Read the text of Yeshayahu 1
Bullet Point Summary
- Yeshaya was one of the greatest prophets of all time, as Yeshaya had clarity of prophecy likened to that of Moshe Rabbeinu (Yerushalmi Sanhedrin). Just as Moshe lived for 120 years, so did Yeshaya. Yeshaya was murdered at the age of 120 years by his grandson, the evil king Menashe.
- While the Nevi’im Rishonim (1st set of prophets) take place in chronological order and in story form, Nevi’im Acharonim (2nd set of prophets) occur concurrently with most of the events in Melachim I and II.
- Nevi’im Acharonim are primarily filled with straight, often lengthy, seemingly obscure prophecies. (Obviously each word of the Navi is filled with holiness and applies to our daily lives.)
- Most meforshim learn that Sefer Yeshaya was not written in chronological order, as Sefer Yeshaya was written by the students of king Chizkiyahu, whom he allowed to learn torah (Sanhedrin).
- Yeshaya, Amos, Micha and Hoshea all prophesied during the same time period. (Pesachim 87A)
- Yeshaya’s prophesies were full of comfort and consolation. (Bava Basra 14B)
- Why did Yeshaya merit being the “comforter” of Yisrael? He served Hashem with greater happiness and more sincerity than anyone else. (Tanna D’bei Eliyahu)
- King Dovid said in Tehilim “If I soar to the heaven, Hashem, you are there. And if I reach the pit of hell, Hashem, you are also there!” As Hashem’s presence permeates the entire creation, He can be found on the highest of levels and in the deepest, darkest places of despair.
“You should never give up, no matter how dire your situation may look, and no matter how much you feel that you have messed up. If you believe that you can destroy, then believe that you can build.” - This was the message of Yeshaya, who went to raise up even the lowest of Jews in the hardest of times. As Yeshaya taught, “Hashem glorifies himself through the Jewish people.” Hashem loves even the lowest Jew.
- May we merit to see the ultimate consolation of Yeshaya when the knowledge of Hashem will fill the world like the ocean that covers the earth.