Komentarz do Izajasza 65:17

new heavens The princes above shall be renewed, and the princes of Israel shall be the upper princes and the princes of the heathens (the nations [Parshandatha]) will be lower, and so on the earth. ([K’li Paz reads:] The princes above shall be renewed, to raise up the humble and to humble the high ones, and so on the earth.) And some say that there will actually be new heavens, and that is correct, for Scripture proves it (infra 66:22): “For as the new heavens, etc.”

בי הנני בורא שמים חדשים וגו׳ For behold, I create new heavens, etc. Some explain this verse thus: Behold, it will be as if I created, etc.²²The heavens are considered as not subject to a material change; it was therefore found necessary to explain the seeming contradiction of this opinion, contained in the prediction of the creation of new heavens. Some explain that there will not be a real, but only an apparent creation of new heavens. The grammarian, R. Jehudah, says, that by the new heavens the creatures in heaven and earth are meant.²³According to this opinion, the totality of the heavens is unchangeable, and that will not be renewed, but the individual creatures in them do not share the same privilege; the new creation refers to them. The right explanation, however, is, that by heavens the atmosphere over the earth is meant, and the meaning of the whole sentence is: God will create a new good atmosphere, that people will be healthy and enjoy a long life; He will likewise increase the productive power of the earth, that it will be as though it were new. Those that refer the passage to the future life of man, are wrong; for it cannot thus agree with the context of the chapter, since in the future life there is neither eating nor drinking, as our sages have taught us,^23aComp. Talmud Babli, Berachoth p. 17. and this idea concerning the future life is the only true one.

The former. The former troubles, as some quite correctly explain; others supply heaven and earth; but there is no sense in their explanation, as may be proved from the next verse.²⁴The opposite of the former things, which shall not be remembered, is described in the next verse by גילה, rejoicing, and משוש,joy. The former things are therefore the former troubles and sufferings.