"Hashem Elokim has given me a tongue of learning, to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear like the learned." This is a verse that seems entirely obscure, so let us explain it. The Malbim says that here Yeshayahu returns to what he said earlier: "Why did I come and there was no man, I called and there was none to answer?" If you say, "I did not hear that Hashem called me," the prophet responds to them: But Hashem gave me a tongue of learning, Hashem gave me eloquence of speech in order to arouse you to His service. The Malbim explains that in order for the prophet, who is called the intermediary between us and Hashem, to be able to be a prophet to the nations, to be able to teach the nations and to teach the people of Israel, he must have three qualities. First, that he have a tongue that speaks great things. What does "a tongue that speaks great things" mean? That he have a wealth of language. That he have a rich vocabulary, so that through it he can express whatever he wishes. For what is the difference between a person with a rich vocabulary and one without? A person with a rich vocabulary can better provide comparisons and parables and explain things in more varied expressions. In contrast, a person without a rich vocabulary can convey only one facet of matters, understanding them in a limited way. But one who possesses a rich vocabulary can elaborate and descend to the finest resolution, until you grasp the details and the details of the details. By what power? By the fact that his language is rich enough to draw comparisons and give examples and explain things until they are understood in a wonderful way. About this he says: "Hashem gave me a tongue of learning." The prophet says, you have no problem whatsoever with my speech, for Hashem gave me a tongue of learning, "to know how to sustain the weary with a word." The Malbim explains: "la'ut" means to speak the weary word. The Malbim explains that "la'ut" derives from the root "lo'a" (the jaw). The lamed here is part of the root, not a prefix lamed. "La'ut." "Ut" is the word and the lamed is the prefix, so the other commentators explain, and I will explain their interpretation afterward. According to the Malbim, "la'ut" is from "lo'a." "They spoke my words." What is the meaning of the word? He says: the jaw moves, and this is called the "lo'a," from the term for a person's jaw, "la'ut et ya'ef davar." And as it is written, "It is a snare for a man to rashly utter something holy," meaning that he speaks and consecrates and vows vows without paying attention to what comes out of his mouth. "They drank and spoke," they speak like drunkards. Or "they spit up blood," they bring blood out from their jaws. "And you shall put a knife to your throat (lo'echa)." Again, all from the term "lo'a." So he says, Hashem gave me, as it were, the talent in my jaw, in my mouth, to know how to speak.
And not only that, but also "et ya'ef davar." What is "ya'ef"? "Ya'ef" is from the term for flying, high. Hashem gave me the talent to take very lofty things, exalted and sublime, and to succeed in expressing them with my lips, articulating them with my lips. For the great difficulty is not explaining simple things. Simple things are easy. The great difficulty is to take sublime things and bring them down into a language that a person can succeed in understanding. And this is a very difficult thing. There are people of immense talent, but when you try to understand them you cannot. Why? Because they are too high up. They are too high up, and you cannot manage to reach where they are. The talent that Yeshayahu says Hashem gave me is the power "to know how to sustain the weary word." What does "la'ut" mean? To speak with my mouth a word that is "ya'ef." "Ya'ef" is from the term for high, flying, lofty and exalted; Hashem gave me the talent to bring it down into a language people can understand.
Another thing the prophet needs in order to be able to speak Hashem's prophecies to the people is that this power be within him constantly. Not on rare occasions, but on a regular basis. For now there is a prophecy, now he needs it; it is not that suddenly the spirit rested upon him and suddenly he received some higher power to succeed in explaining sublime matters in clear language. About this he says "He awakens me morning by morning." Constantly the Holy One gave me this power to take sublime ideas and bring them down into the world of action. And a third thing, that he say the matters in a language people will understand. In a language people will absorb; he should not speak in riddles, in all sorts of parables that people do not understand what you are speaking about. About this is the third thing he says: "He awakens my ear to hear like the learned." The meaning is something that the mind of the listeners and learners will be able to grasp. So he says, I heard the prophecy from Hashem's mouth according to the capacity of the learners. What is "the capacity of the learners"? The capacity of those who learn.
According to the load the learner is able to understand, able to bear, able to absorb, the Holy One gave me a special talent to bring down the matters and impart them according to the capacity of the recipient. For there is a person that, if you speak to him in too simple a language, it will bore him. And there is a person to whom, if you speak in too lofty a language, he will say, what are you talking about? I did not understand, what did he even say? Rabbi Nogershel once told that he was at a seminar for academics and he spoke there, delivered a lecture there, so it was tailored to academics. Afterward, in the same city, he had another lecture at a folk seminar. So he had to travel there, and someone asked him, one of those who came to the seminar asked him, may I accompany the Rabbi? He said yes, please. He traveled with him, and he also went in with him to the lecture he gave at the folk seminar. So he says to the Rabbi, this is how Rabbi Nogershel told it, he says to me after the lecture, now the Rabbi spoke to the point, now the Rabbi spoke to the point. There, I do not know what the Rabbi spoke about there, now the Rabbi spoke to the point. In short, the fault is not in the ear, it is in whoever registered him. Whoever registered him for the academic seminar, apparently he needs to be fired. There is a person, speak to him in a folk manner, ah, now speak to me at eye level, I understand what you are saying. And on the other hand there is the opposite kind of person, who says, why is he talking to me like a stall in the market? I want him to speak on a level, let him speak... It depends on the person's level. He says the Holy One gave me the power to speak according to the level of the learners. He gave me an ear to hear like the learned, as they are able to learn, so the Holy One gave me the ability to teach them according to their level.
What we have now explained is the Malbim. And note that the "ya'ef" is also different, for "ya'ef" is from the term "the loftiness (to'afot) of the wild ox is his," meaning high things. In contrast, on both of these two matters, Rashi and the Radak explain things differently. They say the Holy One gave me a tongue fitting to teach, so as to know how to "la'ut" the weary. "Ya'ef" here is from the term "weary, thirsty." And "la'ut" is from the term "et" (time). To know how to say the matter at the right time, in the right manner, to set for them appointed times fittingly. That is how they explain "la'ut," from the term "et," and "ya'ef" they explain to mean a person who is weary, whose soul is as it were weary, one must explain matters to him, simplify them for him. So the Holy One gave me this power, that I should have a tongue of learning, to know how to say things at the right time, and also for people to be able to drink them in. If a person is thirsty and you pour a bucket of water over him, it will not help him. You need to give it to him at his own pace, according to his capabilities. And this talent the Holy One granted and gave to me.
"Hashem Elokim opened my ear, and I did not rebel, I did not turn back." Hashem Elokim opened my ear; Hashem told me, He proclaimed to me, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?" As we saw, the Holy One said, I sent Amos and they would call him a stammerer, I sent Michah and they would scorn him. That is, when the Holy One sent me, He had a purpose that the matters be heard. And Yeshayahu says, "and I did not rebel." I did not defy His word and I went on His mission. "I did not turn back," but rather I said to Him, here I am, send me. The Radak explains, note, verse 4: "Hashem Elokim gave me a tongue of learning," verse 5: "Hashem Elokim opened my ear." How many times he repeats "Hashem Elokim." What does he mean by this? "Elokim" is also a term of agency. Emissaries too are from the term for angel. "Elokim carries out His word." So he says, therefore, Hashem Elokim, the Holy One conveyed the prophecy to me through the emissaries. It is written that prophecy comes, as it were, through an emissary from Hashem by means of the angels, so that it can reach the prophet. For to make direct contact with the Creator of the world, a person could not withstand that immense voltage. Therefore it is through an angel. An angel places His word in his mouth. As we see that the angel is revealed to Avraham and says to him, "Do not lay your hand upon the lad." That is, the Holy One's contact with man is through angels. So this is "Hashem Elokim." Hashem through the Elokim, through the angels, for "Elokim" means forces. "And I did not rebel," meaning I did not defy Hashem's word and I went on His mission. The Malbim says that this is a continuation of what we said earlier. The Holy One asks, why did I come and there was no man? And if you say the prophet is at fault, I have already said that the Holy One gave me a tongue of learning. And if you still claim, perhaps Hashem gave you a tongue of learning but you were unfaithful to your mission, you did not go and call to the people in the name of Hashem, he says: it was not so, but rather the moment Hashem opened my ear, the moment He made some opening for me, I did not rebel, I immediately went on His mission.
What will you say? Fine, perhaps you went, you saw the people, and you were frightened. A person sometimes has stage fright, fear of an audience. You saw the public and were afraid to tell them what needed to be said. He says: no, it was not so. "I did not turn back." Even when I came to speak before them, I did not turn back, but rather said all that Hashem sent me to say. "I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to those who pluck; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting." And not only that, but even though I know they will strike me, I prepared my back for the smiters. I am already ready even for them to give me blows. That is, to what extent did I not turn back? To the extent that even if they strike me. And not only that, but "my cheeks to those who pluck." Usually when they come to strike a person on his face or pluck his hair, he hides his cheeks. So he says, I did not hide my face from those who pluck, and I also did not hide it from insult and spitting. For sometimes when they spit on a person he hides his face with his hands. He says, I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. This means that I was ready to carry out the mission with self-sacrifice, even though I knew it would exact a price from me. Rashi brings a Midrash of Chazal, that the Holy One said to Yeshayahu, know that My children are obstinate, My children are troublesome, so that you not be angry with them. He said, on that condition. What does this mean? Rashi faces a difficulty that the Radak raises. The Radak's difficulty is that we do not find in Scripture that they struck Yeshayahu. We saw that they abused Yirmiyahu, that yes. With Yirmiyahu we indeed saw throughout, we saw they tormented him, threw him into the courtyard of the guard; with Yirmiyahu, yes. But regarding Yeshayahu we do not find that they actually struck him, slapped his cheeks, plucked his beard. We do not find this in Scripture.
So there is one possibility, that such a thing did occur but we do not find it. That is, Scripture did not describe it. Such things happened and Scripture did not write everything. And there is another possibility, that the verse states what Yeshayahu said. I went on the mission, even though I would have to give my back to the smiters, even though I would have to give my cheeks to those who pluck; on that condition I went on the mission. And this is what Rashi says, that the Holy One informed him in advance, My children are obstinate, My children are troublesome. Rashi says, I said to him, on that condition. What does this mean? Not that they actually did this to me, but rather that from the outset I was ready to give my back to the smiters, my cheeks to those who pluck, and not to hide my face at a time of insult and spitting, all in order to fulfill Hashem's word and carry out the mission fully. "And Hashem Elokim will help me, therefore I was not disgraced; therefore I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be ashamed." And Hashem Elokim will help me; if they struck me, Hashem Elokim will help me that they not kill me. That is, that they not harm me too severely. And even if they did not strike me, according to the Radak's second interpretation, then Hashem will help me that my words be fulfilled. That is, if I say things and they do not happen immediately, if the public do not see how my words are fulfilled, through this the prophet would be shamed. Why do you threaten? Why do you keep saying, here it will be thus and thus, and nothing happened. Why do you religious people always like to frighten? He says: no, the Holy One will help me that my words be fulfilled, therefore I was not disgraced. No shame arose for me, as though to say, here, you kept saying only "it will be, it will be," and nothing happened. I was not disgraced. "Therefore I set my face like flint." This caused me to set my face like flint, like a rock, to speak Hashem's word. "And I know I will not be ashamed." Since I know there will be no shame for me, that it is impossible that I say things and they not be fulfilled. And since this is so, it gave me the courage to say things fittingly.
The Malbim explains that in truth, given the insolence of the generation, it would have been easy, so to speak, without much effort, for them to strike him. He would not have had to provoke them too much for them to burst out against him and strike him. Ah, why did they not strike him? Because "Hashem Elokim will help me." This was the reason I was not disgraced, that I saw Hashem's providence watching over me individually. And consequently I set my face like flint and knew I would not be ashamed, for I have help from Hashem. So according to the Malbim, even though the prophet did not experience this in practice, the prophet says, do you know why? Because Hashem Elokim will help me. That is, understand that naturally little was lacking for them to strike me. But how was I saved? Because Hashem Elokim will help me. Therefore I was not disgraced. This is what encouraged me to set my face like flint, and I know I will not be ashamed. What is the difference between "disgraced" (nichlam) and "ashamed" (evosh)? The Malbim says that "nichlam" is from others, and "evosh" is from oneself. Shame covers him, meaning inner shame; he is ashamed before himself, how such a thing happened. So I saw that I have help from Hashem, so even from myself I was not ashamed, and I rose and found the courage to say the matters. "He who justifies me is near; who will contend with me? Let us stand together; who is my adversary at law? Let him approach me."
"He who justifies me is near." The Malbim says there is a difference between a dispute (riv) and a legal case (mishpat). What is the difference? When there are claims and counterclaims, you have something to say and I have something to say, and there is room to deliberate and room to see and hear both sides and determine what is preferable and which side is more correct, that is called a "riv." The judge hears the dispute that arises between the two. The arranging of claims, where each one has something to say. In contrast, "mishpat" is in a matter that is clear-cut, decisive, absolute, about which there are no doubts. That is, it is known, a person damaged his fellow, so he must pay. This is a matter about which there are no claims, counterclaims, proofs, evidence, sides this way and that. This is called "mishpat." "Riv" is a matter that must be heard, must be deliberated, that has two sides, that requires weighing and seeing which way the balance tilts. About this he says, one who has a "riv," says the Malbim, approaches the judge. But one who has a "mishpat" against his fellow, approaches him directly without a judge. Sir, give me what is owed to me. No, let us go to court. Why go to court? I gave you a loan, return it to me. Why go to court? A matter that is clear-cut, absolute by law, one does not go to court for. He approaches his fellow, demanding what is owed to him by "mishpat." "Mishpat" means according to the law. But a matter with legal twists and compromises, with sides this way and that, for that one goes to the judge, so he may hear the dispute between the two. Now, after this introduction, we will understand the verse.
Yeshayahu the prophet says, whoever wishes to dispute with me, whoever has claims, has an argument against me, I will go with him to the judge. Whoever has a dispute, "who will contend with me? Let us stand together." I will go with him to the judge so the judge may judge between us. "Let us stand together," for they shall stand before the judge who will be in those days. There is a need to stand before the judge. But behold, "he who justifies me is near." For clearly I will emerge righteous in my case. And consequently, "who is my adversary at law?" As if to say, whatever you wish to litigate against me, there is an explicit and clear ruling. And regarding an explicit and clear ruling, what did we say? One does not go to a judge. So "who is my adversary at law? Let him approach me." When there is a clear and just claim, approach me. But he says, behold, clearly there is here neither dispute nor legal case. For clearly the matter is absolute, that the things I say are true and correct, that no one can come and claim against me, come to a legal case, and also not come against me and make, as we said, a clear demand, that is, sue me directly. Neither go to the judge, nor a case in which he sues me a direct suit. For behold, Hashem Elokim will help me; who is he that will condemn me? Behold, they will all wear out like a garment, the moth will devour them.
"Behold, Hashem Elokim will help me; who is he that will condemn me?" The Malbim explains, "who will condemn me" means who can come and win in argument and claims against my prophecy? Who can come and say he has something to refute my words? He has some claim and proof against what I said? And this is as we spoke earlier about the matter of "riv." One who has a dispute, claims, counterclaims, who can come and argue against the prophecy? "Behold, they will all wear out like a garment, the moth will devour them." The Malbim says, what is the difference between a garment wearing out and the moth devouring it? A garment wears out from much use. It is used again and again and again until it wears out. In contrast, the moth's eating is the opposite. It comes from not using the garment; leave it half a year in the closet, and the moth will devour it. So a garment wears out from much use, and the moth eats it from little use. Accordingly the Malbim says, against those who bring a dispute, with claims and counterclaims, he says this will wear out like a garment. That is, they will keep using their claims again and again and find nothing in them. Their claims will be recycled anew each time, but nothing will come of it. It will be like a worn garment that is of no use. A worn garment cannot warm the one who wears it, since the garment has thickness, and when it wears out it is already threadbare. So their claims, they will recycle them constantly, they will wear out like a garment. And against one who wishes to come against me in a clear legal case, as we said, approaching directly, not with claims and arguments but with a clear-cut claim, he says, I will not argue with him at all. For I bring with me the words of the living God. I will not argue; even without arguing with him, the moth will devour them. As if to say, the matter will be consumed on its own. A garment, as it were, wears out through much use of it, so he says their claims they will recycle so much, and then through this they are already worn out. But in contrast, those who come to a legal case with something clear, as it were, I will not argue with them at all. The moth will devour them on their own.
There is another explanation the Malbim brings elsewhere, what is the difference between a garment wearing out and the moth devouring it. The rotting of the garment is from the weakness of the garment itself. The thing itself weakened, and then the garment wore out. The garment itself became weak. In contrast, the moth comes from outside. The moth is something external that eats. Even a garment you do not use, after years, 100 years, 200 years; search for shrouds or all sorts of garments found in various caves, you touch it and it crumbles. The moth did not eat it. What happened to the garment? It wore out. "Wore out" means the material itself, as it were, was consumed, the material itself deteriorates on its own. In contrast, the moth: the material itself could be the strongest, and the moth comes and eats it from outside. The moth is the worm of garments. This the Malbim says can be explained here too. Their claims will wear out on their own, and also through an external cause. Why? Because behold, Hashem Elokim will help me. That is an external cause. So here there is both the external cause, which is compared to the moth that will eat their claims, and also their claims will wear out on their own, which is compared to the worn garment that wears out by itself. So that in practice there will be no claims whatsoever to nullify the words of the prophecy that I convey, to prove that, as it were, there is no substance to my words.
"Who among you fears Hashem, hearkening to the voice of His servant, who has walked in darkness and has no light, let him trust in the name of Hashem and lean upon his God." "Who among you fears Hashem, hearkening to the voice of His servant." "The voice of His servant," says Rashi, is the voice of the prophets. "Who has walked in darkness," even if he has troubles, he still trusts in Hashem. The Malbim explains, that generation, as we said, did not believe the words of the prophet. They would come with claims, with arguments, with proofs to refute his words. And about this he said, who will contend with me, who is my adversary at law. There were a few individuals, people who believed the words of the prophet and accepted them. "One from a city and two from a family." Against them, now he speaks. Who among you fears Hashem, who hearkens to the voice of His servant. Who hears the prophecies I say and accepts them. And then, even though he walked in darkness and has no light, as it were he has no light, let him trust in the name of Hashem and lean upon his God. The very trust and leaning upon Hashem, this will give him light. This is what will aid him. But in contrast, "all of you who kindle fire, who gird yourselves with firebrands," these are those who do not accept the word of the prophet. What is the meaning of this? The Malbim explains it in a most wonderful way. The Malbim says, the prophet here compares those who believe the words of the prophet and those who, in contrast, deny the words of the prophet, to two people who are in the desert, at night, darkness, gloom. Are you not afraid? So one, you ask him, and he says to you, I trust in Hashem. I am not afraid. I trust in Hashem, confident and secure that He will save me from all harm. Does he light a candle? No, he does not need to. What will a candle give me? I trust in Hashem. In contrast, there is another who does not trust in Hashem, and he is afraid, and he is anxious about what is to come. And what does he do to escape his fear? He kindles a fire, and takes and blows on coals of fire, goes and kindles, takes coals, ignites them. Why? To be saved from the fear, to escape the anxieties he has in a dark place, for he has no trust in Hashem. Did it help him? It did not help him. Because in any case he still remains lying in fear, for every moment he is still anxious about what is to come. Who knows what beast will emerge from some den. And also, what did he accomplish by kindling coal and fire? He blackened his hands, blackened his face, perhaps even got burned. How? As a result of what? As a result of not relying on the Holy One, but seeking natural ways to be saved. About this the prophet says here, who among you is there who fears Hashem, hearkening to the voice of His servant, believing all the words of the prophet. And that man, even though he did not kindle fire, and the fire here comes to symbolize, as it were, what does one search cracks and crevices with? A candle. As it were, he does not need a candle to come and search cracks and crevices; he believes in Hashem, he has absolute trust. Unlike the deniers and skeptics of the prophet's words who kindle fire, as if to say, who said that what you are saying is true? Come, come, I want to check. In contrast, that one can sleep peacefully, even though he did not kindle a fire, even though he sits and lies in darkness, and has no light, no illumination at all, nevertheless he is confident and secure without any anxiety, without any concern. And then he gains two things.
First, "let him trust in Hashem." His heart trusts in Hashem, he is calm, he is serene and at ease. Second, one who trusts in Hashem, what happens to him? Kindness surrounds him. So consequently he finds a support in his God. That is, what he leans upon is something stable, strong, that he can lean upon. And this is what he says here. This person who seemingly walked in darkness and has no light, has no problem, because he trusts in Hashem. And by trusting in Hashem, "and lean upon his God." He has something to lean upon and rely on, for Hashem will ultimately indeed save him. And we have already explained what the Vilna Gaon says, "It is better to take refuge in Hashem than to trust in man." The Vilna Gaon says, what is "it is better to take refuge in Hashem," what is the difference between "taking refuge" (lachasot) and "trusting" (batu'ach)? "Taking refuge" means there is some shelter, and I go and hide beneath it. Does it hide me completely? No. Am I guaranteed that this shelter will protect me? No, I myself went and took refuge in its shade. In contrast, "trust" is a promise. Someone tells you, I promise you, do not worry, I will protect you. King David says, it is better to take refuge in Hashem. With the Holy One, it is even better to go and take refuge in His shade, even though Hashem did not promise me rescue; that is better than trusting in man, than relying on someone who promised, I will protect you, I will guard you. It is even better just to take refuge in Hashem, which is little, than absolute trust that a man promised me. So too here, after he trusts in Hashem, then he is already confident and secure, he will lean upon his God. He has something to lean upon. A thing I can trust in is always called a strong support. And a thing I cannot trust in, what is it called? A broken reed for a staff. You lean on it and it breaks, and moreover a broken reed, the reed has a point at its ends, so it has points, a break, for it is shattered, and it pierces the hands. This is what happens to one who leans on something not worth leaning on. So here he speaks of those who trust in Hashem; he does not need candles, he does not need searches and inspections, and he truly has someone to lean upon. What is "walked in darkness and has no light"? The Malbim explains, darkness is the absence of light. It is not total gloom. The absence of the light that would illuminate. It is quite possible that there is darkness but there is also "nogah" (glow). For example, "nogah," incidentally, as distinct from full light, "nogah" is also reflected light. It is also when the light strikes a certain place and from there passes to another place; that is called "nogah." "Nogah" is also, we express it when we want to say we see the glow of the moon. When I do not see the moon itself but I see the mists upon which the moon strikes, so a kind of halo forms, that is "nogah." So consequently, in this situation where this person relies on Hashem, he is not only in darkness; you might say, but perhaps there is some glow. He says: no, even a little moon does not shine, he has no glow. With all this, he fears nothing. Why? As we said, he will trust in the name of Hashem and lean upon his God. The difference between trusting and leaning, says the Malbim, as we explained, trust is in the heart, leaning is in practice. Since he leans upon his God, consequently he need fear nothing. And what is "upon his God"? Why does it not say "lean upon God"? The Malbim has explained this to us several times in the past, that when it is written "upon God" it means general providence. When it is written "upon his God," his, this is individual providence. The moment you lean, ah, it is individual, there is individual providence over you. You will receive special VIP service just for you. Therefore it is written, he will lean upon his God. As if the God dedicates Himself to him and to him alone.
"Behold, all of you who kindle fire, who gird yourselves with firebrands, walk by the light of your fire and by the firebrands you have kindled; from My hand has this come to you, in sorrow you shall lie down." "Behold, all of you," I will first explain the plain meaning of the text as Rashi and the plain-sense commentators explain. Behold, all of you, you do not hearken to the word of the prophet, you kindle fire, you arouse the fire of the wrath and anger of the Holy One against you. You ignite the fire of His wrath against you. You gird yourselves with firebrands, you strengthen the firebrands. "Zikot" is from the term like sparks. Rashi says, coals of fire thrown by a sling. Like sparks that fly. Sparks of fire. "Walk by the light of your fire." What is the meaning? That very fire by which you aroused Hashem's wrath against yourselves, as if you ignited a fire, this fire will burn you. Thus he turns to those people who doubt the word of the prophet. From My hand this shall be to you, that you shall lie down in sorrow. "Lying down" here means the lying down of illness or death; you shall have no strength to rise before your enemies. Let us go according to the line the Malbim laid out for us. The Malbim says, in contrast to the one who trusts in Hashem and does not kindle any light and sleeps in the desert without any concern, there are those, all these who dig deep to investigate, who said that what the prophet said is true? What is the proof that it will be fulfilled? Why does he only frighten us all the time? Perhaps this is not the word of Hashem? What do they do? They kindle fire to poke about, to search cracks and crevices. Behold, all of you who kindle fire, who gird yourselves with firebrands. Since you have no good oil and wicks to give light, you kindle fire. What is "kindle fire"? Taking wood and trying to blow sparks into it. And they gird and surround the fire with firebrands and sparks to try to ignite a fire. What does he mean? If you had some genuine claim against me, as it were, you have some claim against the prophet, that is called a torch, that is called fire, that is a candle with which you can as it were come to prove, to search, to illuminate. Here, what the prophet said is inaccurate. Here, the prophet misled us here. Here, the prophet did not speak a matter truly in the name of Hashem. You have some genuine light. But you do not really have genuine light, so what do you do? Take all sorts of twigs and gather straw and try to create some light from it, in order to search out the prophet's words with it, to prove that what the prophet said is not true. What happens when a person tries to ignite fire in such a way? It blackens his face. It causes him to blow on coal and his face is blackened as a result. "Walk by the light of your fire," walk by the light of this small fire of yours, "and by the firebrands you have kindled." As we said, that they try to investigate the words of the prophet. But in any case, from My hand this shall be to you, in sorrow you shall lie down. I give you a promise, that after you kindled light, then what did we say? That the one who trusts in Hashem sleeps peacefully in the desert. He has trust in Hashem. He is confident in the Holy One. In contrast, that one kindled a fire. He thinks this is what will calm him. He says: no, this will not help you. In sorrow you shall lie down. You will still lie in sorrow. I will read you the language of the Malbim: you will grope like a blind man along the wall of doubts. That is, when a person has doubts, he is like a blind man. Groping in the gloom, he does not know, he has no certainty. So you think this will help you, all the claims you will come and make against the words of the prophet, this will help you there? So we are calm, what the prophet said will not come. But you have no proofs against the words of the prophet. So consequently, you only arouse doubts. So consequently, this fire that you kindled will give you no rest. For if I had nullified the words of the prophet, if I had brought proofs that the prophet spoke nonsense, I go to sleep peacefully. Wait, but the prophet said there will be troubles, there will be disasters, there will be destruction, there will be... no, I proved this is nonsense. But that is not what happens here. What happens here? You are actually trying to arouse doubts. And genuine matters with which to arouse doubts, we explained, you do not have. Genuine fire you do not have. So you try to pile up thorns and all sorts of firebrands to arouse doubts. So with you it is still what? You are not entirely certain. You grope like a blind man along the wall of doubts. He says, so consequently you cannot lie down peacefully either. For in any case, the one who trusts in Hashem knows, I lean upon my God, I am not troubled. But that one who does not trust in Hashem and only tries to arouse doubts, he himself knows that his words are not true. So what did he accomplish? All in all he entered himself into doubts, and through this he still always remains in fear and worry. The Malbim says, note, it is written here "kindle fire" (kodchei esh). What is the difference between igniting fire, kindling fire, and "kodeach" fire? "For a fire has kindled (kadcha) in My anger and burned to the lowest depths." The Malbim says, usually "kodeach" fire refers to an inner fire. Like a fever (kadachat). What is a fever? The internal heat of the body rises. This was the disease of fever or consumption. And then what happens? There is the internal coldness of the body that tries to struggle against the heat and tries to cool it, tries to prevent it. And this is what we see, "a fire has kindled in My anger and burned to the lowest depths." As it were, the burning of the wrath of the Holy One is from between, in the language of the Malbim, from between mountains of snow. There is, as it were, a force that tries to nullify the great heat, and the fire kindles, kindles and penetrates that cold, that snow, the fire kindles and nevertheless manages to overcome. So too with a fever, the body tries to cool itself, and the fever kindles and heats and consumes the body against the body's attempt to cool itself. So too here, when these people take, as we said, they do not really have genuine claims, so what does one do? Take wood, some logs? Damp logs he takes, trying to ignite them. If you had genuine claims, then you would have had a good fire. But you do not have a good fire, so you take a damp log of wood, trying to ignite it. What happens? Sparks come out, it does not burn well, it does not light well. So this is "who gird yourselves with firebrands." And so, this comes to express that the wood itself, as it were, struggles against the kindling fire. You kindle fire, trying with the fire to bore into wood that finds it hard to accept the fire, into wood that is damp. So too you try, as it were, to pin all sorts of claims, all sorts of accusations, all sorts of things against the words of the prophet, even though these are things with no substance, things with no permanence. And therefore the punishment that will be is the opposite of the righteous one. The righteous one, as we said, even though he is in darkness and even though he has no glow, the moment he trusts in Hashem, then he leans upon his God. But you do not have this, and therefore what you will have, the prophet says to them, in sorrow you shall lie down. May Hashem grant us to do His will and serve Him with a whole heart. Amen.