“Behold,
these shall come from far; and, lo, these [others] from the north and
from the west, and these [others] from the land of Sinim [from the
east].” (Isaiah 49:12)
God
summons the children of Israel from all the places and corners of the
earth. He decreed that all, even those assimilated among the nations,
are destined to return to their inherited land. Being far away from
the Creator does not refer to a geographical distance. In time those
who listen to His call for our Final Redemption will return. God's
call is not meant to be answered by all, for He gave us free will to
either reject or embrace our Jewish identity.
We
have mentioned the oral tradition (midrash) regarding the
Exodus from Egypt, and the return of the Jews exiled in Babylon. In
the case of Egypt we learned that only 20% chose to follow Moses, and
in the case of Babylon even a much lesser amount chose to return to
the land of Israel. Historically, a few of the children of Israel
have remained faithful to the Covenant with God. The same is expected
to happen for the Final Redemption. Although God has decreed that He
will gather us from all corners of the earth, this calling is for
those who choose to return.
“Sing,
O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O
mountains. For the Lord has comforted His people, and has compassion
upon His afflicted.” (49:13)
Those
of us who hear God's calling must rejoice and sing in happiness with
all our levels of consciousness. These are our higher awareness
(heavens) of God, and our lower sensual nature (earth), as well as
our faith, beliefs, values and principles (mountains). As all of
these hear the calling, we also feel and live our imminent Redemption
when we realize that God's loving kindness and compassion are our
complete freedom. Thus we understand that God's ways and attributes
are also the traits and trends we must enthrone in all levels of
consciousness in order to end the affliction under the predicament of
ego's fantasies and illusions.
“But
Zion said: 'The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten
me'.” (49:14)
Those
who don't choose back to God's calling rather blame Him for their
separation from Him. They purposely ignore that the return to His
decreed Redemption is entirely up to us. We have said that Zion,
Jerusalem and the Temple represent the highest awareness of our
permanent connection with God. When this awareness is lost, it blames
God as the culprit of our estrangement from Him. Indeed it is never
lost, for it is permanent, but in our exile in ego's fantasies and
illusions we believe and feel that God abandoned us.
“Does
a woman forget her suckling, the loved one -- the son of her womb?
Yea, these forget. But I, I don't forget you. Behold, on the palms of
the hands I have graven you, your walls are before Me continually.”
(49:15-16)
God
reiterates His Covenant with Israel, and His Love for His children.
He calls us as our Father who reminds us that, in spite of our
separation and oblivion of Him, He does not forget us. He keeps us
not only in His thoughts but also in His Love, for He loves us. Our
names are graven in His hands, and the strength (our walls) of our
bond with Him is always standing.
“Hastened
have those building you, those destroying you and laying you waste go
out from you.” (49:17)
Our
oppression under the negative traits and trends of consciousness,
triggered by ego's fantasies and illusions, becomes our desperation
that makes us live in haste. God reminds us that these are the
destroyers which turn us into waste. Hence He will remove them from
our consciousness.
“Lift
up your eyes round about, and see: all of them have been gathered,
they come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall surely clothe
you with them all as an ornament, and gird yourself with them, like a
bride.” (49:18)
The
Prophet again remarks that God will transform the negative traits and
trends into positive qualities that will occupy every aspect and
dimension of life. These will be the ornament and beauty that will
manifest in our discernment, thoughts, values, principles, emotions,
feelings, passions and instincts, as well as in what we have, say and
do. These will be the splendor we see in the bride that is ready to
marry her master.
“Because
your wastes and your desolate places, and the land of your ruins,
surely now are straitened because of inhabitants, and far off have
been those consuming you.” (49:19)
Our
former negative and destructive traits will become as empty places
that also will be too narrow for the expansion of the new
consciousness that awaits us. Every negative trend that swallowed up
the goodness of our Essence and true identity will be removed.
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