The Revelation of Divinity (Isaiah 6)

A spiritual revelation, a spiritual Torah, in the materialistic world. Man, even Isaiah, cannot comprehend. Moses asks to understand.

9 And He said: 'Go, and tell this people: hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they, seeing with their eyes, and hearing with their ears, and understanding with their heart, return, and be healed    6 יְשַׁעְיָהוּ

Our parasha [Yisro] discusses one of the most important occasions in Jewish history and maybe even in world history – the revelation on Mount Sinai and the receiving of the Torah. Up until now G-d reveled himself to individuals only, turning them into prophets. The revelation on Mount Sinai was such a significant event because all of Israel witnessed it happening.

Beyond the public inspiration of the divine spirit compared with the individual one, this event was different. Maimonides explains that all prophecies are given over by dreams (except for Moses's prophecy), but in this revelation, all laws of nature changed. The sages describe this revelation many times, but one thing they all agree upon is that it gave the world a new thing it didn't have up until now, a spiritual Torah in the materialistic world.

This event was so mighty that Israel couldn't understand what was in front of them. G-d gave Israel the Ten Commandments, but they couldn’t comprehend the spirituality that descended upon them. Because of that Israel asked Moses to act as a mediator between G-d and themselves. For this reason, the first two Commandments were given by G-d, as no person can command about faith, only G-d can. But the rest of the Commandments can be commanded by a man of Moses' stature

Our haphtarah describes a similar state, Isaiah sees the divine spirit. But Isaiah can't comprehend the enormity of the event, and because of that come the angels. Isaiah understands from their behavior towards G-d, the enormity he is standing in front. Even the house in which Isaiah is standing is trembling from the revelation of the divine spirit. Only after this revelation, in which both the spiritual and materialistic entities testify upon G-d's greatness, Isaiah understands that he is standing in front of the divine spirit

We see that both in the parasha and in the haphtarah there is a revelation of the divine spirit. In each time the revelation is different, depending on the different needs. To the nation of Israel the revelation was to give them and the world the Torah and commanding upon them faith. In the haphtarah the revelation is to turn Isaiah into a prophet. There is a similarity between the two revelations. In both the materialistic land trembles because of the enormity of the revelation, in Mount Sinai the mountain itself trembles, and in the dedication of Isaiah as prophet, the doorposts tremble. In addition, in both the recipient can't comprehend the enormity of the revelation until he his helped. In Mount Sinai, Moses needs to clarify to Israel that this enormous revelation which they don't comprehend comes from G-d, and because of that he is acting as a middleman.

In the haphtarah only by the angels can Isaiah understand that he is seeing the divine spirit.

The parasha and haphtarah both describe the outcome of a revelation of the divine spirit upon human beings. Although human beings can't comprehend the inspiration until they are helped, the land does comprehend, and therefore it trembles. But nevertheless after human beings understand that they are viewing the divine spirit, it changes their whole life (the Torah came down to Israel and Isaiah became one of the biggest prophets).

Or-Eitan Ainie was formerly shaliach in Montreal (2019-2020) and is currently studying in a kollel for Smicha to be a rabbi. For comments: oreitanainie95@gmail.com

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