Considering ... gathered together/reunited, Fri/Sat 9/23-24

The selection from the Prophets that goes along with this week’s Torah reading (Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8) is from Isaiah 60:1–22. Here’s a summary.

Today may be dark, but tomorrow, God's light will shine on God’s people.

This is the penultimate selection from the Prophets between Tisha b’Av and Rosh ha Shanah, the seven-week period when selections of consolation are read. All these selections feature comforting themes for a nation traumatized by the destruction of the Temple and the exile.

In this week’s selection, Isaiah focuses on images of light to remind the people that though they may be experiencing a dark time, God’s countenance and light will eventually return. The first verse of the selection typifies this: "Arise, shine, for your light has dawned; the Presence of the Lord has shone upon you!" (60:1) [BTW, this line has famously been adapted for use in a song that is part of the Friday evening liturgy, which we sing to greet the Sabbath queen/the Sabbath bride.]

Isaiah tells the people that they will one day all be gathered together again. Not only will the nation be reunited, but they will be greeted by camels bringing them gold and frankincense, and sheep that are suitable to be sacrificed to God. The walls of Jerusalem will be rebuilt by other nations, foreign kings will serve God’s people, and wealth from distant lands will pour into Israel. The future glory is described in great detail, and this section concludes with Isaiah’s promise that, "The cry ‘Violence!’ shall no more be heard in your land, nor ‘wrack and ruin!’ within your borders. And you shall name your walls ‘Victory’ and your gates ‘Renown.’" (60:18)

At the end of the selection, Isaiah returns to the light and dark imagery he began with, and promises that even the rules of physics will be suspended in this apocalyptic future. There will be no need for the sun or moon, because God’s light and glory will shine in their stead. The people of Israel will grow and be successful, just as God always planned.

Connection to this week’s Torah reading: As one of the seven selections of consolation, this reading acts as a bridge between the mourning of Tisha b’Av and the renewal of Rosh haShanah. This selection, which emphasizes Israel’s bright future, is also an appropriate antidote for the lengthy curses contained in the Torah reading. For a congregation that has just heard of the devastation that God will bring to a disobedient nation, the soaring glory that Isaiah describes is especially poignant and hopeful.

q/q:
1. Gathering together, being reunited: How important is it along your spiritual path to gather together, to be reunited on a relatively regular basis? I know you, Gary, go to church every Sunday, and I go to synagogue every Friday evening / Saturday morning (in addition, I also go weekday mornings, but the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday). I’m not sure anyone else is going to respond, but I want to make this question broad enough to invite not only Jews, Christians, and Moslems, but people along other spiritual paths.

2. The suspending of the rules of physics: anything like that along your spiritual path? Tell us about it… Are there other sources of light and dark in your spiritual path (other than what Isaiah talks about, that is)?