The Assembly of Israel in exile cries out: "See, O Lord, the distress I am in! My heart is in anguish; outside the sword deals death; inside, the plague" (Lamentations 1:20). There is nowhere to go. The sword waits in the streets; disease waits in the houses. The classic refugee's dilemma, and the rabbis did not dress it up.
But the Assembly adds something unexpected: "You saw fit for us to experience suffering, and behold, we are in distress, and it is good for You." This is the most difficult line — not a complaint, but an acceptance. The suffering is acknowledged. The divine judgment is acknowledged. And then: it is good for You, meaning it serves some purpose in the divine economy even if the sufferers cannot see it from inside the exile.
The Psalm of Ascents frames the same moment from outside: "Many times they have afflicted me from my youth, and they have not prevailed against me" (Psalm 129:1-2). The suffering does not define the outcome. The Assembly of Israel in Lamentations knows it has earned the affliction; the Psalm of Ascents insists that the affliction has not won. Both statements are true at the same time. This is the double consciousness of exile: you know why you are here and you know you will leave. You carry the grief and the hope simultaneously, and neither cancels the other out.
Chapter (64) 65: Prophets [1] "Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel?" (Isaiah 40:27) The Midrash explains: "Do not be hasty with your words, and let your heart not rush to bring a matter before God" (Ecclesiastes 5:1). Why is this so? Look at what is written: "You have seen a man who is hasty with his words - there is more hope for a fool than for him" (Proverbs 29:20). Therefore, let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2). See what Job said: "If he insisted on a trial with Him,He would not answer one charge in a thousand." (Job 9:3). The Holy One, blessed be He said to Jacob, "If so, why do you say, O Jacob?" (Isaiah 40:27) [2] Another interpretation: "Why do you say, O Jacob..." Rabbi Yitzchak Nafcha said, "It is written 'Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these' (Isaiah 40:26). This can be compared to one who spoke negatively about my table. I said to him, 'How much do I calculate and not err, yet you find fault in a pebble.' So too, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these, who brings out their hosts by number; He calls them all by name' (Isaiah 40:26). Perhaps you thought that one of the stars was missing its name, but they are all called by name. Or perhaps the light of the sun or the moon was diminished, but not one is missing. All these were created for your sake, and I did not compromise on their judgment. But for you, I will overlook the judgment. Why then do you say, 'O Jacob'..?" [3] Another interpretation: "Why do you say, O Jacob..." This is what scriptures say: Jacob said to him, "I never loved anyone as much as Joseph, and you sent him down to Egypt." [God] replied, "It was already decreed, as it is written, 'Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land not their own' (Genesis 15:13). And perhaps you treated him as a slave, but Joseph is the ruler, as it is written, 'Joseph is now in Egypt, and I myself will take him' (Genesis 45:28). And your sons, when they were in Egypt, perhaps you treated them as slaves, but they were as swift as eagles (Psalm 68:14). And it is written, 'He brought them out with silver and gold, and no one among the tribes stumbled' (Psalm 105:37). After all this, Why do you say, 'Jacob'..?'" [4] Another interpretation: "Why did Jacob say, O, Jacob..." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, "You are called a wanderer (Hebrew: t'gar), for when you fell into the fiery furnace, I said to myself, 'If only Jacob, who will descend from you, were standing here, you would not leave this place. But for the sake of Jacob, you will leave.' As it is written, 'Therefore, for the sake of Jacob, I will not do it; because I will save Abraham' (Isaiah 29:22). From where did I redeem him? From the fiery furnace. Abraham should have said, 'I have no merits before You to save me; I will only be saved through the merits of someone else.' However, Abraham did not say this, and you do say it. Why did you say, O, Jacob?" [5] Another interpretation: "Why do you say, O, Jacob"? RRabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: "I have given precedence to your name over that of your father's, as it is stated: 'And I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham' (Leviticus 26:42), and you are called Tegar*." [*תַּגָּר merchant, dealer, trader.] [6] Another interpretation: Why do you say "O, Jacob"? Rabbi Nehemiah said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'I have honored your name above your fathers', as it says, 'And I will remember My covenant with Jacob' (Leviticus 26:42). With Abraham, I remembered him even for the sake of Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, and with Isaac, I remembered him even for the sake of Esau (and Eliphaz) [and his dukes], but you, who have established for me that holy community, are all beautiful, my bride, and I have not remembered you except for your own covenant, and you are called "Tagger" [תְּגַר (sec. r. of גור) to travel about; to trade]. So why do you say "O, Jacob"? Didn't you know, "Have you not heard?" (Isaiah 40:28).
