Yeshaya 49-54
Perek Summaries:
The perakim from here onwards generally speak about the redemption of Moshiach.
Perek 49: HaShem designated a prophet from the womb. Return from exile for Bnei Yisrael and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, with the captives redeemed from their non-Jewish captors.
Perek 50: Bnei Yisrael are encouraged to repent, and Yeshaya tells of his self-sacrifice for the people of Israel in delivering HaShem’s messages to His People.
Perek 51: Yerushalayim is comforted with HaShem’s intervention to bring future salvation. Simcha all-round
Perek 52: The final redemption and return to Zion
Perek 53: The reaction of the nations to Israel’s redemption; their wonder at the turnaround of such an oppressed people to great success and glory.
Perek 54: HaShem’s Kindness and the new glory of Jerusalem, which will not be destroyed/desecrated again.
DVAR TORAH:
The phrase Or Lagoyim (actually l’Or Goyim) appears twice in our perakim (49:6 and 51:4), and so here is a chance to discuss this concept. It basically is a prophecy that the Jewish People will be ‘a light unto the nations,’ in showing them the correct path in life. There is a slight misunderstanding of this concept. People think that it necessitates the Jewish people going out and proselytising the non-Jews, or at least mixing completely with them. This is not true. As the Redak (49:6) and Metzudos David (51:4) explain, the prophecy of being a light unto the nations will become fulfilled when we are given HaShem’s salvation, when the non-Jews will see the truth of HaShem. Meanwhile, we can be a light unto the nations by keeping HaShem’s Torah and mitzvos and ensuring that we have good character traits to be good representatives of HaShem’s Word.
