you" - meaning, every time he marches past, he will seize from you. When he conquered the nations residing in Aram (Syria), he would pass through the land of Judah time and again, for the land of Judah sits at the crossroads of the region. Do not imagine that he will not pass through here constantly, for every morning he will march through and linger among you by day and by night. However, "and it shall be sheer terror to understand the report": know that the purpose of bringing the king of Assyria is not to exile you as he exiled the Ten Tribes. The entire purpose is to shake and terrify you, so that you will understand the message you heard from Hashem - namely, the prophecies meant to bring you to repentance and correct your deeds. The goal is merely that your hearts tremble and you internalize the report I conveyed to you through the prophets.
"The Bed is Too Short to Stretch Out"
כִּי קָצַר הַמַּצָּע מֵהִשְׂתָּרֵעַ, וְהַמַּסֵּכָה צָרָה כְּהִתְכַּנֵּס. (כ) - For the bed is too short for a man to stretch out on, and the covering is too narrow for wrapping oneself.
Rashi explains: I will bring upon you an enemy who will oppress you so tightly that you will not be able to satisfy his demands, like a bed that is too short for the man stretching out upon it - a mattress whose dimensions are smaller than the person lying on it. In other words, an enemy will cause you immense distress. And Chazal expound this verse regarding the idol that Menashe brought into the Heichal: "The bed is too short," says the Holy One, Blessed is He, "for two companions to dwell upon it together." As it were, the Beit HaMikdash is too narrow for Me to dwell alongside another companion, which is idolatry.
The Malbim explains that the prophet is describing here the downfall of Assyria through the parable of a man who hosts a guest in his home and offers him a bed where the mattress is too short. If the guest wishes to stretch out his hands and feet, he cannot, because the mattress is too short. And if he pulls his legs up to curl his body, the body becomes bunched together and thicker, and thus requires a wider blanket, which he does not have. Ha-maseichah, which means a covering, is the blanket over him, and it is "too narrow when wrapping oneself" - there is nothing adequate to cover him.
Mount Peratzim and the Valley of Gibeon: The Nimshal
כִּי כְהַר פְּרָצִים יָקוּם יְהֹוָה, כְּעֵמֶק בְּגִבְעוֹן יִרְגָּז, לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֵׂהוּ זָר מַעֲשֵׂהוּ, וְלַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדָתוֹ נׇכְרִיָּה עֲבֹדָתוֹ. (כא) - For Hashem will rise up as at Mount Perazim; He will be wrathful as in the valley of Gibeon, to do His deed - strange is His deed - and to perform His work - alien is His work.
The Malbim explains: Hashem will bring judgments upon the enemy from above and from below. From below corresponds to "the bed is too short to stretch out on," meaning the earth will tremble beneath him; there will be an earthquake, just as occurred at Mount Peratzim in the days of David, when the mountain was breached, split open, and displaced by an earthquake. Therefore, they will be unable to flee, because the "bed" - which is the earth upon which they wish to run - is full of chasms and breaches, making it impossible to flee across it.
And if they say: "In that case, we will not flee, but rather stand our ground crowded together," to this it is said, "and the covering is too narrow for wrapping oneself" - even this will not help. "He will be wrathful as in the valley of Gibeon": at Gibeon, great hailstones and fire descended from heaven, and there you will have no covering to shelter beneath - neither a blanket nor an aerial umbrella to protect you, for hailstones will rain down upon you from the heavens.
The two halves of the verse are parallel: "For Hashem will rise up as at Mount Perazim" to perform His deed, and His deed will be "strange" - something unaccustomed. Even though an earthquake is in itself a familiar natural phenomenon, here it will be strange and extraordinary. Corresponding to this: "He will rage as in the Valley of Gibeon," "to perform His labor - alien is His labor" - for raining down hailstones from heaven is completely unnatural, an alien thing. Therefore, Scripture refers to it as "labor," as if it were an arduous task that does not ordinarily occur in reality.
The Malbim examines the precision of these terms. Zar means strange and set apart, as in a nazir who separates himself (lehazir) from wine; an ordinary Israelite who is excluded (zar) from eating sacrificial foods; or a commoner who is prohibited (zar) from using the sacred anointing oil. In contrast, nochri means something that comes from elsewhere, from a foreign land. And what is the difference between an "act" (ma'aseh) and "labor" (avodah)? Labor always denotes an action involving toil, strain, and exertion. Yet with the Holy One, Blessed be He, there is no weariness at all; how, then, could toil be attributed to Him? Rather, an occurrence that is merely uncharacteristic of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is called a "strange act" - an act that is not difficult, but simply unusual. But an event that completely transcends the natural order is called "alien labor" - as if it were demanding work, and not just ordinary labor, but "alien," something that does not belong to this world at all.
The explanation is this: in ordinary events, we can always point to cause and effect. Why is there rain? Because there are clouds. Why are there clouds? Because of water evaporating from the sea. An alien matter, however, does not operate within the framework of cause and effect. What natural cause and effect could explain massive hailstones suddenly crashing down from heaven upon an enemy? This is one aspect of "labor" - something seemingly arduous, as it were, which Hashem performs only in the most extraordinary circumstances. The second aspect is that it is "alien" - it is not an ongoing, regular occurrence, and it is completely disconnected from the natural chain of cause and effect.
A Warning to the Scorners
וְעַתָּה אַל תִּתְלוֹצָצוּ פֶּן יֶחְזְקוּ מוֹסְרֵיכֶם, כִּי כָלָה וְנֶחֱרָצָה שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֵת אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה צְבָאוֹת עַל כׇּל הָאָרֶץ. (כב) - "And now, do not scoff, lest your bonds grow tight; for I have heard destruction and decree from my Lord, Hashem of Hosts, upon the entire earth." (22)
Rashi explains: do not say, "We have made a covenant with death," so that your suffering does not become even harsher. And the Malbim elaborates: you scorners, who mock the words of prophecy and refuse to accept the truth I convey through the prophets, beware! I have heard that Hashem is bringing total destruction, and this destruction is decreed and sealed by Him. Therefore, take heed, for this is a finalized decree and an irreversible judgment from Hashem.
"Give Ear and Hear": The Opening to the Parable of Suffering
הַאֲזִינוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ קוֹלִי, הַקְשִׁיבוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ אִמְרָתִי. (כג) - "Give ear and hear my voice; pay attention and hear my speech." (23)
Having cautioned, "lest your bonds grow tight" - referring to chastisements - the prophet now proceeds to address discipline and suffering. The Malbim explains: the prophet now opens his mouth in parable to demonstrate how the tribulations that befall the nation as a whole, or an individual in particular, are essential to the design of creation. It is impossible to achieve perfection without suffering, whether collective or individual. Tribulation is the instrument that leads the community to its ultimate purpose and human perfection, and likewise guides the individual, according to his own deeds, to genuine fulfillment.
This parable divides into two parts: verses 24 through 26 address the collective suffering of the entire nation, while verses 27 through 29 deal with the tribulations that befall specific individuals for personal reasons, in order to admonish and refine each person privately. Regarding the first part, he says, "Give ear to my voice," and regarding the second part, he says, "Pay attention to my speech."
What is the difference between "my voice" (koli) and "my speech" (imrati)? A voice is a simple, indistinct sound, whereas speech is articulated and formed of distinct syllables. The voice represents the parable itself, which is veiled and obscure, while the speech represents the solution and explanation of the parable. Furthermore, hakshavah (paying attention) is always a lower level of focus than ha'azanah (giving ear). Therefore, regarding the voice, which is merely a riddle that requires careful decoding, he says ha'azinu, demanding intense listening; regarding the speech, which is already the explanation, hakshavah is sufficient. We find this similarly in the verse, "Hear my voice, give ear to my speech," where ha'azanah is less than shemi'ah (true comprehension). Thus, the ascending order of levels is clear: shemi'ah is the highest and strongest, below it is ha'azanah, and below that is hakshavah. With this, the verse's doubled phrasing becomes clear: "Give ear and hear," "pay attention and hear." First comes listening or paying attention - initial absorption - followed by "hearing," which signifies deep contemplation, internalizing, and full comprehension. This is why "hearing" always follows giving ear or paying attention.
The Parable of Plowing: Collective Suffering
הֲכֹל הַיּוֹם יַחֲרֹשׁ הַחֹרֵשׁ לִזְרֹעַ, יְפַתַּח וִישַׂדֵּד אַדְמָתוֹ. (כד) - Does the plowman plow all day to sow? Does he continually open and harrow his ground? (24)
Here the prophet begins to address the suffering that befalls the nation as a whole, explaining that it is necessary by the very nature of creation. Just as every human being inevitably endures suffering from the moment of birth: the process of growth itself, the teething, the countless times he was rushed to the doctor, the bouts of fever, and all the discomfort. All of this is guided by Divine Providence, so that a person realizes that this world is not merely a realm of worldly pleasures and amusement. One sees that suffering exists here, and from this one deduces that there is an entirely different, far higher purpose, and that the world is built in such a way that man is forced to arrive at this conclusion. As the Chovot HaLevavot explains, whoever contemplates and sees how much suffering exists in the world will inevitably conclude that we were not created for this world.
The same applies to the nation as a whole: it was necessary to bring great suffering upon the collective Jewish nation, for Hashem chose them, and the afflictions and illnesses served as a crucible in which gold is refined, to remove from them the scum and defilement that previously clung to them. Indeed, Israel's spiritual contamination was purged through the harsh afflictions in Egypt and through the Giving of the Torah, through which the faculties of the intellect and the soul prevailed, and that was the ultimate purpose of the Egyptian exile.
It is known that the human soul is compared to a field. Just as a field possesses the potential to sprout and yield seed and grain if it is worked, so too the human soul: if one invests in it and teaches it the ways of wisdom and mussar, it will blossom and bring forth wondrous fruits. But if one neglects it and fails to invest in it, he will find that it produces monstrous and dreadful things, simply because no effort was invested in it.
Working the land is divided into two stages: plowing and sowing; and the work of the soul is structured the same way. Plowing itself is divided into three actions, which are mentioned in the verse: plowing (yachorosh), furrowing (yefatach), and harrowing (yeshaded). First, a person approaches a field filled with thorns, and it is necessary to plow it, as it is written: "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns" - "breaking up" refers to plowing. This is the first step: the plowman plows for the purpose of sowing. Next, one must open a furrow in the earth into which the seed is placed; this is yefatach. Finally, to cover the seed and loosen the soil, one must harrow his ground (yeshaded).
The same process applies to the plowing of the soul. "A man is born a wild ass's colt," and the soul inherently contains many base impulses that must be plowed under. The thorns and briers that a person possesses from childhood - the lusts, the material pursuits, and the negative thoughts that accompany him from his youth - must all be removed first, just as thorns are cleared from the ground so that it can be seeded, and just as the thorns of the soul are eliminated so that the seeds of wisdom can be sown. Afterward, one must open the faculties of the soul - this is yefatach - through refined character traits and the study of mussar, so that when he learns wisdom, it will be properly received. For if a person studies without mussar and without fear of Heaven, "it would have been better had he not been born," as our Sages taught: if there is no fear of Heaven, and if there is no preservative of bitter herbs to safeguard the grain, it is worthless. Third, one must crush the hard clods and the rocky patches where nothing can be sown, and this is accomplished through the afflictions that befall a person, which crush the clods and subdue the physical forces, the lusts, and worldly cravings. For it is possible for a person to possess wisdom and even fear of Heaven, yet still be pulled after his physical pleasures.
From this emerges the question posed in the verse. Plowing is merely a preparation for the ultimate goal, which is sowing; does one who wishes to plow his field in order to sow continue plowing without end? Certainly not; rather, he plows to a specific measure so that he can proceed to sow. This is the meaning of: "Does the plowman plow all day to sow?" - when the goal is to sow, does one plow all day long? So too with afflictions, which represent the removal of thorns, the plowing of the soil, and the crushing of the clods: do you imagine that they are meant to last forever, that Israel will remain in exile and suffer without end? No. The entire objective is to bring the people back in repentance, and once they repent and mend their ways, the plowing will cease, and the clearing of thorns and leveling of the ground will come to an end, for the entire purpose was only to enable the sowing. Know, therefore, that your afflictions are not permanent; rather, Hashem will ultimately bring them to a halt once they have achieved their purpose.
Sowing: Each Person According to His Level
הֲלוֹא אִם שִׁוָּה פָנֶיהָ, וְהֵפִיץ קֶצַח וְכַמֹּן יִזְרֹק, וְשָׂם חִטָּה שׂוֹרָה וּשְׂעֹרָה נִסְמָן וְכֻסֶּמֶת גְּבֻלָתוֹ. (כה) - When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter black cumin and broadcast cumin, and place wheat in rows, barley in its designated place, and spelt on its border? (25)
The goal is to level the surface of the soil and then begin the sowing. Now the prophet describes the sowing, which varies according to the different species: black cumin is sown by scattering, whereas cumin is sown by broadcasting - "scatter black cumin and broadcast cumin." Furthermore, the location of the crops is significant: it is customary to place wheat in the center, barley around it, and spelt was sown along the perimeter. Thus we find that in plowing there is no distinction, and the entire field is plowed uniformly; but in sowing, distinctions already appear: some seeds are cast and some are scattered, some are in the center of the field and some along the edges.
What is the underlying message? The primary purpose of suffering is to awaken a person and soften him. Just as the soil is softened to make it fit to receive seed, so too afflictions soften man's heart to make him ready to receive mussar and words of wisdom. The prophet says: Notice that in suffering everyone is equal, and when there is exile everyone suffers alike. But what will emerge from this exile, what will grow here, what conclusions will you draw, and where will it lead you - that already varies according to the nature of the seed and the place where it is sown. The results of the suffering, which constitute its ultimate purpose - that man awaken to repentance and the service of Hashem - differ from person to person, and the sowing depends upon the person himself: What do you choose to be - wheat, barley, or spelt that sits merely along the border? With regard to the plowing, the suffering, all are equal; but how that suffering is received and what lessons are drawn from it depends on the preparation of the recipients. One who is close to wisdom is stirred by a slight hint. One who is further away - as we have already seen, "precept by precept, line by line" - requires repeated instruction, another explanation, and another admonition. And for one who is furthest of all, it takes a long time before all this plowing leaves an impression and takes effect upon him.
וְיִסְּרוֹ לַמִּשְׁפָּט אֱלֹהָיו יוֹרֶנּוּ. (כו) - For He instructs him properly; his God teaches him. (26)
Here the lesson of the parable is made explicit. Just as plowing is necessary for sowing, so too Hashem's chastisement in judgment has a purpose: through this, his God instructs him - Hashem teaches him the proper path, and the person accepts this reproof and mends his ways.
The Parable of Threshing: Individual Afflictions
כִּי לֹא בֶחָרוּץ יוּדַשׁ קֶצַח, וְאוֹפַן עֲגָלָה עַל כַּמֹּן יוּסָּב, כִּי בַמַּטֶּה יֵחָבֶט קֶצַח וְכַמֹּן בַּשָּׁבֶט. (כז) - For black cumin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin; rather, black cumin is beaten out with a staff, and cumin with a rod. (27)
Now the second part of the parable is explained. We noted that collective afflictions affect everyone equally; if there is an exile, everyone is in exile. But there are also individual afflictions, personal suffering that befalls a specific person, even the righteous, which is not shared by everyone: illnesses and health issues, financial difficulties, and the like.
The Malbim explains the parable: Grain contains waste, and there are two types of mixture. There is an external mixture, which is the outer husk that is easy to remove and can be separated through threshing. Then there is an intrinsic waste that adheres to the wheat grain itself, which cannot be removed by threshing; rather, it must be ground and then sifted, and through sifting it separates. Consider a grain of wheat: its outer layer is hard, and this hard layer is what is removed when one wants to produce white bread. Does it come off through threshing? Even if you bring an animal to thresh it, it will not come off, because threshing only removes the outer chaff. It must be ground, and after grinding, since the outer layer is slightly harder, it separates when sifted through a sieve. Today people often prefer to leave it in, as it is considered the healthiest part of the bread and better than the plain flour itself, but one who wants white bread and challahs must sift it through a fine sieve to separate this part.
This is the parable. Some people harbor flawed views and misconceptions. Sometimes the error stems merely from passing fantasies, and then it is easy to remove, like the outer chaff of the grain that comes off through threshing. But sometimes the matter seeps deep inside, and the distorted views penetrate a person until they become part of him. In modern terms, he identifies with them and believes in them whole-heartedly, making them very difficult to uproot. Threshing is no longer enough; he must be thoroughly ground and crushed to extract the misconception. In the language of the Malbim, that which is merely attached externally is called "neighboring adhesion" (dibuk shecheini), whereas that which has integrated into him is called "essential adhesion" (dibuk atzmi), firmly embedded in his very essence.
If we view threshing as a metaphor for suffering, consider what is done to the wheat: it is beaten and rubbed violently, which represents affliction. And what is even harsher? Grinding it, turning it into dust. This is what the Malbim is teaching: suffering is meted out to each individual according to his specific condition. Sometimes a person needs only minor afflictions, because his misconception is merely like an outer husk, superficial illusions, where a few light blows suffice to dispel it, and threshing is enough. But other times, far harsher suffering is required, because people have thoroughly identified with those distorted notions; they have become part of them and are very difficult to remove. In that case, one must be truly pounded and ground, and only then can the waste that adhered and became part of the wheat be eliminated.
Now the verse can be understood. "For black cumin is not threshed with a threshing sledge": threshing aimed at removing the outer husk is done easily, and there is no need for a heavy sledge (charutz). What is a charutz? As in "a sharp-toothed threshing sledge (morag charutz), new and with multiple teeth, you shall thresh mountains and crush them." A morag was a heavy implement with wooden or stone protrusions that was tied behind an animal. The grain lay on the ground, and as the animal pulled the heavy, jagged tool across it, the implement rubbed the wheat against the ground, separating the outer husk. Just as one rubs a peanut in a circular motion to peel off its reddish skin, so the outer husk of wheat was removed. The prophet says: Black cumin is not threshed with a heavy sledge; there is no need to thresh it so harshly. Nor is "a cart wheel rolled over cumin" - another method of threshing was rolling a cart wheel that crushed the grain and crumbled away the outer husk. Instead, it is enough to beat black cumin with a staff, a few light taps and the husk comes off, and cumin is handled even more gently, with a small rod (shevet), which is lighter than a staff. In other words, sometimes the flawed views have not become an integral part of the person; with a light touch they fall away, and minimal personal afflictions suffice to awaken him to mend his ways.
לֶחֶם יוּדָק כִּי לֹא לָנֶצַח אָדוֹשׁ יְדוּשֶׁנּוּ, וְהָמַם גִּלְגַּל עֶגְלָתוֹ וּפָרָשָׁיו לֹא יְדֻקֶּנּוּ. (כח) - Bread grain must be crushed, for one will not thresh it forever; nor will the wheel of his cart crush it, nor do his horses grind it fine. (28)
However, one who wants to make bread must also remove the layer adhering to the body of the wheat grain itself. Threshing alone is not enough; one needs a mortar, grinding with millstones, or pounding in a mortar. Even threshing with a wheel will not remove the inner layer. "For he will not thresh it forever": threshing removes the chaff, as we explained, but continuing to thresh forever is useless. Once the outer husk is gone, you are left with the inner layer, which no amount of threshing can remove, even if you continue for years. Similarly, "nor will the wheel of his cart and his horses crush it" - rolling a cart wheel or driving horses over it will not help, for all of these serve only to strip away the outer husk. "It will not crush it": these cannot crush it fine; for that, one requires a mortar or millstones.
In the same way, when a person has absorbed all kinds of corruptions and strange views contrary to the Torah until they have become part of him, they cannot be removed easily, and mere threshing will not extract them. For this, it must be crushed, like pounding in a mortar until it becomes fine powder. In the parable's application, such an individual requires harsher suffering, as that alone can bring about a transformation in his thinking.
A Story: What a Jewish Soul Must Endure
We have previously recounted the story of the Klausenberger Rebbe, of blessed memory, who was in the concentration camps alongside a man who had served as the finance minister in the Polish government. His signature had appeared on all the Polish banknotes; he had revitalized the Polish economy from scratch, lifting it out of triple-digit inflation and setting it on solid footing. Yet this man was an assimilated Jew who had disavowed his Jewishness. As a "reward" for his great accomplishments, his non-Jewish wife denounced him to the Germans, may their name and memory be erased, and they came and took him away. Having put his trust in her, in his high office, and in his prestige, he was plunged into an overwhelming crisis.
The Rebbe - a true giant among giants, author of the responsa *Divrei Yatziv*, a profound genius imbued with an immense love of Torah, who lost twelve members of his immediate family in the Holocaust, and later arrived in Netanya, rebuilt his family and his Chassidus, founded hospitals and a nursing school, and established Mifal HaShas, a single individual who accomplished all this - would sit and converse with him, offering him words of encouragement time and again. The man, highly educated, debated with him, and was not easily persuaded. The Germans, may their name be erased, abused him severely, taking sadistic pleasure in degrading people of high status, prominent rabbis, and government officials. At a certain point, one night lying on the wooden plank bunk, he said to the Rebbe: "You know, I have come to the conclusion that you were right. I was wrong my entire life." The following day, he returned his soul to his Maker.
The Klausenberger Rebbe remarked on this: Look at that - how much a Jewish soul sometimes has to endure, how many poundings upon poundings and crushings upon crushings, until in the end he finally proclaims, "Hashem is God!" This is precisely what the prophet is conveying: there are times when "he is not threshed with a sharp tool," when there is no need for a cartwheel; a few blows with a rod are sufficient, because the husk is only superficial and has not become part of him. But there are also times when the outer layer has fused into his very identity, and then a cartwheel, blows with a stick, or threshing with a sledge will accomplish nothing. Nothing will avail except complete crushing, followed by sifting with a sieve, and only then can you separate what had become an inseparable part of the grain of wheat.
Wondrous in Counsel, Great in Wisdom
גַּם זֹאת מֵעִם יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת יָצָאָה, הִפְלִא עֵצָה הִגְדִּיל תּוּשִׁיָּה. (כט) - This too comes from Hashem of Hosts; He is wondrous in counsel, great in wisdom.
The Malbim explains: We see in the works of Hashem that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs the most wondrous things in the world, and their wonder lies both in their vast quantity and in their supreme quality. In terms of quantity, look at reality: the very existence of the universe and the galaxies surrounding it, whose limits are still unknown. It is clear to us that the universe is finite, since it is physical, but who can fathom where it ends? New galaxies are discovered continuously, beyond our comprehension or ability to grasp. The Holy One, blessed be He, created a universe boundless in scale, measured in terms of millions of light-years across space.
On the other hand, when a human being produces something in vast quantities, it often comes at the expense of quality. Yet if one examines the quality of what the Holy One, blessed be He, has created, in every living cell and in the tiniest organism, when one observes the DNA within it and its intricate design - "You made them all with wisdom" - one stands in awe at the tremendous complexity of the smallest entity. Thus, we find an immense scale of magnitude on the one hand, and profound wisdom in every microscopic particle on the other, spanning both the macro and the micro. It is present in the staggering size and power of the cosmos, as well as in the minute details of every living cell, wonders that scientists have yet to fully fathom to this day.
This grants us insight into "You made them all with wisdom." "How manifold are Your works, Hashem!" - there is vast abundance here, and usually, mass production lacks individuality and precision. Here, however, Hashem made so much, yet "You made them all with wisdom," for alongside the colossal scale, every single detail is fashioned with genius. Likewise, "How great are Your works, Hashem," is paired with "how very deep are Your thoughts," showing how much contemplation and care the Holy One, blessed be He, invested in every detail. This is the meaning of "This too comes from Hashem of Hosts; He is wondrous in counsel, great in wisdom." "He has magnified sound wisdom (*tushiyah*)" refers to physical existence itself, which is vast in quantity - *tushiyah* being related to *yeish* (substance or existence), for the Holy One, blessed be He, expanded the tangible existence of the world immensely. And "He is wondrous in counsel (*hefli eitzah*)" means that every individual detail is designed with supreme wisdom, which Hashem concealed within the creation, such that only one who contemplates God's greatness can discern and perceive it.
With this, the prophet also alludes to what he said earlier regarding the preparation of bread: "Bread corn must be crushed, but he will not thresh it forever." Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, created the smallest element in absolute perfection, so He desires that man remove the chaff and straw embedded within his soul, elevating himself to perfection. Neither the external refuse, removed through threshing or beating with a rod, nor the internal refuse, requiring crushing and grinding to be eliminated, should remain in him. Rather, all his deeds should attain ultimate perfection, just as the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world with sound wisdom and profound counsel in utter perfection.
Summary:
The prophet describes the rebuilding of the House of Judah: the cornerstone is King Chizkiyahu, a tested stone in his character traits, a precious corner in his lineage, and a well-founded foundation in his ultimate purpose - though "he who believes will not hasten," as the path is long. Justice and righteousness are the measuring line and the plummet by which the building is assessed; when we hold fast to them, we will not need the refuge of lies of Assyria and Egypt, which will be swept away by hail and washed away by water. Assyria will sweep through the land and bring distress, but its entire purpose is only "sheer terror to understand the message," to shake the heart and lead to comprehension of Hashem's word. In the end, Assyria's downfall will come from below like Mount Perazim and from above like the valley in Gibeon, through an extraordinary and foreign act. From here, the prophet turns to teach us the secret of suffering: just as plowing does not go on forever but serves as preparation for sowing, so communal suffering is meant to clear away the thorns, open up the soul, and break up the clods of earth, ceasing once its goal is attained. Individual suffering varies according to each person: for one, a light blow with a staff or rod suffices, while another, whose flawed attitudes have become ingrained in his very being, requires crushing and grinding. All of this "comes from Hashem of Hosts; He is wondrous in counsel, great in wisdom." Just as He created His world in absolute perfection, so He asks man to bring himself to perfection.