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Yᵊsha•yâhu 53 (52.13-53.12)

What all of the earliest extant Judaic mss. say

No Nonsense, No-Agenda, No-Holds-Barred, Deal-with-it, Historical Translation

Consulting editor in Hebrew grammar: Yâ•eil Bën-Dâ•wid

© 1972-2007, 2010, 2011 by Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhu Bën-Dâ•wid Update: 2011.12.08
52.13-15: Who is "My worker" discussed in Chap. 53???

The Christian division between 52.15 and 53.1 is entirely an artificial division introduced by Christians inconsistent with the Hebrew original—which begins a new section at 52.13 and continues through the end of chapter 53. In the Hebrew. 52.13 through 53.12 is all one section.

The subject of this section is introduced in 52.13.

1QIsa 52.13-54.04
1QIsa 52.13-54.04a
Photographs by John C. Trever, edited © 2010 by Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhu Bën-Dâ•wid, from Scrolls from Qumran Cave I 1972 (editors Frank Moore Cross, David Noel Freedman, James A. Sanders. Yᵊru•shâ•layim: The Albright Institute of Archeological Research and The Shrine of the Book).
52.13 הנה ישכיל עבדי וירום ונשא וגבה מואדה 52.14 כאשר שממו עליכה רבים כן משחתי מאיש מראהו ותוארו מבני האדם 52.15 כן יזה גואים רבים עליו יקפצו מלכים פיהמה כיא את אשר לוא סופר להמה ראו ואת אשר לוא שמעו התבוננו מִי האמין לשמועתנו וזרוע י--ה אל מִי נגלתה ויעלו כיונק לפניו וכשורש מארץ ציאה לוא תאור לו ולוא הדר לו ונראנו ולוא מראה ונחמדנו נבזה וחדל אישים ואיש מכאובות ויודע חולי וכמסתר פנים ממנו ונבוזהו ולוא חשבנוהו אכן חוליינו הואה נשא ומכאובינו סבלם ואנחנו חשבנוהו נגוע ומוכה אלוהים ומעונה והואה מחולל מפשעינו ומדוכא מעוונותינו ומוסר שלומנו עליו ובחבורתיו נרפא לנו כולנו כצואן תעינו איש לדרכו פנינו וי--ה הפגיע בו את עוון כולנו נגש והואה נענה ולוא יפתח פיהו כשה לטבוח יובל כרחל לפני גוזזיה נאלמה ולוא פתח פיהו מעוצר וממשפט לוקח ואת דודו מיא ישוחח כיא נגזר מארץ חיים מפשע עמו נוגע למו ויתנו את רשעים קברו ועמד עשירים בימתו על לוא חמס עשה ולוא מרמה בפיהו וי--ה חפץ דכאו ויחללהו אם תשים אשם נפשו וראה זרע ויארך ימים וחפץ י--ה בידו יצלח מעמל נפשוה יראה אור וישבע ובדעתו יצדיק צדיק עבדו לרבים ועוונותם הואה יסבול לכן אחלק לו ברבים ואת עצומים יחלק שלל תחת אשר הערה למות נפשו ואת פושעים נמנא והואה חטאי רבים נשא ולפשעיהמה יפגע
"Perverting his image"

This lesser-known mistranslation, based on Yᵊsha•yâhu 52.14, has been unanimously and meticulously mangled and skirted – "his image marred" – or avoided in modern translations. This happened not so much as some conspiracy but more simply because translators couldn't figure out, given their Hellenist or Dark Ages world-view, what it could only mean. Future misinterpretations based on these apostasies were key to later Judaic cult apostasies (viz., Shabtai Tzvi) that wrongly taught that Scripture requires that the Mâ•shiakh (see the Tar•gum) pervert himself.

In light of the polar contrast between the historical Pᵊrush•i Ribi against the Hellenist Roman-redacted, Christian-fabricated Jzeus of the Hellenist Roman occupiers, however, it is now clear that this perversion of the image of the Mâ•shiakh has been accomplished for nearly two millennia by Christianity, cloaking the Pᵊrush•i Ribi in the feculent mantle (Hellenist Roman – Christian – image) prophesied, 2 decades later (after Yᵊsha•yâhu "deutero"), by Zᵊkhar•yâh (chapter 3), morphing their Hellenist Roman idol, Zeus, into the Hellenist (antinomian = misojudaic) Jzeus idolizing (literally!) Christian claims of supersession and Displacement Theology.

For 1QIsa hover over, then click words in scroll

Hovering the cursor over words in 52.13 – 53.12 displays the modern Hebrew letters in a balloon. The beginning of each verse is also indicated in the balloon of the first word of each verse. To orient the reader initially, serendipitously, the first word of 52.13 is the first word (top right) of this column in the scroll. We have opted not to mark verses in the scroll, or edit the photograph in any way, so that readers know exactly what the scroll looks like and could orient yourself and recognize words equally well if you look at the actual scroll.

Clicking on the word displays the definition and grammatical information. A complete translation of each verse is added to the translation and grammatical information of the last word of each verse.

Clicking elsewhere in the scroll displays a zoom-able magnified view of the entire column of the scroll for closer scrutiny.

See also the clarification, two centuries later (after Yᵊsha•yâhu "deutero"), by Zᵊkhar•yâh 3.

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic for 52.13-15:
 52.13 הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִי; יָרְוּם וְנִשָּׂא, וְגָבַהּ מְאֹד:  14 כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיךָ רַבִּים, כֵּן-מִשְׁחַת מֵאִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ; וְתֹאֲרוֹ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם:  15 כֵּן יַזֶּה גּוֹיִם רַבִּים, עָלָיו, יִקְפְּצוּ מְלָכִים פִּיהֶם; כִּי אֲשֶׁר לֹא-סֻפַּר לָהֶם רָאוּ, וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא-שָׁמְעוּ הִתְבּוֹנָנוּ:

( 52.13 Look My worker will be judicious; he will be elevated, borne aloft and rise to a very lofty status,  14 Just as many were made desolate over you, so his image is dissembled more than any [other] man; and his persona more than any Bᵊn•ei-â•dâm.  15 So [My worker] shall spatter many joy•im upon [his smeared-over image]. Kings shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been accounted to them shall they have seen, and that which they had not heard, they shall be enabled to understand.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 52.13 הָא יַצלַח עַבדִי מְשִיחָא יִראַם וְיִסגֵי וְיִתקַף לִחֲדָא׃  14 כְמָא דְסַבַרוּ לֵיה בֵית יִשׂרָאֵל יוֹמִין סַגִיאִין דַהְוָה חֲשוֹך בֵינֵי עַמְמַיָא חִזוְהוֹן וְזִיוְהוֹן מִבְנֵי אְנָשָא׃  15 כֵין יְבַדַר עַמְמִין סַגִיאִין עֲלוֹהִי יִשְׁתֲקוּן מַלכִין יְשַׁוֹון יַדהוֹן עַל פוּמְהוֹן אְרֵי דְלָא אִשׁתַעִיאוּ לְהוֹן חֲזוֹ וּדלָא שֲׁמַעוּ אִסתַכַלוּ׃ מַן

( 52.13 Behold, My worker, the Mâ•shiakh, shall succeed; he shall be high and he shall increase, [and he shall be] singularly overpowering.  14 Just as Beit-Yi•sᵊr•â•eilwho was viewed darkly among the kindreds, their appearance and their countenance more than any other human beingshoped for him an extended number of days;  15 Such [darkness] shall he strew [upon] an extended number of kindreds. Concerning him; kings shall be silent, they shall put their hand over their mouths. Behold, his [true, historical] image, which had not been conveyed to them [by tradition], and which they had not heard [by tradition], they shall contemplate.

What)

Translators and commentators seem to have unanimously ignored the single word, מן, in the space below the chapter. If it has any meaning it is unknown.

Tal•mud provides no commentary on these verses.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.1

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ, וּזְרוֹעַ י--ה עַל-מִי נִגְלָתָה׃

(Who has believed our report? And upon whom has the Arm of י--ה been revealed?)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
[מַן] הֵימֵין לִבסוֹרְתַנָא דָא וּתקוֹף דְרָע גְבוּרְתָא דַיי כְדֵין עַל מַן אִתגְלִיאַת׃

([Who] has believed this glad-tiding? And the overpowering of wrong by the Might of י--ה like this, upon whom has it been revealed?)

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.2

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 2 וַיַּעַל כַּיּוֹנֵק לְפָנָיו, וְכַשֹּׁרֶשׁ מֵאֶרֶץ צִיָּה, לֹא-תֹאַר לוֹ וְלֹא הָדָר; וְנִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹא-מַרְאֶה וְנֶחְמְדֵהוּ׃

(Then he shall arise like a suckling before Him, and like a root from an arid land. He has no persona, nor majesty; nor have we seen him, and no image have we desired of him.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 2 וְיִתרַבַא צַדִיקַיָא קֳדָמוֹהִי הָא כְלַבלַבִין דְפָרַן וּכאִילָן דִמשַלַח שוּרשוֹהִי עַל נִגדִין דְמַיִין כֵין יִסגְיָן תוֹלְדָת קוּדשָא בְאַרעָא דַהֲוָת צָרִיכָה לֵיה לָא חַזוֵיה חוּלָא חִזוֵיה וְלָא אֵימְתֵיה אֵימַת הִדיוֹט וִיהֵי זִיו קוּדשָא זִיוֵיה דְכָל דְיִחזֵינֵיה יִסתַכַל בֵיה׃

(Then a Tza•diq shall be made great before Him; behold, like sprouts that divide; and like a tree that sends forth its roots along channels of water, so a generation of holiness shall increase in the land that was needing him. His appearance is not a profane appearance, his threat is not the threat of a [mere] commoner, and his brilliance shall be a holy brilliance, that everyone who views him shall ponder him.)

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.3

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 3 נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים, אִישׁ מַכְאֹבוֹת וִידוּעַ חֹלִי; וּכְמַסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ, נִבְזֶה וְלֹא חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ׃

(He is despised and forsaken of men, a man of pains and [to whom] sickness was known; and, as if he were hiding [his] face from us, he is despised and we have not evaluated him.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 3 בְּכֵין יְהֵי לְבוּסרָן וְיַפסֵיק יְקָר כָל מַלכְוָתָא יְהוֹן חַלָשִין וְדָווַן הָא כַאְנָש כֵיבִין וּמזָמַן לְמַרעִין וּכמָא דַהֲוָת מְסַלְקָא אַפֵי שְכִינְתָא מִנַנָא בְסִירִין וְלָא חְשִיבִין׃

(Then shall become [a time of] contempt and he shall apportion it heavily to all of their kingdoms; they shall be weak and sickly. Behold, [he is] like a man of pains and designated for the sick, and for as long as the Face of the the Shᵊkhin•âh was being suspended from us. The [kingdoms] are contemptible and of no value.)

Shᵊkhin•âh not in Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâsh ha-Shein•i

Yᵊkhëz•qeil 9.3—

"Then the kâ•vod of the Ël•oh•im of Yi•sᵊr•â•eil rose from over the kᵊruv…"

The Artscroll editors comment to this pâ•suq, based on Rashi: "From upon the [מִכְסֶה אֲרוֹן] where the שְׁכִינָה had rested up to now; it began a gradual, ten-stage withdrawal from the [Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâsh hâ-Rish•on]. This is the first stage [of withdrawal]: from the כְּרוּב to the threshold of the קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים."

See also Yᵊkhëz•qeil 11.23 & 22.3 where Ramban correlates "contamination" with the סִלּוּק הַשְּׁכִינָה (si•luq ha-Shᵊkhin•âh; departure of the Shᵊkhin•âh), for which see Artscroll Yechezkel, p. 374.

Tal•mud Ma•sëkët Yom•â 21b illuminates:

"Surely R. [Shmueil Ben-Inia] said: What is the meaning of the Scriptural verse [Khaj•ai 6.8]: And I will take pleasure in it and [ואכבד]? The traditional reading is wᵊ-ë•kâ•vᵊd•â, then why is the ה omitted? To indicate that in five things the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâsh hâ-Rish•on differed from the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâsh ha-Shein•i:"

  1. in the אֲרוֹן, מִכְסֶה אֲרוֹן and the כְּרוּבִים

  2. the אֵשׁ [on the מִזְבֵּחַ

  3. the שְׁכִינָה

  4. the רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ [of prophecy]

  5. and the אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים

"I will tell you, they were present, but they were not as helpful [as in the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâsh hâ-Rish•on]."

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.4—"Suffering Servant"

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 4 אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא, וּמַכְאֹבֵינוּ סְבָלָם; וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ, נָגוּעַ, מֻכֵּה אֱלֹהִים וּמְעֻנֶּה׃

(Indeed, he carried our sickness, and our pains he bore them; but we have considered him plagued, struck by Ël•oh•im, and held answerable.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 4 בְכֵין עַל חוֹבַנָא הוּא יִבעֵי וַעְוָיָתַנָא בְדִילֵיה יִשתַבקָן וַאְנַחנָא חְשִיבִין כְתִישִין מָחַן מִן ק יי וּמעֻנַן׃

Then, concerning our Tor•âh-transgressions he will investigate, and our perversions, for the sake of remitting them; but we have considered [him] crushed, struck from י--ה and held answerable.

Tal•mud Ma•sëkët Sunedrion 98b) illuminates:

"What is the Mashiakh's name? "The Rabbis said, His name is 'the leper scholar,' as it is written, 'Surely, he hath borne…and afflicted.' "

Soncino editors' note to the above remark: "In other words, according to Rashi, the conditions for one to become Moshiakh, besides descent from King David, are

  1. that he has experienced physical suffering (based on the passage in the Tal•mud immediately preceding the above one, quoting [Yᵊshayahu] 53:4, that Moshiakh "has borne our sickness and suffered our pain"), and

  2. that he be a perfect saint.

Both conditions were fulfilled [Soncino editors, not Tal•mud, assert] in Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi and in Daniel…"

Why Suffering? Punishment for "sin"? What purpose Mâ•shiakh?

In the wake of any significant tragedy, some look for the "sin" for which they're sure must have brought about the tragedy. Others blame a vengeful "god." Still others regard suffering as a curse—which implies the question, why the curse? – bringing the issue back to the question, Why?

None of the existing traditions have ever provided a satisfying answer. Tragedies befalling enemies or rival religions are due to "sin" while tragedies befalling "us" is either due to apostasy (either blatant or concealed) or, when tragegy befalls someone(s) who is one of "our" revered religious leaders, well; then it's just an unfortunate, accident. The determinant is nothing more than whether the tragedy befalls "them" or "us."

The Christian notion of a "suffering servant" christ as redeemer through blood sacrifice depends upon suffering being the result of "sin." Only if suffering is the consequence of "sin" can suffering of a Christ satisfy the (suffering) penalty of "sin."

The intelligent researcher requires a more profound explanation for suffering.

One of the issues that must be addressed is that the Creator is responsible for His creation. If suffering is a curse, then the Creator is unjust in cursing humans with suffering. This is why humans have reasoned that human "sin" must be responsible for tragedy / suffering: because it must be humans, not the Creator, who is responsible for a curse.

Let me suggest an analogy that may make it easier to relate to why "sufferings" were "built-in" to the universe for human experience and how this still implies a just Creator.

The first thing this requires is a solid appreciation of a spiritual realm. No, I mean a solid appreciation. Every thought you have in your head exists in a non-physical environment. Even if a concept could be associated with the firing of a particular set of neurons, or a particular order of their firing, this still wouldn't obviate the existence of the concept outside of any given human brain. There is a non-physical realm. It is not the realm perceived in physical terms—self-contradicting the definition of a non-physical realm—by kabbalists or Christians or mystics. Because our everyday experience demonstrates that the non-physical realm absolutely exists, it raises the question: for what purpose? How do we relate to it? While physical bodies die, concepts don't. How does the non-physical realm relate to those aspects of us that are non-physical: our thoughts, feelings, will, etc.? Further, if we can relate to the non-physical realm, which is not subject to physical death, then what is the purpose of our physical life?

Ahhh, here is where the rubber finally meets the road. While our lifetime seems long to us, relative to the eternal nature of the non-physical—spiritual—realm, it is a blink in time; all time is but a blink.

With this perspective in mind, it's much easier to relate to our physical lifetime as a kind of "training course" for the spiritual afterlife; a "training course" designed by the Creator, with rules and standard set by the Creator, which the individual must pass to enter the spiritual afterlife.

We can now look at the analogy: training to pass a basic athletic standard. If you want to pass a basic athletic standard you cannot do it by sitting on the couch and eating éclairs. You'll have to work at it; aerobic training, strength training plus practice and coaching molding yourself to the demands of the standard you strive to meet or exceed. It's obvious that you cannot change the Olympics to feature you sitting on the couch eating éclairs… so why would you expect preparation to exist in the eternal realm of the Creator to be any less demanding?

Everything physical will be gone. No "levels" of "heavens" or the like. No light. No dark. No language, which is only necessary to turn thoughts into physical sound waves to be heard by physical ears. Nothing physical. Nothing physical for which to hunger, thirst, nothing physical to steal, earn, eat, drink, secure, possess or spend. No one physical to lust. So how prepared are you to deal with such an existence? Challenges confronted in such an existence must clearly be very different from our physical "sufferings" in this physical universe. Thus, applying exclusively physical explanations to a 'training program' designed by a non-physical Creator having a non-physical existence in mind is clearly tunnel-visioned.

In our analogy, when an athlete trains in aerobics or strength training, it's a well known axiom that: "No pain, no gain." Yet, when life require's our extra effort, whenever we're prevented from sitting on our couch eating éclairs, we feel the need to blame something, anything, for our "suffering." No pain, no gain.

Those who immediately object by pointing out the tragic deaths of innocent children, etc. have missed the very first point we made: The first thing this requires is a solid appreciation of a spiritual realm. No, I mean a solid appreciation. You're talking about those who obtained a pass to go to the front of the line. Those who were worthy to eternal life and those who were beyond repentance to Gei-Hin•om. Hence, there is an ignorance and an arrogance on the part of those who presume to know such things better than a Just Creator. (That the Creator is Just can be logically derived from the orderly laws of the universe, which reflects an orderly, self-consistent and, ultimately, Just, Creator.

Thus, "suffering" is part of everyone's training for the afterlife. Some have more, some have less, some excel more, some don't make the grade. It's all up to the individual's choice and will. There are two things to keep in mind: [1a] "suffering" is a challenge not on the physical level but on a non-physical level—which [1b] to which one reacts either by praising the Creator anyway or turning against the Creator—that's the basic test, and [2] "suffering" in this physical arena is not indicative either of "sins" on the part of the sufferers or an unjust Creator. The rain falls unpredictably on everyone. Some bless the Creator while others curse getting wet. Which have you been? Which are you determined to be from now on? No, really!

So what role a "Suffering Mâ•shiakh"?

Since suffering is unrelated to "sin" (even transgressions of Tor•âh), suffering by a Mâ•shiakh has no relation to forgiveness of "sin" (even transgressions of Tor•âh)!!! Rather, the popular pseudo-connection is based entirely on the primitive superstition blaming tragedies on "sin."

Therefore, the role of the Mâ•shiakh—certainly not based on supersitition—is precisely what Tor•âh has described (in contrast to the contradictory idolatrous man-god savior introduced by Christianity). Ribi Yᵊho•shua provides a paradigm: the anger of the Roman Empire was vented by imposing suffering on one man instead of the entire nation of Yi•sᵊr•â•eil—as the Hebrew definition of יְשׁוּעָה, national military (not personal "spiritual") salvation, requires. This entire 53rd chapter describes exactly this kind of suffering Mâ•shiakh. The suffering has no connection to "saving from sin" in the sense of "personal salvation" or "eternal life" (all of which depend upon doing one's utmost to keep Tor•âh); but is, rather, a man-caused suffering imposed by the goy•im on the Mâ•shiakh, which, by venting their misojudaic hate, spares Yi•sᵊr•â•eil from annihilation as a people—but for which, Scripture promises, the goy•im will suffer the vengeance of י--ה.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.5

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 5 וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ, מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ; מוּסַר שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ עָלָיו, וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא-לָנוּ׃

(And he is profaned by our rebellious-felonies against Tor•âh, crushed by our deliberate-misdemeanors against Tor•âh; the chastisement for our welfare is upon him, and in his wound [that chastisement] has been healed for us "It has been healed for us"

In the 1st century, Ribi Yᵊho•shua was profaned by the false charges leveled at him by the pseudo-Tzᵊdoq•im, false charges causing his undeserved death: rebellious-felonies. He was wrongly crushed by the silence of fellow Jews—"standing idly by his blood" (wa-Yi•qᵊr•â 19.16)—in the face of the Hellenists (particularly the Roman occupiers): misdemeanors. Unlike Rabbi Aqiva, Ribi Yᵊho•shua didn't muster a fighting army. Thus, also unlike Rabbi Aqiva, the wrath of the Romans occupiers was vented in one man: Ribi Yᵊho•shua. The Hellenists, particularly the Roman occupiers, took out their wrath (which was against the anti-Hellenist Pᵊrush•im, whom the Hellenists viewed as a a political threat) on Ribi Yᵊho•shua. Thus, "our welfare [was] upon him."

Since 135 C.E., Ribi Yᵊho•shua has been profaned by the Rabbinic acceptance and promulgation of the most basic linchpin of the Christian Gospel: that the post-135 C.E. misojudaic Christian Jesus is the same as, lᵊ-hav•dil, the Pᵊrush•i Ribi Yᵊho•shua. Thus, Jews – even many Orthodox Rabbis – are complicit with Christians in "preaching the Christian Gospel" of cloaking Ribi Yᵊho•shua in what, two decades after Yᵊsha•yâhu penned this, Zᵊkhar•yâh (chapter 3) explicated to be a feculent mantle. In retrospect, we can see that this is conspicuously the Christian misojudaism and a•vod•âh zâr•âh (idolatry) of Hellenist-Roman occupiers' redacted Jesus image – idol.

The profaneness cited in this verse has been imposed for millennia by the goy•im, cloaking and hiding the Mâ•shiakh—a Pᵊrush•im Ribi, not the profane, anti-Tor•âh product of 2nd-4th century and subsequent Hellenist (Christian) antinomian redactions—concealing the genuine Pᵊrush•i Ribi from Jews and goy•im alike. Tor•âh defines remaining silent in the face of slander as murdering the reputation, constructively murdering the man. Therefore, Ha•lâkh•âh holds that remaining silent to slander constitutes "standing idly by the blood of one's brother" (wa-Yi•qᵊr•â 19.16)—and is tantamount to felony murder.

In our era, however, the Nᵊtzâr•im are finally removing the feculent cloak of Zᵊkhar•yâh 3: antinomian Hellenist syncretisms that have concealed the genuine Pᵊrush•i Ribi Mâ•shiakh behind a "smearing" of slander. As his wounds, inflicted at the hands of Christian slanderers, are being exposed, Jews are beginning to rectify their complicity, dressing him in clean garments (Zᵊkhar•yâh 3), healing the Jews' posh•im of remaining silent to the goy•im-initiated slander of the Gospel claim: that the Tor•âh-teaching Pᵊrush•i Ribi Yᵊho•shua is (lᵊ-hav•dil) the same as the anti-Tor•âh "Jesus" that stands for antinomian Christian claims of supersessionism and Displacement Theology – which Tor•âh defines not only as a false messiah but Christianity calls "the" antichrist!!!

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 5 וְהוּא יִבנֵי בֵית מַקדְשָא דְאִיתַחַל בְחוֹבַנָא אִתמְסַר בַעְוָיָתַנָא וּבאֻלפָנֵיה שְלָמֵיה יִסגֵי עְלַנָא וּבִדנִתנְהֵי לְפִתגָמוֹהִי חוֹבַנָא יִשתַבקוּן לַנָא׃

Then he shall build the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâsh, which was profaned by our Tor•âh-transgressions, he was chastised by our perversions; and in his Tor•âh-discipling his welfare will increase upon us, and in that he gave [his welfare] to his life-event, our Tor•âh-transgressions may be remitted ון for us.

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.6

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 6 כֻּלָּנוּ כַּצֹּאן תָּעִינוּ, אִישׁ לְדַרְכּוֹ פָּנִינוּ; וַי--ה הִפְגִּיעַ בּוֹ, אֵת עֲוֹן כֻּלָּנוּ׃

(Like [one big] flock, all of us [together] have strayed, [each] man has turned to his [own] way; and י--ה has, through intercession, imputed to him, the deliberate-misdemeanor against Tor•âh of all of us."

That הִפְגִּיעַ means "intercede" is demonstrated in Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhu 7.16, where תִּפְגַּע- is explained to mean "pray on behalf of" and "bear on behalf of," which, it's clearly implied by the refusal to consider it in this specific case, Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhu normally did.

This is further corroborated by commentary on this verse in Tal•mud, where intercession is stipulated to refer exclusively to prayer (Ma•sëkët Bᵊrâkh•ot 26b) and other commentators confirming the translation of "intercede" on bᵊ-Reish•it 23.8 (Artscroll Bereishis 1.a-873) and 28.11 (Bereishis 1.b-1219):

"But you shall not pray on behalf of this the kindred, nor bear a jubilant-song or prayer on their behalf, nor intercede with Me; because I'm not hearkening to you."

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 6 כוּלַנָא כְעָנָא אִתבַדַרנָא גְבַר לָקֳבֵיל אוֹרחֵיה גְלֵינָא וּמִן קֻ יי הְוָת רַעְוָא לְמִשבַק חוֹבֵי כוּלַנָא בְדִילֵיה׃

(Like a flock, all of us have become dispersed [each] man accepting his own path of our exile and from ha-Sheim it was [His] will to remit the Tor•âh-transgressions of all of us for his sake.

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.7

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 7 נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה, וְלֹא יִפְתַּח-פִּיו, כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל, וּכְרָחֵל, לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה; וְלֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו׃

(He was hard oppressed and he was held answerable, but he didn't open his mouth, like a Bovidae he will be led to slaughter; and like a ewe before its shearer is silent, so he didn't open his mouth.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 7 בָעֵי וְהוּא מִיתוֹתַבְ וְעַד לָא פָתַח פוּמֵיה מִתקַבַל תַקִיפֵי עַמְמַיָא כְאִימְרָא לְנִכסְתָא יִמסַר וּכרַחלָא דִקֳדָם גָזְזַהָא שָתְקָא וְלֵית לְקִבלֵיה דְפָתַח פוּמֵיה וּממַלֵיל מִלָא׃

(He inquires and he is restored; though he no longer opened his mouth he is accepted; he shall deliver mighty ones of the kindred like a lamb to slaughter; and like a ewe that is before its shearers he is silent; and there was none accepting him who would open his mouth or speak a word.

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.8

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 8 מֵעֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט לֻקָּח, וְאֶת-דּוֹרוֹ מִי יְשׂוֹחֵחַ; כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים, מִפֶּשַׁע עַמִּי נֶגַע לָמוֹ׃

(From arrest and from mi•shᵊpât he was taken [away], and with his generation who will converse? For he was cut from the land of the living; out of the rebellious-felony against Tor•âh by My kindred [is] the strike to them.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 8 מִיִסוּרִין וּמִפוֹרעָנוּ יְקָרֵיב גָלְוָתַנָא פְרִישָן דְיִתעַבדָן לַנָא בְיוֹמוֹהִי מַן יִכוֹל לְאִשתְעָאָה אְרֵי יַעדֵי שוּלטָן עַמְמַיָא מֵאַרעָא דְיִשׂרָאֵל חוֹבִין דְחָבוּ עַמִי עַד לְוָתְהוֹן יִמטֵי׃

(From chastenings and from retribution he will make rapproachment with our Gâl•ut. Their wonders that they shall work for us in his days who can relate? For he shall cause the rulership of the kindreds to pass-by from the land of Yi•sᵊr•â•eil. The Tor•âh-transgressions of My kindred that are concealed he shall cause to reach until [those Tor•âh-transgressions] accompany them.)

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.9

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 9 וַיִּתֵּן אֶת-רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ, וְאֶת-עָשִׁיר, בְּמֹתָיו; עַל לֹא-חָמָס עָשָׂה, וְלֹא מִרְמָה בְּפִיו׃

And he gave his tomb to the wicked, and to the rich, in his death; over no violence he had done, nor deceit in his mouth.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 9  וְיִמסַר יָת רַשִיעַיָא לְגֵיהִנָם וְיָת עַתִירֵי נִכסַיָא דַאְנַסוּ בְמוֹתָא דְאַבדָנָא בְדִיל דְלָא יִתקַייְמוּן עָבְדֵי חִטאָה וְלָא יְמַלְלוּן נִכלִין בְפוּמְהוֹן׃

(Then he shall deliver the wicked to Gei-Hin•om, along with the riches of possessions that they seized in deathwhich is A•vad•on, in order that [they may] not establish works of kheit , nor rave on about [their] scams with their mouths.)

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.10

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 10 וַי--ה חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי, אִם-תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם נַפְשׁוֹ, יִרְאֶה זֶרַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים; וְחֵפֶץ י--ה בְּיָדוֹ יִצְלָח׃

( And ha-Sheim desired the crushing of him, it made [him] sick, if he might put a guilt[-sacrifice] of his nëphësh; he shall see seed, He shall prolong days; and the desire of ha-Sheim, by His hand, shall succeed.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 10 וּמִן קֳדָם יי הְוָת רַעְוָא לְמִצרַף וּלדַכָאָה יָת שְאָרָא דְעַמֵיה בְדִיל לְנַקָאָה מֵחוֹבִין נַפשְהוֹן יִחזוֹן בְמַלכוּת מְשִיחְהוֹן יִסגוֹן בְנִין וּבנָן יוֹרְכוּן יוֹמִין וְעָבְדֵי אוֹרָיתָא דַיי בִרעוּתֵיה יַצלְחוּן׃

Then, because it was a pleasure of ha-Sheim to refine by smelting and to purify the remnant of his kindred in order to clean their nᵊphâsh•ot from Tor•âh-transgressions, they shall view the Kingdom of their Mâ•shiakh. They shall increase their sons and their daughters, they shall prolong the[ir] days. Then the servants of the Tor•âh of ha-Sheim, in His pleasure, shall succeed.)

Tal•mud Ma•sëkët Bᵊrâkh•ot illuminates:

See also Vicarious Atonement /

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.11

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 11 מֵעֲמַל נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְאֶה יִשְׂבָּע, בְּדַעְתּוֹ, יַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק, עַבְדִּי לָרַבִּים; וַעֲוֹנֹתָם הוּא יִסְבֹּל׃

(From the labor of his nëphësh he shall see. He shall be satisfied. In his knowledge My worker shall declare a tza•diq to be a tza•diq for the many, and their deliberate-misdemeanors-against-Tor•âh he shall bear.)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 11 מִשִעבוּד עַמְמַיָא יְשֵיזֵיב נַפשְהוֹן יִחזוֹן בְפוֹרעָנוּת סָנְאֵיהוֹן יִסבְעוּן מִבִזַת מַלכֵיהוֹן בְחָכמְתֵיה יְזַכֵי זַכָאִין בְדִיל לְשַעבָדָא סַגִיאִין לְאוֹרָיתָא וְעַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן הוּא יִבעֵי׃
From servitude to the kindreds he shall release their nᵊphâsh•ot. They shall view the retribution upon misojudaics. They will be satisfied from the treasure of the [misojudaics'] kingdom. In his intelligence, he will declare the innocence of those who are innocent, in order to recruit into service multitudes to Tor•âh; and concerning their Tor•âh-transgressions he will investigate [them].)

Tal•mud provides no commentary on this verse.

Yᵊsha•yâhu 53.12

(See also the earliest extant ms., DSS 1QIsa, above.)

The Aleppo Codex and Masoretic read:
 12 לָכֵן אֲחַלֶּק-לוֹ בָרַבִּים, וְאֶת-עֲצוּמִים, יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל, תַּחַת, אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשׁוֹ, וְאֶת-פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה; וְהוּא חֵטְא-רַבִּים נָשָׂא, וְלַפֹּשְׁעִים יַפְגִּיעַ׃

Therefore, I will apportion to him among the many; and he shall apportion mighty-ones to be plunder, because he bared his nëphësh to death, and with rebellious-felons-against-Tor•âh he was reckoned; and he bore the misstep[-sacrifice] of many, and for rebellious-felons-against-Tor•âh he interceded-by-imputing [them to himself].)

Tar•gum Yo•nâ•tân reads:
 12 בְכֵין אְפַלֵיג לֵיה בִיזַת עַמְמִין סַגִיאִין וְיָת נִכסֵי כַרכִין תַקִיפִין יְפַלֵיג עְדָאָה חְלָף דִמסַר לְמוֹתָא נַפשֵיה וְיָת מָרוֹדַיָא שַעבֵיד לְאוֹרָיתָא וְהוּא עַל חוֹבִין סַגִיאִין יִבעֵי וּלמָרוֹדַיָא יִשתְבֵיק בְדִילֵיה׃

Then I will apportion to him the treasure of multitudes of the kindreds, and the slaughters of goats of mighty ones shall he apportion as a spoil. In exchange for delivering his nëphësh to death, laboring for Tor•âh to those who rebel against Tor•âh, then he will investigate concerning multitudinous Tor•âh-transgressions; and for those who had rebelled against Tor•âh [but, obviously, made tᵊshuv•âh as a result of his "laboring for Tor•âh"] [their previous rebelling] shall be remitted for his sake.)

Tal•mud Ma•sëkët Sot•âh 14a) illuminates:

"R. Simlai expounded: Why did [Mosh•ëh] yearn to enter [Ërëtz Yi•sᵊr•â•eil]? … The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Is it only to receive the reward [for obeying the [mi•tzᵊw•ot] that you seek? I ascribe it to you as if you did perform them'; as it is said, 'Therefore will I divide him a portion with… and made intercession for the transgressors. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great'—it is possible [to think that his portion will be] with the [great of] later generations and not former generations; therefore there is a text to declare, 'And he shall divide with the strong', i.e., with [Av•râ•hâm, Yi•tzᵊkhâq] and [Ya•a•qov] who were strong in Tor•âh and the [mi•tzᵊw•ot]. 'Because he poured out his soul unto death'—because he surrendered himself to die, as it is said, 'And if not, blot me, I pray you' (Shᵊm•ot 32.32), etc. 'And was numbered with the transgressors'—because he was numbered with them who were condemned to die in the [mi•dᵊbar]. 'Yet he bore the sins of many'—because he secured [ki•pur] for the making of the [gold calf-mask]. 'And made intercession for the transgressors'—because he begged for mercy on behalf of the sinners in [Yi•sᵊr•â•eil] that they should [make tᵊshuv•âh]; and the word [ (pegiah)] means nothing else than [tᵊphil•âh], as it is said, 'Therefore pray not you for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me' (Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhu 7.16).

R. Moshe al-Sheikh

While it shouldn't be necessary by this point, R. Moshe al-Sheikh proclaimed that all rabbis of his era agreed that Yᵊsha•yâhu 53 referred to the Mâ•shiakh, not substituting Yi•sᵊr•â•eil.

1985: R. Yitzkhaq Kaduri, z"l,
The Preeminent Kabbalist of the 20th century

R. Kaduri left a sealed and encrypted note, to be opened and read only after his death, that he promised would identify the Mâ•shiakh. When it was opened and read, 2007.01.23, it was found to explicitly name the Mâ•shiakh: יהושע (see The 1993 Covenant and Zᵊkhar•yâh chapter 3.

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