And you, son of man, so says Hashem Elokim, say to the birds of every wing and to every beast of the field: gather and come, assemble from all around to My feast which I am slaughtering for you, a great feast upon the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood.
He says, and you, son of man. Here Hashem turns to him, as it were, in a poetic way, and tells him: do you know why there will be no more men left with flesh on them, and only bones will remain? Because Hashem has called to every beast of the land, Hashem has called to the birds of the heavens, to the birds of every wing, telling them, gather and come, assemble from all around to My feast which I am slaughtering for you. I am preparing a meal for you, I am making a great feast for you. And now this feast will be of flesh and of blood.
The flesh of mighty men you shall eat, and the blood of the princes of the earth you shall drink, rams, lambs and he goats, bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
The Radak says, the flesh of mighty men, rams, lambs and he goats, bulls, fatlings of Bashan, this is a metaphor for the great ones. You will, as it were, eat the great and the most distinguished among them. The lambs are the fat sheep, says the Metzudat Tzion. The he goats are the males of the goats. Fatlings of Bashan means: fatlings is the fattened, the plump, as in the pasuk "and I will not look upon the peace offerings of your fatlings." And Bashan is a place of rich pasture, as it is written "the cows of Bashan." If so, the meaning is the fattened and plumped among the fatlings of Bashan. And the Malbim explains that this pasuk actually comes to describe the quality of the food, its goodness. The flesh of mighty men, the blood of the princes of the earth, all of them rams and lambs, and the flesh and blood are good, they are of high quality.
And you shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood to drunkenness, from My feast which I have slaughtered for you.
I will give you to eat fat to satiety, so that you will have enough to be sated from it, there will be an enormous quantity. And you shall drink blood to drunkenness, until, as it were, you become drunk from it, from the abundance of blood. From My feast which I have slaughtered for you, meaning, from My meal which I have prepared for you.
And you shall be sated at My table with horse and chariot, mighty man and every man of war, says Hashem Elokim.
He tells them: at My table I will give you to be sated, so that besides the mighty men as we said, there will also be horse and chariot, and all kinds of food from the rest of the fallen. Not only human beings, there will also be horses, and every man of war, all of them will be a meal for you.
And I will set My glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid upon them.
And I will set My glory among the nations. He says, with this I will set My glory among the nations, meaning the nations will see how I punish them for their sins measure for measure, and through this the name of Hashem is magnified and sanctified. Where is the measure for measure here? This is what we explained: why does Hashem bring Gog here? Why not destroy him there? We said, the place of judgment, there is the wickedness. That is, the very place where those nations acted wickedly, which is here in Israel, the very place where they destroyed the Beit HaMikdash, here in Israel, here in Jerusalem, there Hashem will bring up Gog in order to be judged with him here in Israel. To judge them in that very place. Through this, I will set My glory among the nations. Why? Because all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed. They see that it is measure for measure. And My hand which I have laid upon them. They will see My hand, meaning they see that there is the hand of Hashem here. This is not a natural punishment, it is a miraculous punishment. When one sees a miraculous punishment, it is clear to us that it is from Hashem the Blessed. Through these two things, first the judgment, they will see measure for measure, second the hand of Hashem, they will recognize that it is from Hashem, and through this His name will be magnified in the world.
And the house of Israel shall know that I am Hashem their God from that day and onward.
And the house of Israel shall know, from that day they will know first that I am Hashem their God, that I watch over them in a miraculous way.
And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity, because they betrayed Me, so that I hid My face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.
As we mentioned before, that in the beginning there was an aspect of chillul Hashem. For behold, we see that Israel is the people of Hashem, and instead of being the most protected people, the most secure, with the most developed economy, with the best defense, they are the most persecuted people, the most beaten, the most suffering. All of this is an aspect of chillul Hashem. To the point that the Christians come and say, on the contrary, the fact that Israel is persecuted is proof that Hashem abandoned them and took us. That is, a great chillul Hashem was created in the world. Now Hashem says, when they see how I take retribution from the nations, then the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity. Now the nations will understand that all that happened until today, it was because Israel sinned, and therefore Hashem took retribution from them. And not, God forbid, from any inability of Hashem, or because Hashem despised them, but rather it was because they sinned and they paid the price. Through this, that chillul Hashem that existed in the beginning will be nullified. For their betrayal, because they betrayed Me, so that I hid My face from them. In the wake of the hiding of the face came all their suffering. And gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. Through this they were given into the hand of their enemies, and there were forced conversions and killings and destruction, through this they all fell by the sword.
According to their impurity and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them.
They will now know that what happened during the time of exile, that I hid My face from them, it was according to their impurity and according to their transgressions. As we explained in previous lessons, that when Hashem hides His face from us, it is measure for measure. "And I will surely hide." When Israel hides its face from Hashem, Hashem hides His face from Israel. "Hashem is your shade upon your right hand." And then in the future it will be clarified that according to their impurity and their transgressions, the act began from Israel, the impurity and transgression began from Israel, and therefore Hashem hid His face from them. Consequently it turns out that there is no chillul Hashem here, that they should say Hashem, as it were, acted from inability. Because now it will be clarified, behold Hashem is able and capable, and behold Hashem brings them out and redeems them.
Therefore, so says Hashem Elokim, now I will restore the captivity of Yaakov, and have mercy on all the house of Israel, and I will be zealous for My holy name.
Therefore, since they have already received the punishment that was due to them, now is the time that I will restore the captivity of Yaakov, I will have mercy on all the house of Israel. Now, corresponding to the exile that took place, He says I will restore the captivity of Yaakov. Corresponding to the suffering that we received, about this He comes and says and I will have mercy, I will now have mercy on them, I will no longer exile them and no longer afflict them. What is "the captivity of Yaakov"? What is Yaakov, what is the house of Israel? It does not say "I will restore the captivity of the house of Yaakov," it says "the captivity of Yaakov." Our Sages say, as the Malbim explains, Yaakov refers to the ten tribes. From what expression is Yaakov derived? From ekev, deviousness. Not in the straight path, in the corrupt path. In contrast Israel is a path of dominion, a straight path, right? When Israel is in its lowly state, they are called Yaakov. When they are at their high level, they are called Israel, from an expression of dominion and loftiness. So He says I will restore the captivity of Yaakov. Who are these, Yaakov? Yaakov refers to the ten tribes. The ten tribes are cast out, but they did not suffer forced conversions, they did not suffer calamity. They are in exile, we do not know where they are, but they assimilated among the nations. They did not suffer as we, the house of Israel, suffered. Who are these, the house of Israel? The house of Israel refers to Yehuda and Binyamin. So He says I will restore the captivity of Yaakov. We explained that "I will restore their captivity" means to return them from exile. They went into exile, they are destined to return. There is admittedly a dispute among our Sages, but from here it becomes clear, according to the explanation of the Malbim, that the meaning is I will return their exile. And I will have mercy on all the house of Israel. We explained that "I will have mercy" corresponds to the pogroms and forced conversions that took place. To whom were there forced conversions? To the house of Israel, there were none to the house of Yaakov. We explained that Yaakov, the ten tribes, did not suffer forced conversions, they rested in their place. But Israel, they suffered forced conversions, I will have mercy on them. And through this I will be zealous for My holy name. Through this I will be zealous for the name of Hashem, meaning there will no longer be an aspect of chillul Hashem as there was in the beginning, I will be zealous for My name, that is, to make My name famous and great among the nations.
And they shall bear their shame and all their betrayal that they betrayed against Me, when they dwell on their land securely with none to make them afraid.
And they shall bear their shame. What is "and they shall bear their shame"? There are several explanations of this. One explanation: venasu, and they shall bear, like venasu spelled with an aleph. As in "from the age of the elevated," it should, as it were, have an aleph here, and the aleph is absent. Right? No, it is written venasu. I will soon explain another interpretation, but the plain meaning of the verse is venasu from the expression of bearing, since it is written with a shin, it is not written with a samekh. We will soon see another explanation. But "and they shall bear their shame" means that when they receive their punishment and afterwards Hashem elevates them, then they will carry on their lips and remember their shame that came upon them in exile. When they dwell securely in their land, they will remember all their betrayal that they betrayed against Me. And then they will thank Hashem that behold, despite all that we did and despite all with which we angered Him, when they dwell on their land securely with none to make them afraid. Behold now Hashem gives us good in place of evil. For behold we angered the Creator, and behold Hashem does us good, that He settles us now securely with none to make us afraid. The Holy One, Blessed be He, does not bring upon us according to what we deserved, but rather ended the exile and returned us to our land. There is another explanation, this is the Malbim. The Malbim says venasu, meaning the exile brought them shame. Now "and they shall bear their shame" means, corresponding to the shame they had, this they bore. And corresponding to what they sinned, He says and they shall bear their betrayal. Meaning, what they had done before, "bearing" is from an expression of atonement. As in "fortunate is one whose transgression is forgiven (borne away)." So they bore away their sin, and they bore away their shame, meaning it will be atoned for them regarding what happened earlier. It will no longer be remembered, meaning this matter will be forgotten because Hashem will bear away his iniquity. And the Malbim says this is similar to the word nashah. Nashah means forgotten, right? "For Hashem has made me forget all my toil." Right? So here too the Malbim says it is similar to that, that here the meaning is the matter will be forgotten from them. Like "whose transgression is forgiven," the transgression is, as it were, forgotten from him, Hashem bears away his transgression, You will bear away their iniquity.
When I bring them back from the peoples, and gather them from the lands of their enemies, and I shall be sanctified through them before the eyes of many nations.
When I bring them back from the peoples. What is "beshovevi"? The simple meaning is an expression of returning. When I return them from the peoples. What is "when I bring them back from the peoples"? One can explain that the redemption will not be simple. That is, they will not come easily. As we saw with Gog, "and I will lead you back." The meaning is, as it were, I will bring you against your will. So one can explain that here too the meaning is such: when I bring them back from the peoples means I will force them to come from among the peoples. Israel will not easily leave their lands of residence, will not easily leave the exile. It will be necessary to force them, as we see today, that they come from France and from other places. Why? Because the ground burns beneath their feet, they feel unsafe. Now this has paused a bit, I understood, because it seems there is a prime minister there who is more sympathetic, this is a bit of a problem. Right? As the Chatam Sofer said, that he does not fear the persecutions of the exile, he fears that the exile will become pleasant for us. So too the Chazon Ish said, that he does not fear that the Zionist regime will harm us here, he says he fears that the regime will be pleasant for us and we will become partners with it. Why? For all kinds of benefits. And then we will forget the Torah and cut all kinds of corners in order to, as it were, do the will of the government, the will of the regime. So here He comes and says I will bring them back from the peoples, I will take them, as it were, against their will. It will not be simple to bring them out, it will be necessary to pressure them and to gather them from all the lands, to gather them by force. And I shall be sanctified through them before the eyes of many nations. The meaning is, Hashem will be sanctified before the eyes of many nations. How? Through the good deeds that they will now do. And through the fact that now Hashem will perform miracles with them. Ah, when Israel is at its height, in its holiness, at its high spiritual level, in this there is a sanctification of Hashem. All the nations see how we walk in the way of Hashem, and Hashem bestows good upon us, His name is magnified and sanctified in the world. Rav Dessler says that essentially the whole world, what is the purpose of its creation? Why did Hashem create the world? So that His name would be magnified and sanctified in the world. This is the purpose of the world's creation. "Everyone that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, indeed I have made him." For the glory of Hashem the Blessed. All of creation declares glory to Hashem the Blessed. And behold, says Rav Dessler, Israel has two paths, two tracks, how to sanctify the name of Hashem the Blessed. And essentially everything depends on them and on their will. Rav Dessler says, there is one way which is the way Hashem asks us to walk, and that is to do the will of Hashem. If you do the will of Hashem, all the good promises are guaranteed to you. As it was in the time of Shlomo. There will be a state of abundance in the land, there will be a state where from all the nations they will come here in order to see your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples. All will say only a wise and understanding people is this great nation. All will marvel at you, there will be delegations that come here in order to see how proper economy is managed, how a people lives that is dedicated to the service of Hashem, to fear of Heaven, to the path of morality. You will be a great sanctification of Hashem in the world, and Hashem will bestow upon you much abundance, so that all this abundance will be before the eyes of all the nations, that they will see behold there is a God in Israel, this people lives in a supernatural manner. This is an immense sanctification of Hashem. But on the other hand, if we do not wish to walk in the way of Hashem, seemingly the world misses the purpose for which it was created. Because we do not do the will of Hashem, then the sanctification of Hashem does not come. Rav Dessler says, it is not so. Know that ultimately the will of Hashem will be done. The meaning is, there will be a sanctification of Hashem in the world. How will there be a sanctification of Hashem? Through the fact that you will stray from the way, through this Hashem will bring upon you blows, and you will endure suffering, and you will have exile, and a terrible and dreadful dispersion, and there will be a state where there will be no nation that does not persecute you. And everyone who stands will be appalled and will hiss, and say, "why has Hashem done thus to this land? What is this great burning anger?" All will come and wonder, how is it possible? Such a small people, persecuted for so many years, so much suffering, so much affliction. First of all it is an immense wonder how it survives. And second, "what is this great burning anger?" And then they will reach the conclusion, "because they forsook their God." This people did not do the will of Hashem, this people rebelled against the word, the word of Hashem. Ah, therefore they suffer. What comes out in the end? The name of Heaven is sanctified. For behold they see a people that rebelled against the word of Hashem, Hashem chose it, it suffers, the name of Hashem is sanctified. In simple words, Hashem says, My name will be sanctified in the world. You will choose how. Whether it will be through you or upon your back. You will decide. My name will be sanctified in the world, it is in the hand of man to choose how. Therefore He says, when I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, and I shall be sanctified through them before the eyes of many nations. Then I will be sanctified through them before the eyes of many nations how? Through the fact that they will do the good in the eyes of Hashem. Whereas then there was a sanctification of Hashem before the eyes of many nations through Israel enduring blows, here there will be a much greater sanctification of Hashem through Israel doing the will of Hashem and receiving good from Hashem the Blessed.
And they shall know that I am Hashem their God, when I exiled them among the nations, and gathered them onto their land, and left none of them there anymore.
He says, through this they will know that I am Hashem their God, when I exiled them among the nations. That is, the fact that I am now redeeming them, this is clear to all that I am Hashem. But He says, when I redeem them now, it will become clear to all retroactively that the One who exiled them is I, Hashem. It is not because Nevuchadnetzar came here for a visit and decided to destroy the Beit HaMikdash and exile us. It is not because Titus came here and destroyed the Second Temple and exiled, it is not some political circumstances that brought this about. Rather it will be clear to all, the exile was planned, it will be clear to all it was a punishment for our conduct, and the proof is that behold now Hashem redeems us. The One who redeems us is the One who exiled us. He says, now it will also become clear that the redemption, that the exile was actually for our benefit. Because the very exile itself, it is known that when Israel was in exile, for had they remained here in the land, they would have deteriorated to a state from which there is no return. Through the exile, who is it that returns Israel to the correct path? Esav, right? When the hands of Esav prevail, "the voice is the voice of Yaakov and the hands are the hands of Esav." When there is no "voice of the voice of Yaakov," the hands of Esav prevail. Why? What does this accomplish? When we endure blows we return to Hashem. So essentially the entire exile had a positive purpose, so that through it Israel would guard its way, its service of Hashem. This is a reality that we see. Where did Israel draw closer to Hashem? In the exiles where it was persecuted. In the exiles where it was not persecuted, there began emancipation, equal rights, they let us draw close to the gentile, there was the greatest trouble. Where, where did the Haskalah strike with full force? In Europe. There, in those places where they did not persecute us, there Israel already began to invent for itself a new Torah. Those who came here in the time of Koresh were a minority. They were a minority, right? Fifty thousand are mentioned in the pesukim, sixty thousand. But it was a minority. The majority remained in their lands of exile. Not only did the Yemenites not come up, many from the other lands did not come up here to the land. But He says, when the future redemption comes, and gathered them onto their land, and left none of them there anymore. Not one Jew will remain who remains among the nations, remains among the gentiles. And I will no longer hide My face from them. That is, in that period, when they returned in the time of Ezra and Nechemya, there was still a hiding of the face. It was not a state of revelation and shining of the face. How many wars there were here against those who came to disrupt their work, those who came to inform Koresh that they were supposedly coming to rebel against him. They had very difficult struggles, it was still a reality of hiding of the face. He says, in the future redemption it will not be so. And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I have poured out My spirit upon the house of Israel, says Hashem Elokim. What is "for I have poured out My spirit"? He says, then, when the future redemption comes, it will already be a state of revelation of the face. For in that period, in the time of the Second Temple, we no longer find prophecy. Prophecy ended, Chagai, Zecharya and Malachi. There was no prophecy in the time of the Second Temple. Only afterwards did the period of the Great Assembly begin, the period of the Pairs, but there was no longer prophecy. Hashem comes and announces, when I bring the future redemption, it will be different, for I have poured out My spirit upon the house of Israel. It is written "your sons, they shall dream dreams, your elders shall see visions." There will be such a reality that the children and the sons and the great ones, all of them will reach a state where they will have divine revelation, I will pour out My spirit upon man. "As the waters cover the sea." What does this mean? That it will not require great effort in order to attain prophecy, but rather it will be like a flowing stream, that with light effort one will be able to attain prophecy. There will not be a state of hiding of the face. Our Sages say that there were five things absent in the Second Temple. They were not in the Second Temple. For example the Aron, the Urim VeTumim, and one of them is prophecy. He says then, this will not be lacking from you, and I have poured out My spirit upon the house of Israel, the holy spirit, prophecy will return to them. May Hashem help us that this be speedily in our days, amen.