{"id":65029,"date":"2018-07-09T17:44:59","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:44:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-342\/"},"modified":"2023-05-29T10:29:17","modified_gmt":"2023-05-29T07:29:17","slug":"wall-342","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-342\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-Isaiah-8"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"342","date":"20261221","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"65047","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 8 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - Isaiah Chapter 8","slug":"jps-audio-bible-isaiah-chapter-8","old_id":"65047","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah Chapter 8","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_Isaiah_Chapter_8","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"115596","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Isaiah The Father ","post_title":"Isaiah The Father","slug":"isaiah-the-father","old_id":"115596","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And his children - both symbolic and real\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapters 7 and 8 discuss children. In chapter 7, Isaiah talks about a child named Immanuel. \u201cLook, the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son. Let her name him Immanuel\u201d (7:14).\u00a0 This is the sign Ahaz does not request, showing that Isaiah\u2019s prophecy will come true.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 8, the child has a more intricate name:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I was intimate with the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son; and GOD said to me, \u201cName him Maher-shalal-hash-baz (verse 3).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The child is named after the same phrase that God instructs Isaiah to write on a piece of paper. But, God does not command Isaiah to have a child. God only instructs Isaiah what to name the child. Are these two different children? Moreover, is the young woman from chapter 7 and the prophetess in chapter 8 the same person? If they are the same, why are they referred to differently? Some commentators explain that the prophetess was not a female prophet but was the wife of the prophet (Prophetess then would be similar to rebbetzin, as referring to the wife of a rabbi). It could be that in chapter 7, Isaiah and his wife were newly married, and only in chapter 8 did she gain the name prophetess.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 7, the wife is instructed to name the child Immanuel, but in chapter 8, God instructs Isaiah to name the child. It is possible then that the child has two names. Both children have a similar test outcome:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By the time he learns to reject the bad and choose the good, people will be feeding on curds and honey\u201d (7:15);\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For before the boy learns to call \u2018Father\u2019 and \u2018Mother,\u2019 the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, and the delights of Rezin and of the son of Remaliah, shall be carried off before the king of Assyria (8:4).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps then, these two chapters speak of one child. However, verse 18 seems to imply that there were two different children: \u201cHere stand I and the children GOD has given me as signs and portents in Israel from GOD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.\u201d This verse also confirms that both of these children were children of Isaiah. This would easily dispel certain christological interpretations that chapter 7 foretells of an \u201cimmaculate conception.\u201d (Moreover, that birth is meant to be a direct sign for Ahaz of God\u2019s message, so a birth almost a thousand years in the future would be quite irrelevant).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The symbolic use of the offspring of a prophet is not out of the ordinary. Hosea who lived during the same time period was also instructed to conceive children with a prostitute and name their offspring as part of his prophetic charge. Perhaps the royal succession upheaval in the North at the time lent itself to messages of secure offspring.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":90457,"alt":"","title":"ps131-isaac child","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","width":461,"height":598,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child-231x300.jpg","medium-width":231,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","medium_large-width":461,"medium_large-height":598,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","large-width":461,"large-height":598,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","1536x1536-width":461,"1536x1536-height":598,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","2048x2048-width":461,"2048x2048-height":598,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","post_full_size-width":461,"post_full_size-height":598,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child-324x420.jpg","home_baner-width":324,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Isaiah The Father","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And his children - both symbolic and real","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":90457,"alt":"","title":"ps131-isaac child","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","width":461,"height":598,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child-231x300.jpg","medium-width":231,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","medium_large-width":461,"medium_large-height":598,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","large-width":461,"large-height":598,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","1536x1536-width":461,"1536x1536-height":598,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","2048x2048-width":461,"2048x2048-height":598,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child.jpg","post_full_size-width":461,"post_full_size-height":598,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps131-isaac-child-324x420.jpg","home_baner-width":324,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"551","name":"Names","old_id":"951"},{"term_id":"564","name":"Father","old_id":"964"},{"term_id":"680","name":"Symbolism","old_id":"1080"},{"term_id":"940","name":"Isaiah","old_id":"1340"}]},{"order":3,"id":"65099","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Prophets of Today: Courage ","post_title":"Prophets of Today: Courage","slug":"prophets-of-today-courage","old_id":"65099","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33990,"post_title":"Adam Mintz","slug":"rabbi-adam-mintz","old_id":"33990","first_name":"Adam ","last_name":"Mintz","description":"Rabbi Adam Mintz is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at City College, New York and a member of the Talmud faculty at Yeshivat Maharat. He is the rabbi and founder of Kehilat Rayim Ahuvim, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan, and was the director of 929-English.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Adam Mintz is is the rabbi and founder of Kehilat Rayim Ahuvim, and the former director of 929-English","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34264,"alt":"","title":"adam mintz","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","width":158,"height":181,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","medium-width":158,"medium-height":181,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","medium_large-width":158,"medium_large-height":181,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","large-width":158,"large-height":181,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","1536x1536-width":158,"1536x1536-height":181,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","2048x2048-width":158,"2048x2048-height":181,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","post_full_size-width":158,"post_full_size-height":181,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/adam-mintz-e1532029224280.jpg","home_baner-width":158,"home_baner-height":181}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Prophecy is the opposite of conformity. It is the courage to say something and to act on it even though that opinion is not popular","post_main_content_content":"

I would like to dedicate my choice of \u201cProphets\u201d to a quality rather than a specific person: courage. I believe that to be a prophet is to stand up for something that you believe in and fight for in spite of potential criticism or rejection from segments of your own community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In a little while, 929 will begin studying the Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah prophesied about the upcoming destruction of the Temple. We can imagine how unpopular his words must have sounded to the people of Jerusalem who had been spared destruction in the past and imagined Jeremiah to be a troublemaker, if not a lunatic. He was criticized and even imprisoned for his prophecy. Yet, he did not stop to preach and to warn.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The tendency of many people today is to conform; conform with social norms, cultural norms and even religious norms. If you do what everyone else does, you are protected - no one will criticize you. Prophecy is the opposite of conformity. It is the courage to say something and to act on it even though that opinion is not popular. We all need to have opinions. Sometimes those opinions will be wrong and sometimes they will be unpopular. But, we can\u2019t be afraid to have opinions. It is the prophetic piece in all of us that encourages us to have opinions and to fight for those opinions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Such a \u201cprophet\u201d was Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein. Rabbi Goldstein was a rabbi in the 1920s in Harlem and he recognized that most of the members of his congregation were going to work on Saturday morning instead of coming to synagogue. In those days, the United Staes had a six day work week and if you didn\u2019t work on Saturday, you had to find a new job on Monday. Rather than reprimand these men publicly, Rabbi Goldstein tried another approach. He began to deliver his sermon during Friday night services when everyone could attend. Before long, the synagogue was packed on Friday night and he added a kiddush after services to encourage a social element to his community. These people may have gone to work the next morning but they had a nice sermon in the minds and some delicious kosher food in their bellies.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rabbi Goldstein was criticized by some other rabbis for this approach. \u201cHow can you condone the desecration of the Sabbath?\u201d they asked. Yet, Rabbi Goldstein was a prophet. He understood that he could not prevent these people from going to work on Saturday morning. However, if they received their \u201cdose of Shabbat\u201d on Friday night, they would remain committed to the idea of Shabbat and transmit that commitment to Shabbat to their children and grandchildren.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Let us all channel that prophecy within ourselves to help make the world a better place.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65102,"alt":"","title":"is8-courage","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Prophets Of Today","tile_main_caption":"Courage","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Prophecy is the opposite of conformity. It is the courage to say something and to act on it even though that opinion is not popular","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65102,"alt":"","title":"is8-courage","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-courage-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"327","name":"Today's Prophets","old_id":"727"},{"term_id":"378","name":"Shabbat","old_id":"778"},{"term_id":"519","name":"Courage","old_id":"919"}]},{"order":4,"id":"65104","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"That\u2019s Mahershalalhashbaz To You ","post_title":"That\u2019s Mahershalalhashbaz To You","slug":"thats-mahershalalhashbaz-to-you","old_id":"65104","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A case of biblical onomastics*\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

The man in the picture is of course Mahershala Ali, American actor and rapper, recipient of two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award (and a BAFTA and a SAG award). Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ali won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Juan in Barry Jenkins' drama film <\/span>Moonlight <\/span><\/i>(2016). He won a second Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Don Shirley in the comedy-drama film <\/span>Green Book <\/span><\/i>(2018).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ali was born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore in 1974, in Hayward, California, the son of Phillip Gilmore and Willicia Goines, an ordained Baptist minister. In 2000, he converted to Islam, changed his surname from Gilmore to Ali, and joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But he kept the name Mahershala, short for Mahershalalhashbaz, which appears in our chapter as the symbolic name of the son of the prophet Isaiah, meaning something like \u201cpillage hastens, looting speeds\u201d foreshadowing the imminent salvation of Judah, from Aram and Israel, by Assyria.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It coulda been worse. In the next chapter (9:5), another child is born, with a name, that though the prophecy it expresses is a little more upbeat, is even more of a mouthful: \u201cPele-yoetz-el-gibbor-aviad-sar-shalom\u201d or, \u201cThe Mighty God is planning grace; The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ali is quite an actor - and he has quite a name!<\/p>\r\n

*onomastics: the study of the history and origin of proper names, especially personal names.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Photo: Gordon Correll, Toronto International Film Festival 2016 \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65115,"alt":"","title":"is8-Mahershala","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","width":769,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-768x1023.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1023,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-769x1024.jpg","large-width":769,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","1536x1536-width":769,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","2048x2048-width":769,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","post_full_size-width":769,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Isaiah in Hollywood","tile_main_caption":"That\u2019s Mahershalalhashbaz To You","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A case of biblical onomastics*\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65115,"alt":"","title":"is8-Mahershala","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","width":769,"height":1024,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-225x300.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-768x1023.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1023,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-769x1024.jpg","large-width":769,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","1536x1536-width":769,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","2048x2048-width":769,"2048x2048-height":1024,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala.jpg","post_full_size-width":769,"post_full_size-height":1024,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Mahershala-315x420.jpg","home_baner-width":315,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"524","name":"Theater","old_id":"924"},{"term_id":"551","name":"Names","old_id":"951"}]},{"order":5,"id":"65121","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"And As For Me Whither? ","post_title":"And As For Me Whither?","slug":"and-as-for-me-whither","old_id":"65121","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34235,"post_title":"Marc Gitler","slug":"marc-gitler","old_id":"34235","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Gitler","description":"Rabbi Marc Gitler, a recipient of the Wexner Fellowship, was ordained at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and earned an MPA from NYU . The founder of Fast for Feast, he lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Sarah and their four children. He used to work for 929 North America.\r\n","short_description":"Rabbi Marc Gitler, founder of Fast for Feast, lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Sarah and their four children. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34236,"alt":"","title":"Marc Gitler","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","width":407,"height":407,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","medium_large-width":407,"medium_large-height":407,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","large-width":407,"large-height":407,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","1536x1536-width":407,"1536x1536-height":407,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","2048x2048-width":407,"2048x2048-height":407,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","post_full_size-width":407,"post_full_size-height":407,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Gitler.jpg","home_baner-width":407,"home_baner-height":407}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The flowering of the popular study of Talmud","post_main_content_content":"

And they told me: There are no fatlings or mules<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>In the House of the Lord; they\u2019re studying Talmud<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Then I answered from scripture:<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They\u2019ve changed the instruction and Law;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>And as for me - wither?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The great Spanish poet and Scholar Samuel ibn Nagrillah, often referred to as Samuel the Prince, due to his three-decade role as general and vizier to the Berber King Badis, penned these words when he encountered men studying Talmud in a sloppy manner.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Weaving together Rueben\u2019s words when he returned to the pit where he placed Joseph in order to save him \u201cAnd as for me- wither?\u201d and the words of Isaiah in verse 20 of our chapter \u201cinstruction and law,\u201d the poet expresses his anger at the ignorant Jews whose study of Talmud sounds like the braying of mules due to their ignorance. He continues by describing their behavior an an esthetic insult- the heads bobbing like willows, and their actual study as injurious to our tradition- their mouths abused the names of the great.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I found the poem amusing, as I read it just hours after receiving a message from the Rabbi of\u00a0 my mother\u2019s synagogue challenging the men and the women to study a page of Talmud in advance of the upcoming completion of the seven and a half year cycle of study of the Talmud. Ceremonies celebrating the achievement will be held all over the world, including one in Metlife stadium on January 1<\/span>st<\/span>, and a first, one specifically for women in Jerusalem just days later. The popular study of Talmud is a crowning jewel of contemporary Jews the world over, an achievement truly worthy of celebrations.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For Samuel the Prince Isaiah\u2019s words were repurposed to chide the popular study of Talmud.\u00a0 We can reinterpret them again as an expression of gratitude to the various sources that have made the study of our tradition alive and accessible. From the translators, such as R. Adin Steinzaltz, to the publishers such as Artscroll, and Koren. From the philanthropists and entrepreneurs to those smart enough to simply place their Jewish teachings online, a historic effort has allowed Jews (and Gentiles) unprecedented access to the wisdom of our tradition. Searching for Torah and instruction today is once again difficult, because the choices are so vast and varied, that when sitting down to study I ask \u201cand as for me- wither?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0sas.upenn.edu\/~jtreat\/rs\/002\/Judaism\/talmud.html<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65123,"alt":"","title":"is8-talmud","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","width":409,"height":635,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud-193x300.jpg","medium-width":193,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","medium_large-width":409,"medium_large-height":635,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","large-width":409,"large-height":635,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","1536x1536-width":409,"1536x1536-height":635,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","2048x2048-width":409,"2048x2048-height":635,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","post_full_size-width":409,"post_full_size-height":635,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud-271x420.jpg","home_baner-width":271,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"And As For Me Whither?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The flowering of the popular study of Talmud","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65123,"alt":"","title":"is8-talmud","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","width":409,"height":635,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud-193x300.jpg","medium-width":193,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","medium_large-width":409,"medium_large-height":635,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","large-width":409,"large-height":635,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","1536x1536-width":409,"1536x1536-height":635,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","2048x2048-width":409,"2048x2048-height":635,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud.jpg","post_full_size-width":409,"post_full_size-height":635,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-talmud-271x420.jpg","home_baner-width":271,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"399","name":"Education","old_id":"799"},{"term_id":"627","name":"Talmud","old_id":"1027"},{"term_id":"730","name":"Learning","old_id":"1130"}]},{"order":6,"id":"65125","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Warnings Against Conspiracy Theories ","post_title":"Warnings Against Conspiracy Theories","slug":"warnings-against-conspiracy-theories","old_id":"65125","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"They are stones and rocks, traps and snares...","post_main_content_content":"

In our comments throughout the Book of Kings, we had several opportunities to note the prevalence of conspiracies (<\/span>kesher<\/span><\/em>, literally a knot). The subject shows up again in this chapter, as God warns Isaiah, \u201cYou must not call conspiracy all that that people calls conspiracy, nor revere what it reveres, nor hold it in awe\u201d (12). Rather, \u201cNone but the LORD of Hosts shall you account holy; give reverence to Him alone, hold Him alone in awe\u201d (13), for \u201cHe shall be for a sanctuary, a stone men strike against (\u2018<\/em><\/span>even negef<\/span><\/em>): a rock men stumble (<\/span>tzur mikhshol<\/span><\/em>) over for the two Houses of Israel, and a trap (<\/span>pach<\/span><\/em>) and a snare (<\/span>mokesh<\/span><\/em>) for those who dwell in Jerusalem\u201d (14).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Malbim* began by drawing his characteristic distinctions between synonyms, noting that a <\/span>tzur<\/span><\/em> (flint) is harder than an ordinary rock (\u2018<\/em><\/span>even<\/span><\/em>), <\/span>negef<\/span><\/em> inflicts injury while <\/span>mikhshol<\/span><\/em> produces harm only indirectly by causing one to stumble, and traps imprison their prey while snares also cause them harm. On this basis, he explained the meaning of the simile as follows:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The objective of the conspiracy\u2014i.e., to rebel\u2014will become a stumbling block causing only minor injury because the rebellion will be futile. However, the injury that will follow from the conspiracy\u2014namely, that the King of Assyria will come and exile them\u2014will be like a flint stone. For this very reason, [Isaiah] repeated the simile in terms of the trap and the snare. The snare causes greater harm because it kills its prey\u2026 but, on the other hand, the trap is manipulated by the hunter while the snare, once set out, acts by itself.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In our earlier remarks on conspiracies (see, e.g., 2 Kings 14), we noted that they most often contained an element of self-destruction. Here, Malbim explained that the people\u2019s desire to conspire (with Aram) in order to preserve their independence would only backfire and hasten their defeat at the hands of Assyria.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

*For the significance of Malbim\u2019s commentary to the Book of Isaiah,<\/span> see our introduction to chapter 1.<\/span><\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65126,"alt":"","title":"is8-trap","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap.jpg","width":1920,"height":1281,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1281,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Warnings Against Conspiracy Theories","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"They are stones and rocks, traps and snares...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65126,"alt":"","title":"is8-trap","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap.jpg","width":1920,"height":1281,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1281,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-trap-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"813","name":"Rebellion","old_id":"1213"},{"term_id":"938","name":"Conspiracy","old_id":"1338"}]},{"order":7,"id":"65130","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Hiding Of God\u2019s Face Brings Heartbreak, Then Comfort ","post_title":"The Hiding Of God\u2019s Face Brings Heartbreak, Then Comfort","slug":"the-hiding-of-gods-face-brings-heartbreak-then-comfort","old_id":"65130","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34250,"post_title":"Sarah Rudolph","slug":"sarah-rudolph","old_id":"34250","first_name":"Sarah ","last_name":"Rudolph","description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor. She has been sharing her passion for Jewish texts of all kinds for over 15 years, with students of all ages. Sarah\u2019s essays have been published in a variety of internet and print media, including Times of Israel, Kveller, Jewish Action, OU Life, The Lehrhaus, TorahMusings, and more. Sarah lives in Cleveland with her husband and four children, but is privileged to learn online with students all over the world through www.TorahTutors.org and www.WebYeshiva.org. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34251,"alt":"","title":"Sarah R","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","width":2824,"height":4246,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":681,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","large-width":681,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","1536x1536-width":1022,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","2048x2048-width":1362,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-798x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":798,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-279x420.jpg","home_baner-width":279,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Isaiah\u2019s words will be stored away for future generations who will recognize their truth","post_main_content_content":"

We\u2019ve all been there (or think we have): the only voice of reason in a room, the only one who can see the truth, surrounded and pressured by a world that persists frustratingly in wrongness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But no one knows that isolation and frustration \u2013 maybe even the temptation to give up and give in \u2013 better than a prophet of God, the truest of the true, who simply cannot make himself heard.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Amos Hakham, in the <\/span>Daat Mikra<\/span><\/em> commentary on Isaiah, sees a brief soliloquy reacting to that experience in chapter 8. God \u201ctook me by the hand and charged me not to walk in the path of that people\u201d (v. 11); Hakham explains the imagery of a \u201chand\u201d as portraying the power of the prophetic experience through which God cautioned Isaiah not to be swayed by the [much lesser] power of naysayers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Which naysayers might he have been tempted or bullied into following? Perhaps rebels against the Davidic dynasty? Alternatively, God is warning the prophet to stand strong against more general opposition.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How powerful Isaiah\u2019s opposition must have been, if he needed the bolstering of God\u2019s own \u201cmighty hand\u201d to withstand it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One can imagine it would be easier to go along blindly with whatever the people say \u2013 and so God continues, \u201cDon\u2019t think everything this people decides is right and good; don\u2019t agree at the outset to join them in their deeds\u201d (paraphrasing according to Hakham).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One can imagine the value of even a few allies in one\u2019s countercultural stand \u2013 and Hakham goes on to point out that God\u2019s admonishment shifts from singular, addressing the prophet alone, to plural, addressing the followers he did have.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And one can imagine the prophet\u2019s heartbreak, when God then instructs him to seal up his prophecy (v. 16). Earlier, God had said to \u201cget a large sheet and write on it in common script\u201d (v. 1) \u2013 publicly \u2013 but now, the people have demonstrated they\u2019re not listening, and so he wraps up his words and puts them away for safekeeping.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet, there is comfort there, too. The prophet still has students who do pay attention, students who will faithfully guard his words \u2013 \u201cthough in this generation, his words were not accepted, his words are necessary for future generations\u201d (Hakham\u2019s comment on v. 16).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite all the frustrations, despite the pressure to step down from his soapbox, despite the necessity of packing his words away for another time \u2013 the prophet is inspired by packing them away rather than throwing them away, and proclaims in verse 17, \u201cSo I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face from the House of Jacob, and I will trust [hope] in Him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

With his students and his children, whose names transform them to living symbols of God\u2019s faithfulness to His nation (v. 18) \u2013 Isaiah will wait, and hope, for the day his words will be recognized as the lone voice of truth they always were.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65133,"alt":"","title":"is8-heartbreak","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak.png","width":1280,"height":1025,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-300x240.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":240,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-768x615.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":615,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-1024x820.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":820,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1025,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-1200x961.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":961,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-524x420.png","home_baner-width":524,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Hiding Of God\u2019s Face Brings Heartbreak, Then Comfort","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Isaiah\u2019s words will be stored away for future generations who will recognize their truth","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65133,"alt":"","title":"is8-heartbreak","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak.png","width":1280,"height":1025,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-300x240.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":240,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-768x615.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":615,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-1024x820.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":820,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1025,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-1200x961.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":961,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-heartbreak-524x420.png","home_baner-width":524,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"463","name":"Truth","old_id":"863"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"607","name":"Comfort","old_id":"1007"},{"term_id":"940","name":"Isaiah","old_id":"1340"}]},{"order":8,"id":"115621","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah8","post_title":"The Tanakh Podcast-Isaiah8","slug":"the-tanakh-podcast-isaiah8","old_id":"115621","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. 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Isaiah 7 and 8 are set against the background of one of the many local skirmishes that must have taken place in the area of Israel in biblical times \u2013 most of which are unknown to us. This war of 734 BCE, known to modern historians as the Syro-Ephraimite War, was the result of the Arameans and the Northern Israelites allying together to attack Jerusalem, where Ahaz was the king. According to 2 Kings 16:5, the Arameans and Israelites got as far as laying siege to Jerusalem.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The goal seems to have been geo-political: Aram and Northern Israel wanted to fight against the ascendant Assyrians. They needed all the regional help they could get, but Ahaz was not cooperating, and was leaning towards submitting to Assyria. The campaign failed, not through any miracle, but through political machinations. Ahaz sent an urgent message to Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria: \u201cI am your servant and your son; come and deliver me from the hands of the king of Aram and from the hands of the king of Israel, who are attacking me\u201d (2 Kings 16:7). And Tiglath-Pileser responded, not so much to the plea of a pitiful king, as much as to what accompanied it: \u201cAhaz took the gold and silver that were on hand in the House of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent them as a gift to the king of Assyria.\u201d Tiglath-Pileser actually conquered Damascus, the Aramean capital, and razed it to the ground, bringing thousands of years of urban history to an end there.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These are the events foretold at the beginning of our chapter: Isaiah reports another symbolic birth here (in addition to the child of the <\/span>\u2018almah<\/span><\/em> in the previous chapter): his wife bore a son, and God told him to name the child Maher-Shalal-\u1e24ash-Baz. This name consists of two synonymous clauses, both meaning \u201chasten the spoils\u201d (both <\/span>maher<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>\u1e25ash<\/span><\/em> mean \u201chasten\u201d; both <\/span>shalal<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>baz<\/span><\/em> mean \u201cspoils\u201d). This is then explained: \u201cFor before the boy learns to call \u2018Father\u2019 and \u2018Mother,\u2019 the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, and the delights of Rezin and of the son of Remaliah, shall be carried off before the king of Assyria.\u201d And so it was.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0 bibleresearchtoday.com<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65136,"alt":"","title":"is8-syro-ephraimitic-war","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","width":656,"height":521,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war-300x238.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":238,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","medium_large-width":656,"medium_large-height":521,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","large-width":656,"large-height":521,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","1536x1536-width":656,"1536x1536-height":521,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","2048x2048-width":656,"2048x2048-height":521,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","post_full_size-width":656,"post_full_size-height":521,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war-529x420.png","home_baner-width":529,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Syro-Ephraimite War","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Isaiah supports Ahaz in his capitulation, and prophecies that the \u201cspoils will be hastened\u2026\u201d","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65136,"alt":"","title":"is8-syro-ephraimitic-war","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","width":656,"height":521,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war-300x238.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":238,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","medium_large-width":656,"medium_large-height":521,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","large-width":656,"large-height":521,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","1536x1536-width":656,"1536x1536-height":521,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","2048x2048-width":656,"2048x2048-height":521,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war.png","post_full_size-width":656,"post_full_size-height":521,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-syro-ephraimitic-war-529x420.png","home_baner-width":529,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"},{"term_id":"434","name":"War","old_id":"834"}]},{"order":10,"id":"65186","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Faithfulness In The Face Of The Concealed ","post_title":"Faithfulness In The Face Of The Concealed","slug":"faithfulness-in-the-face-of-the-concealed","old_id":"65186","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33992,"post_title":"Bradley Shavit Artson","slug":"rabbi-dr-bradley-shavit-artson","old_id":"33992","first_name":"Bradley Shavit ","last_name":"Artson","description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and is professor of philosophy there. Artson is married to Elana Shavit Artson, and they are the parents of twins, Shira and Jacob.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson is the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University in Los Angeles.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33993,"alt":"","title":"Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","width":204,"height":199,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-256x300.png","medium-width":256,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","medium_large-width":204,"medium_large-height":199,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","large-width":204,"large-height":199,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","1536x1536-width":204,"1536x1536-height":199,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","2048x2048-width":204,"2048x2048-height":199,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","post_full_size-width":204,"post_full_size-height":199,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Rabbi-Dr-Bradley-Shavit-Artson-e1532029361140.png","home_baner-width":204,"home_baner-height":199}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Despite God\u2019s hidden face, God\u2019s luring love is pervasive and never calls retreat","post_main_content_content":"

On the surface (!) of the concealed, Isaiah proclaims an act of courage and depth. He notes that God has become hidden, yet the Prophet affirms that he will persist in hope and patient affirmation nonetheless. \u201cSo I will wait for the Lord, whose face is hiding from the House of Jacob, and I will trust.\u201d Note the paradoxes of Isaiah\u2019s claim: he sees that God is hiding, even though that means God is now invisible. In this game of cosmic hide-and-seek, Isaiah pledges that he will continue to seek, even though there is no one to find in the present moment.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hester Panim<\/span><\/em>, God\u2019s hidden face, is a recurrent trope in prophetic literature. It provides an answer to the perennial question of why bad things happen to good people: because God is hiding, and so are God\u2019s ways. The world we live in is not one in which God is immediately visible. We cannot equate everything that happens with the fulfillment of a divine mandate (that means that it isn\u2019t all for the best). God is hidden, under the surface, biding God\u2019s time. But Isaiah knows that the superficial is not the level to locate God\u2019s priorities. Spare us the sermons that identify the recent earthquake\/fire\/tsunami with the sins of your favorite target!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As theological solutions go, <\/span>hester panim<\/em> <\/span>is light years better than the judgmental voices eager to condemn whatever actions (or people) the self-appointed Defenders of Religion want to insult. But we need more. A God who chooses to let the suffering go is still answerable for it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Can we read Isaiah on a deeper (hidden) level? What if the prophet is hinting that God not only doesn\u2019t intervene to prevent the natural consequences of actions, but also can\u2019t? Maybe God\u2019s face is hidden because there is simply no other way for creation to have its own integrity, for creatures to be able to grow and develop their own capacities. For us to have some self-determination, God must withdraw from the surface of action.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean that God is absent. Isaiah also affirms that on the level of trustworthiness, faithfulness, that is to say meaning and purpose, there the God of Israel is to be sought, and found. We find God not in the earthquake, but in the resilience of life to renew, in the hands of the people who rebuild and lift up the victims. God\u2019s luring love is pervasive and never calls retreat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Isaiah knew that if we look for God in special effects and in superficial disasters, we will find only hiddenness. But if we go deep, if we approach God in resilient patience and hope, we can reveal a light so bright that will shine a path of liberation and bounty for us, just has it has across the ages.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65187,"alt":"","title":"is8-hidden","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden.jpg","width":1920,"height":1281,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1281,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Faithfulness In The Face Of The Concealed","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Despite God\u2019s hidden face, God\u2019s luring love is pervasive and never calls retreat","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65187,"alt":"","title":"is8-hidden","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden.jpg","width":1920,"height":1281,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1281,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-1200x801.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":801,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-hidden-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"384","name":"God","old_id":"784"},{"term_id":"491","name":"Suffering","old_id":"891"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"}]},{"order":11,"id":"65138","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"No More Prophesying To This Short-Sighted King ","post_title":"No More Prophesying To This Short-Sighted King","slug":"no-more-prophesying-to-this-short-sighted-king","old_id":"65138","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64700,"post_title":"Yaakov Jaffe","slug":"yaakov-jaffe","old_id":"64700","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Jaffe ","description":"Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe is Dean of Judaic Studies at the Maimonides School in Brookline, and is the Rabbi of the Maimonides Kehillah there. He is the author of Isaiah and his Contemporaries, now available from Kodesh Press at: https:\/\/kodeshpress.com\/product\/isaiah-and-his-contemporaries","short_description":"Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe is Dean of Judaic Studies at the Maimonides School in Brookline, and is the Rabbi of the Maimonides Kehillah there. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64701,"alt":"","title":"yaakov-jaffe","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/yaakov-jaffe.png","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Ahaz paid his future enemy to attack, defeat, and exile his own Israelite brethren","post_main_content_content":"

The Judeans of Jerusalem disagreed with their king\u2019s judgement and were prepared to support Pekah and Rezin in their bid to overthrow the king and replace him with a puppet (as we saw in chapter 7). The prophet is critical of their rebellion, and with the idea that they would reject the Davidic dynasty. \u201cDo not join the conspiracy\u201d the prophet warns; don\u2019t depose this king (8:9-15)!\u00a0 And indeed, if the people reject the Davidic monarch, here compared to the calm, soothing waters of Siloam pool (8:5-6), the people will have to face the raging waters of the Assyrian conquest which will wipe the kingdom of Judah nearly off the map (8:7-8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We know from 2 Kings 16:7-9 that Ahaz was so scared, so blinded by the short-term threat of his internal rebellion and external enemies that he did the unthinkable and bribed the Assyrian king to rescue him from Aram and Northern Israel.\u00a0 Ahaz essentially paid his future enemy to embark on the task of attacking, defeating, and exiling his own Jewish brethren. It is no surprise that the prophet tried so adamantly to dissuade the king from this disastrous course! The bribe would simultaneously impoverish Judah, embolden the Assyrians to later move on Judah, and also serve to further destabilize Northern Israel. The first exile was small, but the next wave of exile of the Northern tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali was greater (8:23).\u00a0 And it all happened because the king was so close-minded, unable to accurately read the realities of the situation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The prophet is told to refrain from prophesying more to the wicked Ahaz (8:16-17), a king we know also to have been an idolater from the account in 2 Kings. In the interim, the people might be tempted to pursue council from the spirits \u2013 but a nation must seek out their own God, and so the message for the people must come from elsewhere (8:18-22).\u00a0 The prophet names his two sons Shear-Jashub \u2013 \u201ca remnant will return\u201d (7:3), and Immanuel \u2013 \u201cGod is with us\u201d (7:14), so that even in a generation without direct prophecy, anyone who ever meets these children and recalls their names will remember the words of the prophet: Even in difficult times God is still with us; there will be much destruction in the future, but in the end a remnant will return. \u201cHere stand I and the children the LORD has given me as signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion\u201d (8:18).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Tiglath-Pileser III and the Syro-Ephraimite War: Kalah Palace Summary Inscription, 729 BCE Tiglath-Pileser III lists the kings who paid him tribute, including [Jeho]ahaz king of Judah \u201cIn all the countries which\u2026 [I received] the tribute of\u2026 Jehoahaz of Judah \u2026 gold, silver, tin, iron, antimony, linen garments with multicolored trimmings\u2026\u201d (Summary Inscription No. 7). Date- 729 BCE \/ cojs.org<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":65139,"alt":"","title":"is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","width":640,"height":538,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary-300x252.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":252,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":538,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","large-width":640,"large-height":538,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","1536x1536-width":640,"1536x1536-height":538,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","2048x2048-width":640,"2048x2048-height":538,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","post_full_size-width":640,"post_full_size-height":538,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary-500x420.jpg","home_baner-width":500,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"No More Prophesying To This Short-Sighted King","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Ahaz paid his future enemy to attack, defeat, and exile his own Israelite brethren","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":65139,"alt":"","title":"is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","width":640,"height":538,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary-300x252.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":252,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":538,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","large-width":640,"large-height":538,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","1536x1536-width":640,"1536x1536-height":538,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","2048x2048-width":640,"2048x2048-height":538,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary.jpg","post_full_size-width":640,"post_full_size-height":538,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/is8-Kalah_Palace_Summary-500x420.jpg","home_baner-width":500,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"402","name":"Leadership","old_id":"802"},{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"813","name":"Rebellion","old_id":"1213"}]},{"order":12,"id":"65035","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Isaiah 8 ","post_title":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Isaiah 8","slug":"sefaria-source-sheets-isaiah-8","old_id":"65035","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42228,"post_title":"Sefaria","slug":"sefaria","old_id":"42228","first_name":"","last_name":"Sefaria","description":"Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. 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\u201cZion as Woman as God's Dwelling Place in the Book of Isaiah\u201d<\/a> by Dena Trugman: Different metaphors for Zion in Isaiah.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe Real Deal or a Bad Deal? Sorcery in the Tanakh\u201d<\/a> by Rabbi Andrew Pepperstone: Biblical texts about magic.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Source Sheets - Isaiah 8","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Links to learning resources","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Sefaria word sunburst visualization","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":13,"id":"65097","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 8 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Isaiah 8","slug":"points-to-ponder-isaiah-8","old_id":"65097","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"342","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. Reliable testimony.<\/em> The poster with the message: \u201cMaher-shalal-chash-baz\u201d (\u201chasten pillage, speed looting\u201d) is treated like a legal document, with two witnesses, Uriah the priest, and Zecharyahu ben Berachyahu (verse 2). Uriah was apparently the high priest, and Zecharyahu was another notable. In another 208 chapters, and 230 years, we will meet a prophet named Zecharya ben Berachya. Does the similarity in names have any significance? There are different opinions in the literature.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. He\u2019s a prophet. And she?<\/em> In verse 3, the wife of the prophet is called: prophetess. But that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that she was also a professional.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Learning curve<\/em>. The schedule of political events is tied to the developmental progress of the children of the prophet. In the last chapter:\u00a0 \u201cBy the time he learns to reject the bad and choose the good,\u201d (age 3?) \u201cpeople will be feeding on curds and honey,\u201d the Aramean threat will disappear. And here, verse 4 - \u201cFor before the boy learns to call \u2018Father\u2019 and \u2018Mother,\u2019\u201d (before the age of 1?) - the event will occur.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Man plans, and\u2026<\/em> The well known Hebrew song Utzu Eytza - \u201cHatch a plot\u2014it shall be foiled; Agree on action\u2014it shall not succeed. For with us is God!\u201d is verse 10 here. Note this isn\u2019t an explicit promise for support for our side. Kingdoms plan, politicians scheme, but the last word is God\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Family portrait<\/em>. In these last two chapters we met the family of the prophet, and his high personal involvement in his mission, to bring \u201csigns and wonders to Israel,\u201d\u00a0 through his sons, Shear Yeshub, Immanuel, and Maher-shelal-chash-baz. If you thought that that was a super long name, wait til the next chapter when a new record is set...<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Isaiah 8","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"Isaiah","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"342","date":"20261221","wall_id":"342"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/65029"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}