Midrash su Isaia 52:12

(Deut. 1:1:) “These are the words (elleh hadevarim).” May the name [of the Holy One, blessed be He,] be blessed and may His memory be exalted. All the miracles that he did for Israel in the wilderness, He is likewise going to do in Zion. It is written concerning the wilderness (ibid.), “These are the words;” and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 42:16), “I will turn darkness before them into light and rough places into level ground. These things (elleh hadevarim) I will do, and I will not forsake them.” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 20:15), “Now all the people saw the thunderings (qol in the plural)”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Jer. 33:11), “The sound (qol) of joy and the sound (qol) of gladness, [the voice (qol) of the bridegroom and the voice (qol) of the bride].” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Ps. 68:9), “The earth quaked”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Hag. 2:6), “I will cause the heavens and the earth to quake.” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 13:21), “And the Lord went before them by day”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 52:12), “for the Lord shall go before you.” It is written concerning the wilderness (in Deut. 30:9), “for the Lord shall be glad over you again”; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 65:19), “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people.” [Also (according to Is. 35:1),] “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” What did Isaiah see to say this? It is simply that, when Israel transgressed the Torah, Hosea arose and said (in Hos. 2:5), “I will make her like a wilderness and render her like an arid land.” For that reason Isaiah has said (in Is. 35:1), “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” Now all the consolations of which Isaiah spoke are double, because (according to Is. 40:2) “she (i.e., Jerusalem) has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.”¹Lam. R. 1:22. So for that reason the consolations are double (in vs. 1) “Comfort, O comfort My people.” [Similarly (in Is. 51:12),] “I, I am the one who comforts you.” [Also (in Is. 51:9),] “Awake, awake.” [Also (in Is. 51:17),] “Rouse yourself, rouse yourself!” [Also] (in Is. 61:10),] “I will be glad with rejoicing.” [Also] (in Is. 35:2),] “It shall blossom with blossoms.” Another interpretation (of Is. 35:1), “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” For what reason was this written? To teach you that when the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals His Divine Presence over Israel, He does not reveal it all to them on one occasion, because they would not have been able to persevere in this bounty all at once; for if He had revealed His bounty to them at one time, they would all have died. See what is written (in Is. 64:3), “From time immemorial they have not heard, nor has an ear perceived, nor has an eye seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.” Go and learn from Joseph; for when he made himself known to his brothers after so many years, [when] Joseph said to them (in Gen. 45:3), “I am Joseph,” they all died, “and they could not answer him; [for they were dismayed because of him].” How much the more [would Israel be dismayed] at [a sudden revelation of] the Holy One, blessed be He! So what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for them instead? He reveals himself to them little by little. At the beginning, He makes the mountains glad, as stated (in Is. 35:1), “The wilderness and the arid land shall be glad.” Then after that (ibid.), “the steppes shall rejoice […].” Then after that (in vs. 2), “It shall bloom abundantly.” Then after that (ibid.), “the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it.” Then after that (ibid.), “they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” For that reason David said (in Ps. 102:17), “For the Lord has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory.” It also says (in Is. 52:8), “for eye to eye they will see the return of the Lord to Zion.” And it also says (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; we waited for Him, and He delivered us; [this is the Lord; we waited for Him, let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’”

(Deut. 1:1:) THESE ARE THE WORDS (elleh hadevarim). May the name <of the Holy One> be blessed and may his memory be exalted.¹Tanh., Deut. 1:1. All the miracles that he did for Israel in the wilderness, he is likewise going to do in Zion. It is written concerning the wilderness (ibid.): THESE ARE THE WORDS; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 42:16): I WILL TURN DARKNESS BEFORE THEM INTO LIGHT AND ROUGH PLACES INTO LEVEL GROUND. THESE THINGS (elleh hadevarim) [I WILL DO, AND I WILL NOT FORSAKE THEM]. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS (qol in the plural); and it is written concerning Zion (in Jer. 7:34): <AND I WILL PUT AN END … > TO THE SOUND (qol) OF JOY AND THE SOUND (qol) OF GLADNESS, THE VOICE (qol) OF THE BRIDEGROOM <AND THE VOICE (qol) OF THE BRIDE>. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Ps. 68:9 [8]): THE EARTH QUAKED; and it is written concerning Zion (in Hag. 2:6): I WILL CAUSE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH TO QUAKE. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 13:21): AND THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM BY DAY; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 52:12): FOR THE LORD SHALL GO BEFORE YOU. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Deut. 30:9): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE GLAD OVER YOU AGAIN; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 65:19): I WILL ALSO REJOICE IN JERUSALEM AND BE GLAD IN MY PEOPLE. [<Also> (according to Is. 35:1): THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD.] What did Isaiah see to say this? It is simply that, when Israel transgressed the Torah, Hosea arose and said (in Hos. 2:5 [3]): I WILL MAKE HER LIKE A WILDERNESS [AND RENDER HER LIKE AN ARID LAND]. For that reason Isaiah has said (in Is. 35:1): THE WILDERNESS <AND THE ARID LAND> SHALL BE GLAD. Now all the consolations of which Isaiah spoke are double, because (according to Is. 40:2:) SHE (i.e., Jerusalem) HAS RECEIVED FROM THE HAND OF THE LORD DOUBLE FOR ALL HER SINS.²Lam. R. 1:22 (57). So for that reason Isaiah has comforted her doubly (in vs. 1) COMFORT, O COMFORT <MY PEOPLE, SAYS YOUR GOD>. <Similarly> (in Is. 51:12): I, I <AM THE ONE WHO COMFORTS YOU>. <Also> (in Is. 51:9): AWAKE, AWAKE, <PUT ON STRENGTH, O ARM OF THE LORD>! <Also> (in Is. 51:17): ROUSE YOURSELF, ROUSE YOURSELF! <ARISE, O JERUSALEM … !> <Also> (in Is. 61:10): I WILL BE GLAD WITH REJOICING <IN THE LORD>. <Also> (in Is. 35:1–2) <THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD …;> IT SHALL BLOSSOM WITH BLOSSOMS.

(Exodus 12:11) "And thus shall you eat it": as those going on a journey. R. Yossi Haglili says: Scripture is hereby teaching proper deportment to those going on a journey — that they do things with despatch. "and you shall eat it in haste": This is the haste of the Egyptians (to make them leave). You say this. But perhaps it is the haste of the Jews (to leave)? (Devarim 16:3) "for in haste you left Egypt" already speaks of the haste of the Jews. How, then, am I to understand "and you shall eat it in haste"? As referring to the haste of Egypt. R. Yehoshua says: "and you shall eat in haste": This is the haste of Israel. You say this. But perhaps it is the haste of the Egyptians? (Exodus 12:39) already speaks of the haste of the Egyptians. How, then, am I to understand "in haste"? As referring to the haste of the Jews. Abba Channan says in the name of R. Elazar: This ("in haste") is the haste of the Shechinah. And even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Song of Songs 2:8) "the voice of my Beloved, behold, it comes," (heralding the redemption, etc.), (Ibid. 9) "Behold, (seeking to redeem us), He stands behind our wall, etc." I might think that this will be so in the future, too. It is, therefore, written (Isaiah 52:12) "But not in haste will you leave, and you will not go out in flight. For the L rd walks before you, and your rear guard is the G d of Israel." "It is a Pesach (offering) to the L rd": All of their acts (in respect to it) are to be for the sake of Heaven.