{"id":65336,"date":"2019-11-06T16:24:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T14:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=65336"},"modified":"2023-06-01T16:05:44","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T13:05:44","slug":"nation-restored-creation-renewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/nation-restored-creation-renewed\/","title":{"rendered":"Nation Restored, Creation Renewed"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[458,423,506,610],"acf":{"old_id":"65336","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":64468,"related_cahpter":"345","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Israel aspires for a redemption that benefits the entire world, not just themselves","content":"

Isaiah 11 depicts Israel\u2019s redemption from national subjugation. God will do to Assyria what he once did to Egypt, restoring Israel to their land (Isa 11:11\u201315). This will be heralded by the messianic \u201cshoot [who] shall grow out of the stump of Jesse\u201d (Isa 11:1). Under his leadership, Israel will dwell forever in a state of otherworldly repose: \u201cThe wolf shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard lie down with the kid[.] \u2026 In all of My sacred mount Nothing evil or vile shall be done; For the land shall be filled with devotion to the LORD As water covers the sea\u201d (Isa 11:6, 9). Israel\u2019s national restoration is inextricably linked with the renewal of creation itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Presumably, this prophecy comforted Isaiah\u2019s contemporaries. Centuries later, however, it would profoundly disturb the greatest Jewish philosopher, Maimonides:<\/span><\/p>\n

It should not occur to you that during the days of the messiah a single thing from the \u2018ways of the world\u2019 will be canceled nor will there be something novel in the creation. Rather, the world will continue in its customary way. Now, that which is said in Isaiah, \u2018The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard lie down with the kid\u2019 (Isa 11:6) is a parable and riddle. The substance of the matter is that Israel will dwell in safety (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars, 12:1).<\/span><\/p>\n

For Maimonides, the notion that politics could have cosmic consequences was philosophically embarrassing. Therefore, he understood the latter metaphorically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most contemporary readers, I imagine, are inclined to share Maimonides\u2019 rationalism. However, even those who cannot accept Isaiah\u2019s prophecy literally ought to appreciate one of its important implications: Israel aspires for a redemption that benefits the entire world, not just themselves. For Isaiah, Israel is not, as for Balaam, \u201ca people that dwells apart, Not reckoned among the nations\u201d (Num 23:9). Rather, their fate is intimately tied up with that of the whole world. Therefore, Jews must never construe their place in the world parochially or myopically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even the Great Eagle himself could not fully resist this sublime suggestion. Although Maimonides began by \u201crefuting\u201d Isaiah\u2019s cosmic language, he concluded by invoking it: \u201cAt that time there will be no famines and no wars, no envy and no competition. \u2026 They will then achieve knowledge of the Creator to as high a degree as humanly possible, as it says, \u2018For the land shall be filled with devotion to [literally \u2018knowledge of\u2019] the LORD As water covers the sea\u2019 (Isa 11:9)\u201d (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars, 12:5). For the philosopher no less than for the prophet, at stake in Israel\u2019s national restoration is nothing less than a renewed world. This is the promise and the challenge of being God\u2019s people.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":65337,"id":65337,"title":"is11-peace-justice-world","filename":"is11-peace-justice-world.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is11-peace-justice-world.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/nation-restored-creation-renewed\/is11-peace-justice-world\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"is11-peace-justice-world","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":65336,"date":"2019-11-06 14:24:46","modified":"2022-04-14 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