Jewish academic and Hebrew scholar Irene Lancaster explains the 'double comfort' of God in Isaiah - and what it has to do with justice.
The Jewish people have entered the contemplative month of Elul, which leads up to Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year.
We have started the four final Haftorot of Consolation, starting with Haftorat Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-20 - 21:9). The reading from Deuteronomy is known as Shoftim, from the first phrase: 'Judges and law officers you shall appoint, in order to remain alive ...' We'll come back to that thought later.
The accompanying Haftorah comes from Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12. This Haftorah stands out for its double emphases, as well as its parrying between G-d and the Jewish people.
Recently a guest speaker at Shul spoke of the danger of what Rabbi Nathan Lopez Cardozo (interviewed for previous CT articles) has termed 'existential dullness.' The danger of any religion or spiritual path is that of contentment and resting on one's laurels i.e. becoming the slave of habit.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-72) used to speak of 'radical amazement' as an antidote to complacency and self-satisfaction.
Here in our Isaiah reading, we witness radical amazement in action. It is G-d who sets the ball rolling with His double emphasis on what He will do for the Jewish people on their return from Exile. 'I, I, He Who comforts.'
Why the double 'I'? Some have interpreted this sense of urgency as G-d's promise of double comfort after the trials and tribulations of Exile. Some have emphasized the double Exile, once to Babylon in 586 BCE and later at the hands of Rome in 70 CE. However, a third explanation is that G-d is reiterating that only He is able to comfort the Jewish people and, in fact, it is His exclusive role to do so.
G-d continues to remind the people not to be afraid, because He, the ultimate Creator of the Universe will always have their back. Thus, once again, Isaiah returns to the original Genesis Creation story in Bereshit (Genesis 1) which will be read to inaugurate the New Year.
G-d ends this description of His omnipotence with the reminder (v 16) that Israel has been specially chosen to convey G-d's message to the world: 'I have placed My words in your mouth', so that He can 'say unto Zion "You are My people."'
Verse 17 depicts G-d encouraging the people to respond to His initial double promise of ultimate comfort by playing their own part with equal fervour. 'Arouse yourself, arouse yourself; stand up Jerusalem.'
Movement is needed on both sides for Israel to become the people that they were meant to be. G-d makes the first move and then the people must respond.
G-d reminds them that they have nothing to lose. They have reached rock bottom and have become the 'dregs' of the world. They have no leadership. They have suffered the dual destruction of Jerusalem and the death of her inhabitants (v. 19). G-d now promises that their immense suffering will pass to those who have afflicted them (v 23).
In anticipation of the Shoah, G-d implies that Israel's tormentors may have broken their 'back', but they are unable to break Israel's 'soul'. And that is the secret of Israel's survival - no-one can break their spirit.
Isaiah 52:1 resumes with a double exhortation to Israel to 'Awake, awake' at this time of ultimate redemption. They should 'get up' and then 'sit down' and 'undo the restraints on your neck.' This could allude to the way they were taken into Exile or, as Abraham ibn Ezra comments, the Jewish people need complete political autonomy in order to carry out G-d's word.
For G-d reminds the Jewish people that foreign powers will always oppress them for no reason, naming Egypt and Assyria as examples. He reminds them that 'I am always here'. The phrase hineni is usually expressed in response to G-d's call. G-d calls, and we say 'Here I am.' A good example is the boy Samuel (I Samuel 3). But here, as earlier, G-d makes the first move. Samuel and others have been there for G-d and now G-d will be there for His people.
In a change of tone, Isaiah 52: 7-12 describes the leisurely return of the exiles to Zion, under the leadership of G-d. The 'messenger' (some say the prophet Elijah) will enunciate the four-fold stages of redemption: peace, good tidings, salvation and - finally - the universal realization that G-d reigns over the entire world.
Watchmen will be posted on the gates of the city to express their joy in song: 'For the Lord has comforted His people' and 'has redeemed Jerusalem.' Once again there is a double urgency in the people's need to leave their Exile: 'Depart, depart'. But, unlike the Exodus from Egypt, which was carried out 'in haste' (Exodus 12), this Exodus will be done in their own time. G-d Himself will both head the redeemed exiles and also protect them in the rear.
What stands out in our Haftorah of Isaiah 51:12-52:12 is therefore the urgency of G-d's conversation with the Jewish people and his willingness to make the first move towards their final redemption.
In the accompanying Torah reading from Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9, what stands out equally is the prime importance of justice in their new life in the Promised Land. This does not simply mean the setting up of law courts and the appointment of judges and law officers, but the way justice should be carried out. 'Justice justice you shall pursue' ( Deuteronomy 16:20).
Thus G-d's double portion of comfort, as expressed by Isaiah, is echoed by the double portion of justice that the Children of Israel should 'pursue'. Pursual implies getting to the bottom of things; not taking things for granted; and not simply implementing some ideological agenda or other in the cause of justice.
This is the benchmark of Jewish justice throughout the ages. When others have simply taken the path of least resistance, Judaism emphasizes going the extra mile. This is not simply tempering justice with mercy - that is taken for granted. Rather, the law officers should be people of the highest integrity who show no favour to rich or poor, no partiality to influencers at the expense of the downtrodden, and who behave judiciously as well as justly.
By carrying out justice in this way, the divine message from Isaiah comes full circle. It's fine to be redeemed and enter the Land, to rebuild Jerusalem and to influence the rest of the world. But what exactly is the message and how should we carry it out? Deuteronomy has the answer: in everything you do, be aware that justice, real justice in everyday life is the key to redemption.
