Sefer Yeshaya Perakim 31-36
1) Perek Summaries
Perek 31: Again, Yeshaya berates the people for seeking help from Egypt rather than HaShem. HaShem the Defender of Yerushalayim
Perek 32: The righteousness of king Chizkiyah. The frightening news of Sancheirev’s imminent attack on Jerusalem.
Perek 33: The prayer of the Bnei Yisrael and a promise that the enemy will fall. Consolation in HaShem’s salvation.
Perek 34: The destruction of the morally and spiritually corrupt nations
Perek 35: The prophetic simcha-filled return to Jerusalem.
Perek 36: This perek echoes that of Melachim Beis 18:13-20:9. It tells of Ashur’s ultimatum and how confident they were of victory.
2) Short Dvar Torah
In perek 36, Ashur sends an ultimatum to Jerusalem, threatening utter annihilation. Chizkiyah’s response is to tear his clothes in mourning. Why is this never presented as a lack of emunah on Chizkiyah’s part; surely HaShem can beat the Assyrian army (as He did) so what’s there to be afraid of? The answer is revealed by the Steipler in his sefer birkas peretz in the section on parshas Shoftim. He says that it is not a lack of bitachon to fear death; indeed the Torah prepares the soldiers for such a possibility (conditional divorces were given to each soldier’s wife before battle in case the soldier went Missing in Action and his wife could not remarry for fear he was still alive). What is a lack of bitachon/emunah? To fear that the might/numerical advantage of the enemy will dictate the war. Because, as has been shown throughout history (including modern history), when it comes to HaShem’s People, the fact that they are up against an enemy more numerous than them is irrelevant to who wins to war. So too, Chizkiyah feared death/destruction of Jerusalem, but did not fear the enemy’s numerical advantage.
