ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף זכריה 14:5

In the year that King Uzziah died. Our sages said that died is here used for became a leper;¹Comp. Rashi, ad locum, and Talmud Babli Nedarim, 64: There are four persons who, though living, may be counted as dead: the poor, the blind, the leper, the childless. for when Uzziah entered the temple to offer the incense,²On that occasion, Uzziah was struck with leprosy (2 Kgs. 15:5, and 2 Chr. 26:20, 2 Chr. 26:21). the earthquake³At which, as some believe, Isaiah hinted by the words, And the posts of the door moved. See Rashi on ver. 4. The earthquake, which took place during the reign of King Uzziah, is mentioned Amos 1:1, and Zac. 14:5. Compare also Seder Olam, Amos prophesied before, Isaiah during the earthquake. took place. This may be true; but מות can also be taken literally; in that case the death of Uzziah must be placed in the same year in which Isaiah became prophet; no objection can be raised from In the days⁴In the days (1:1) appears to mean in the midst of the reign of, since ימים sometimes signifies years. Ibn Ezra anticipates this objection and refutes it by referring to the literal meaning of ימים days, which may of course be applied to a part of a year. Thus the words in the days of Uzziah admit the supposition, that Isaiah commenced his prophetical career in the last year of the reign of Uzziah. of Uzziah (1:1), since even months might have passed between Isaiah’s initiation as prophet and the death of Uzziah. This chapter contains the first prophecy of Isaiah.

which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem Now, did he not prophesy concerning many nations, viz. the prophecy of Babylonia (ch. 13), the prophecy of Moab (ch. 15)? Thus you learn that this is not the beginning of the Book, and that the Book is not given its name for this prophecy. So we learned in the Baraitha of the Mechilta (Exod. 15: 9,10): “In the year of King Uzziah’s death” (6:1) is the beginning of the Book, but there is no early and late in the order [i.e., the order of the chapters is no indication of the chronological order. (Others read: There is no early and late in the Book—Parshandatha.] The context proves this point, for, on the day of the earthquake (see Zech. 14:5), the day Uzziah became a metzora (see 2 Chron. 26:19), it was said: “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me” (6:8). We learn that this was the beginning of his mission, and this prophecy was said afterwards. And concerning this alone, it is stated: which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, just as Scripture says concerning each nation, “the prophecy of such and such a nation.” Here too, Scripture writes: “which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.” Since they are harsh reproofs, he calls them “chazon,” which is the harshest of the ten expressions by which prophecy is called, as is stated in Gen. Rabbah (44:7), and proof of this is the verse (infra 21:2), “A harsh prophecy (חָזוּת) was told to me.”

two years before the earthquake—Two years before Uzziah was plagued, the day Isaiah prophesied, as it is stated: (Isaiah 6: 4) “And the doorposts quaked,” and it is stated: (Zechariah 14:5) “As you fled before the earthquake.”

from the voice of him who called [i.e.,] from the voice of the angels calling. This took place on the day of the earthquake, about which it is stated (Zechariah 14:5): “And you shall flee as you fled on the day of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah.” On the day that Uzziah stood, ready to burn incense in the Temple, the heavens quaked, [attempting] to burn him, as if to say that his punishment should be by burning, as it is said (Num. 16:35): “And it consumed the two hundred and fifty men.” For this reason, Scripture calls them seraphim, for they attempted to burn him. The earth quaked, attempting to swallow him up, thinking that his punishment should be that he be swallowed up like Korah, who contested the priesthood. Thereupon, a heavenly voice emanated and said (ibid. 17: 5), “And there shall not be” another man contesting the priesthood “like Korah” to be swallowed up, “and like his assembly” to be burnt, but, “as the Lord spoke by the hand of Moses,” in the thornbush (Exodus 4:6), “Now bring your hand into your bosom,” and he took it out, stricken with zaraath like snow, here too, the zaraath shone on his forehead.”