Speaking to the Heart

Isaiah’s declaration “Comfort ye, comfort ye” is the commencement of the “Consolations of Isaiah” (Maimonides’ phrase [Laws of Prayer 13:19]) as well as the first haftara of the “Seven of Consolation.”

Isaiah’s prophecy calls to “speak to the heart of Jerusalem” [verse 2], and Midrash Pesikta Rabbati [33] comments:

Israel sinned with their hearts, as the verse states: “they made their hearts as an adamant stone” [Zecharya 7:12], (therefore) their hearts were punished, as the verse says: “my sighs are many and my heart is faint” [Lamentations 1:22] and their hearts shall be comforted, as the verse states: “speak to the heart of Jerusalem.”                                               Isaiah 40:2

The Midrash teaches that the imperative “speak to the heart of Jerusalem” is the direct rectification, measure for measure, of the “sin of the heart” and the direct consolation of the “faint heart.”

There are commentators who understand Isaiah’s prophecy to refer to the final consolation of Jerusalem, which we eagerly await. Our Sages taught that the Second Temple was destroyed as the result of “baseless hatred” [Babylonian Talmud Yoma 9b], that is, sins within man’s heart [as opposed to the overt and active sins of bloodshed, idolatry and adultery, which brought about the destruction of the First Temple].

Thus, Isaiah hints that the consolation of Jerusalem depends upon rectifying her heart. (It is significant that among our classical commentators, there are those who see “Jerusalem” here serving as a symbol for the Assembly of Israel. [Amos Ḥacham, Da’at Mikra]) One who delves into this prophecy will understand that when Israel rectifies its sins of the heart, then we will be privileged to see Jerusalem’s consolation and be doubly comforted.

Based upon this exposition, Isaiah’s first prophecy of consolation hints at Rabbi Kook’s comment:

Given that we were destroyed, and the entire world with us, as the result of “unfounded hatred,” we will merit being rebuilt, and the world with us, through “unbounded love.”

Without in any way minimizing my tremendous respect for Rabbi Kook, I believe his above comment already was stated in a prophecy of Zecharya [8:18]:

Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month (17 Tammuz), and the fast of the fifth (9 Av), and the fast of the seventh (Fast of Gedalya), and the fast of the tenth (10 Tevet), shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons; therefore love truth and peace.

The classical commentators explain that the final phrase “therefore love truth and peace” constitutes the condition for fulfillment of the prophecy: the four fast days associated with Jerusalem’s destruction will become festive days when Israel achieves the level of loving truth and peace. On the simplest [and truest] level, “peace” refers to interpersonal relations (bein adam l’ ḥavero). Seen as such, Zecharya’s prophecy is indeed identical to Rabbi Kook’s comment.

We can add that both our Sages’ comment on “baseless hatred” as the cause of the second destruction and Rabbi Kook/Zecharya’s comment flow from the same principle: since Jerusalem’s destiny and purpose is to unite the People of Israel, once she became the focus of hatred within the nation, Jerusalem ceased being herself, and the destruction became inevitable. Equally, when we bring Jerusalem to realize her destiny, through “unbounded love,” the rebuilding of the Holy City will be inevitable.