Comentários de Citação sobre Isaías 59:20

ושבת עד ה' אלוקיך, “and (then) you will return to the Lord your G–d;” elsewhere (Deut.23,15) it says in indirect speech: ושב ה' אלוקיך את שבותך ורחמך, “and the Lord your G–d will return with your captives and have mercy on you. Why does this have to be repeated? In the Talmud, tractate “Yuma”, folio 86, the Talmud says that repentance is important as it hastens the arrival of the redemption. This is based on Isaiah 59,20: ובא לציון גואל, ”and the Redeemer will come to Zion,” why? The verse continues with ושבי פשע ביעקב, “when the sinners among Yaakov have repented.” Rabbi Yossi bar Yehudah added that when a person transgresses a commandment once he is forgiven. By the time he transgresses a fourth time he is no longer subject to forgiveness. He bases himself on Amos 2,6: “thus said the Lord; for three transgressions of Israel, for four I will not revoke it (evil decree);” this is how the Talmud in tractate Yuma folio 86 understands that verse. I heard a reason for this attributed to Rabi Meir Levi, who stated that access to the Lord is guarded by three different “fences.” The first is overwhelming noise, the second is fire, and the third is a region of strong wind; finally there is a region in which almost inaudible sound is heard; (Compare Kings I 19, 11-12) in each region of these fences there are angels. When a person sins for the first time, the angels in the first region obstruct such a person’s access to commit further sins. This results in his obtaining forgiveness [as without this he would continue to sin having started to do so. Ed.] This process continues in varying degrees if he commits a second or third sin [without having repented in the interval. Ed.] When he sins a fourth time, having already breached the fences separating him from the Presence of G–d three times, he is no longer subject to forgiveness, as we know from Isaiah 65,3-7: “the people who provoke My anger who continually, to My very face, sacrifice in gardens and burn incense on tiles etc. etc. such things make My anger rage, like fire blazing all day long and I will not stand idly by but will repay deliver their sins into their bosom and the sins of their fathers as well.” In other words, G–d is patient until sinning has become a pattern of the sinner’s lifestyle before He reacts irrevocably.

Completed are these five books [of the Torah],
In which the wisdom of Agur and Ithiel³⁶¹See Proverbs 30:1. These are surnames for Solomon (see Yalkut Mishlei) whose wisdom was all inclusive (see Vol. I, p. 12). Yet in the mysteries of the Torah even his knowledge was “little.” was little.
And thousands of blessings to G-d,
Who hath bestowed on me according to His compassions,
And according to the multitude of His mercies,³⁶²Isaiah 63:7.
And bring him whom my heart requests,
And He for His Name’s sake consent thereto,
And a redeemer will come to Zion!³⁶³Ibid., 59:20.
Speedily in our days-may Michael stand up,³⁶⁴Daniel 12:1.
To build the House [of G-d] and the Ariel,³⁶⁵Isaiah 29:1. The Ariel is a reference to the altar.
And fulfill the verse written by Ezekiel,
And the nations shall know,
That I am the Eternal that sanctify Israel,
When My Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them, forever.³⁶⁶Ezekiel 37:28.