“Who can believe what we have heard?
Upon whom has the arm of GOD been revealed?
Rashi’s Commentary
- Who would have believed our report So will the nations say to one another, Were we to hear from others what we see, it would be unbelievable.
- the arm of the Lord like this, with greatness and glory, to whom was it revealed until now?
מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ וּזְרוֹעַ יְהֹוָה עַל־מִי נִגְלָתָה׃
רש"י
- מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ. כֵּן יֹאמְרוּ הָעֲוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ: אִלּוּ הָיִינוּ שׁוֹמְעִים מִפִּי אֲחֵרִים מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ רוֹאִים, אֵין לְהַאֲמִין:
- וּזְרוֹעַ ה׳. כָּזֹאת בִּגְדֻלָּה וְהוֹד, עַל מִי נִגְלָתָה עַד הֵנָּה?
For he has grown, by God’s favor, like a tree crown,
Like a tree trunk out of arid ground.
He had no form or beauty, that we should look at him:
No charm, that we should find him pleasing.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And he came up like a sapling before it This people, before this greatness came to it, was a very humble people, and it came up by itself like a sapling of the saplings of the trees.
- and like a root he came up from dry land.
- neither form had he in the beginning, nor comeliness.
- and we saw him that he had no appearance. Now shall we desire him? And when we saw him from the beginning without an appearance, how could we desire him? Now shall we desire him? This is a question.
וַיַּעַל כַּיּוֹנֵק לְפָנָיו וְכַשֹּׁרֶשׁ מֵאֶרֶץ צִיָּה לֹא־תֹאַר לוֹ וְלֹא הָדָר וְנִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹא־מַרְאֶה וְנֶחְמְדֵהוּ׃
רש"י
- וַיַּעַל כַּיּוֹנֵק לְפָנָיו. הָעָם הַזֶּה, לִפְנֵי בָּא לוֹ הַגְּדֻלָּה הַזֹּאת, עַם שָׁפָל הָיָה מְאֹד, וְעָלָה מֵאֵלָיו כְּיוֹנֵק מִיּוֹנֶקֶת הָאִילָנוֹת:
- וְכַשֹּׁרֶשׁ. עָלָה מֵאֶרֶץ צִיָּה:
- לֹא תֹאַר. הָיָה לוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה וְלֹא הָדָר:
- וְנִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹא מַרְאֶה וְנֶחְמְדֵהוּ. וּכְשֶׁרְאִינוּהוּ מִתְּחִלָּה בְּאֵין מַרְאֶה, הֵיאַךְ נֶחְמְדֵהוּ? וְנֶחְמְדֵהוּ תָּמוּהַּ הוּא:
He was despised, shunned by others,
A man of suffering, familiar with disease.
As one who hid his face from us,
He was despised, we held him of no account.
Rashi’s Commentary
- Despised and rejected by men was he. So is the custom of this prophet: he mentions all Israel as one man, e.g., (44:2), “Fear not, My servant Jacob”; (44:1) “And now, hearken, Jacob, My servant.” Here too (52:13), “Behold My servant shall prosper,” he said concerning the house of Jacob. יַשְׂכִּיל is an expression of prosperity. Comp. (I Sam. 18:14) “And David was successful (מַשְׂכִּיל) in all his ways.”
- and as one who hides his face from us Because of their intense shame and humility, they were as one who hides his face from us, with their faces bound up in concealment, in order that we not see them, like a plagued man who hides his face and is afraid to look.
נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים אִישׁ מַכְאֹבוֹת וִידוּעַ חֹלִי וּכְמַסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ נִבְזֶה וְלֹא חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ׃
רש"י
- נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים. הָיָה; כֵּן דֶּרֶךְ הַנָּבִיא הַזֶּה: מַזְכִּיר כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד, ״אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב״ (ישעיהו מד:ב), וְאַף כָּאן ״הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי״ (ישעיהו נב:יג) בְּבֵית יַעֲקֹב אָמַר; וְ׳יַשְׂכִּיל׳ לְשׁוֹן הַצְלָחָה הוּא, כְּמוֹ ״וַיְהִי דָוִד לְכָל דְּרָכָיו מַשְׂכִּיל״ (שמואל א יח:יד):
- וּכְמַסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ. מֵרֹב בָּשְׁתָּם וְשִׁפְלוּתָם הָיוּ כְּמַסְתִּיר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ, חֲבוּשֵׁי פָּנִים בְּטָמוּן, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאֶה אוֹתָם, כְּאָדָם מְנֻגָּע שֶׁמַּסְתִּיר פָּנָיו וְיָרֵא מְהַבִּיט:
Yet it was our sickness that he was bearing,
Our suffering that he endured.
We accounted him plagued,
Smitten and afflicted by God;
Rashi’s Commentary
- Indeed, he bore our illnesses Heb. אָכֵן, an expression of ‘but’ in all places. But now we see that this came to him not because of his low state, but that he was chastised with pains so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering. The illness that should rightfully have come upon us, he bore.
- yet we accounted him We thought that he was hated by the Omnipresent, but he was not so, but he was pained because of our transgressions and crushed because of our iniquities.
אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא וּמַכְאֹבֵינוּ סְבָלָם וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ נָגוּעַ מֻכֵּה אֱלֹהִים וּמְעֻנֶּה׃
רש"י
- אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא. אָכֵן לְשׁוֹן ׳אֲבָל׳ בְּכָל מָקוֹם. אֲבָל עַתָּה אָנוּ רוֹאִים שֶׁלֹּא מֵחֲמַת שִׁפְלוּתוֹ בָּא לוֹ, אֶלָּא מְיֻסָּר הָיָה בְּיִסּוּרִין:
- וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ. אָנוּ הָיִינוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁהוּא שְׂנָאוּי לַמָּקוֹם, וְהוּא לֹא הָיָה כֵּן, אֶלָּא מְחֹלָל הָיָה מִפְּשָׁעֵינוּ וּמְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ:
But he was wounded because of our sins,
Crushed because of our iniquities.
He bore the chastisement that made us whole,
And by his bruises we were healed.
Rashi’s Commentary
- the chastisement of our welfare was upon him The chastisement due to the welfare that we enjoyed, came upon him, for he was chastised so that there be peace for the entire world.
We all went astray like sheep,
Each of us going our own way;
And GOD visited upon him
The guilt of all of us.”
Rashi’s Commentary
- We all went astray like sheep Now it is revealed that all the heathens (nations [mss.]) had erred.
- accepted his prayers He accepted his prayers and was appeased concerning the iniquity of all of us, that He did not destroy His world. accepted...prayers Heb. הִפְגִּיעַ, espriad in O.F., an expression of supplication.
He was maltreated, yet he was submissive,
He did not open his mouth;
Like a sheep being led to slaughter,
Like a ewe, dumb before those who shear her,
He did not open his mouth.
Rashi’s Commentary
- He was oppressed, and he was afflicted Behold he was oppressed by taskmasters and people who exert pressure.
- and he was afflicted with verbal taunts, sorparlec in O.F.
- yet he would not open his mouth He would suffer and remain silent like the lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and like the ewe that is mute before her shearers.
- and he would not open his mouth This refers to the lamb brought to the slaughter.
נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח־פִּיו כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו׃
רש"י
- נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה. נִגַּשׂ הִנֵּה בְּנוֹגְשִׂים וְדוֹחֲקִים:
- וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה. בְּאוֹנָאַת דְּבָרִים, שורפרלרי״ן בלע״ז:
- לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו. סוֹבֵל הָיָה וְשׁוֹתֵק, כְּמוֹ הַשֶּׂה אֲשֶׁר לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל, וּכְרָחֵל אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי גוֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה:
- לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו. מוּסָב עַל שֶׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל:
By oppressive judgment he was taken away,
Who could describe his abode?
For he was cut off from the land of the living
Through the sin of my people, who deserved the punishment.
Rashi’s Commentary
- From imprisonment and from judgment he is taken The prophet reports and says that the heathens (nations [mss., K’li Paz]) will say this at the end of days, when they see that he was taken from the imprisonment that he was imprisoned in their hands and from the judgment of torments that he suffered until now.
- and his generation The years that passed over him.
- who shall tell? The tribulations that befell him, for from the beginning, he was cut off and exiled from the land of the living that is the land of Israel for because of the transgression of my people, this plague came to the righteous among them.
מֵעֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט לֻקָּח וְאֶת־דּוֹרוֹ מִי יְשׂוֹחֵחַ כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים מִפֶּשַׁע עַמִּי נֶגַע לָמוֹ׃
רש"י
- מֵעֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט לֻקָּח. הַנָּבִיא מְבַשֵּׂר וְאוֹמֵר, כִּי זֹאת יֹאמְרוּ הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמָזָלוֹת בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, כְּשֶׁיִּרְאוּ כְּשֶׁנִּלְקַח מִן הָעֹצֶר שֶׁהָיָה עָצוּר בְּיָדָם, וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט הַיִּסּוּרִין שֶׁסָּבַל עַד עַתָּה:
- וְאֶת דּוֹרוֹ. שָׁנִים שֶׁעָבְרוּ עָלָיו:
- מִי יְשׂוֹחֵחַ אֶת הַתְּלָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר מְצָאוּהוּ? כִּי נִגְזַר הָיָה מִתְּחִלָּה וְגוֹלֶה מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים, הִיא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר מִפֶּשַׁע עַמִּי בָּא הַנֶּגַע הַזֶּה לַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבָּהֶם:
And his grave was set among the wicked,
And with the rich, in his death—
Though he had done no injustice
And had spoken no falsehood.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And he gave his grave to the wicked He subjected himself to be buried according to anything the wicked of the heathens (nations [mss., K’li Paz]) would decree upon him, for they would penalize him with death and the burial of donkeys in the intestines of the dogs.
- to the wicked According to the will of the wicked, he was willing to be buried, and he would not deny the living God.
- and to the wealthy with his kinds of death and to the will of the ruler he subjected himself to all kinds of death that he decreed upon him, because he did not wish to agree to (denial) [of the Torah] to commit evil and to rob like all the heathens (nations [mss., K’li Paz]) among whom he lived.
- and there was no deceit in his mouth to accept idolatry (to accept a pagan deity as God [Parshandatha]).
וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ וְאֶת־עָשִׁיר בְּמֹתָיו עַל לֹא־חָמָס עָשָׂה וְלֹא מִרְמָה בְּפִיו׃
רש"י
- וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ מָסַר אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְהִקָּבֵר כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר יִגְזְרוּ עָלָיו רִשְׁעֵי הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁהָיוּ קוֹנְסִין עֲלֵיהֶם הֲרִיגָה וּקְבוּרַת חֲמוֹרִים בִּמְעֵי הַכְּלָבִים:
- אֶת רְשָׁעִים. לְדַעַת הָרְשָׁעִים נִתְרַצָּה לִקָּבֵר, וְלֹא יִכְפּוֹר בֵּאלֹהִים חַיִּים:
- וְאֶת עָשִׁיר בְּמֹתָיו. וּלְדַעַת הַמּוֹשֵׁל מָסַר עַצְמוֹ בְּכָל מִינֵי מָוֶת שֶׁגָּזַר עָלָיו, עַל לֹא רָצָה לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו כְּפִירָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת רָעָה וְלַחְמוֹס חָמָס כְּכָל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה גָּר בֵּינֵיהֶם:
- וְלֹא מִרְמָה בְּפִיו. לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת:
But GOD chose to crush him by disease,
That, if he made himself an offering for guilt,
He might see offspring and have long life,
And that through him GOD’s purpose might prosper.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And the Lord wished to crush him, He made him ill The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to crush him and to cause him to repent; therefore, he made him ill.
- If his soul makes itself restitution, etc. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “I will see, if his soul will be given and delivered with My holiness to return it to Me as restitution for all that he betrayed Me, I will pay him his recompense, and he will see children, etc.” This word אָשָׁם is an expression of ransom that one gives to the one against when he sinned, amende in O.F., to free from faults, similar to the matter mentioned in the episode of the Philistines (I Sam. 6:3), “Do not send it away empty, but you shall send back with it a guilt offering (אָשָׁם).”
וַיהֹוָה חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי אִם־תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְאֶה זֶרַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים וְחֵפֶץ יְהֹוָה בְּיָדוֹ יִצְלָח׃
רש"י
- וַה' חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ לְדַכְּאוֹ וּלְהַחֲזִירוֹ לְמוּטָב, לְפִיכָךְ הֶחֱלִי אוֹתוֹ:
- אִם תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם נַפְשׁוֹ וְגוֹ׳. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֶרְאֶה אִם תְּהֵא נַפְשׁוֹ נוֹתֶנֶת וְנִמְסֶרֶת בִּקְדוּשָׁתִי לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ לִי אָשָׁם עַל כָּל אֲשֶׁר מָעַל, אֶגְמֹל לוֹ גְּמוּלוֹ, וְיִרְאֶה זֶרַע וְגוֹ׳. אָשָׁם זֶה לְשׁוֹן ׳כֹּפֶר׳, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן אָדָם לְמִי שֶׁחָטָא לוֹ, אמינד״א בלע״ז, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים (שמואל א ו:ג): ״אַל תָּשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ רֵיקָם כִּי הָשֵׁב תָּשִׁיבוּ לוֹ אָשָׁם״:
Out of his anguish he shall see it;
He shall enjoy it to the full through his devotion.
“My righteous servant makes the many righteous,
It is their punishment that he bears;
Rashi’s Commentary
- From the toil of his soul he would eat and be satisfied, and he would not rob and plunder.
- with his knowledge...would vindicate the just My servant would judge justly all those who came to litigate before him.
- and their iniquities he would bear He would bear, in the manner of all the righteous, as it is said (Num. 18:1): “You and your sons shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary.”
מֵעֲמַל נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְאֶה יִשְׂבָּע בְּדַעְתּוֹ יַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק עַבְדִּי לָרַבִּים וַעֲוֺנֹתָם הוּא יִסְבֹּל׃
רש"י
- מֵעֲמַל נַפְשׁוֹ. הָיָה אוֹכֵל וְשָׂבֵעַ, וְלֹא הָיָה גּוֹזֵל וְחוֹמֵס:
- בְּדַעְתּוֹ יַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק. הָיָה שׁוֹפֵט עַבְדִּי מִשְׁפַּט אֱמֶת לְכָל הַבָּאִים לְדִין לְפָנָיו:
- וַעֲוֺנֹתָם. הָיָה סוֹבֵל כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת עֲוֹן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ״ (במדבר יח:א):
Assuredly, I will give him the many as his portion,
He shall receive the multitude as his spoil.
For he exposed himself to death
And was numbered among the sinners,
Whereas he bore the guilt of the many
And made intercession for sinners.”
Rashi’s Commentary
- Therefore Because he did this, I will allot him an inheritance and a lot in public with the Patriarchs.
- he poured out his soul to death Heb. הֶעֱרָה. An expression like (Gen. 24:20), “And she emptied (וַתְּעַר) her pitcher.”
- and with transgressors he was counted He suffered torments as if he had sinned and transgressed, and this is because of others; he bore the sin of the many.
- and interceded for the transgressors through his sufferings, for good came to the world through him.
לָכֵן אֲחַלֶּק־לוֹ בָרַבִּים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשׁוֹ וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה וְהוּא חֵטְא־רַבִּים נָשָׂא וְלַפֹּשְׁעִים יַפְגִּיעַ׃ {פ}
רש"י
- לָכֵן. עַל עֲשׂוֹתוֹ זֹאת אֲחַלֵּק לוֹ נַחֲלָה וְגוֹרָל בָּרַבִּים עִם הָאָבוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים (סוטה יד א):
- הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשׁוֹ. לְשׁוֹן ״וַתְּעַר כַּדָּהּ״ (בראשית כד:כ):
- וְאֶת פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה. סָבַל יִסּוּרִין כְּאִלּוּ חָטָא וּפָשַׁע, וְהוּא בִּשְׁבִיל אֲחֵרִים נָשָׂא חֵטְא הָרַבִּים:
- וְלַפֹּשְׁעִים יַפְגִּיעַ. עַל יְדֵי יִסּוּרִין שֶׁבָּאת עַל יָדוֹ טוֹבָה לָעוֹלָם: