**WHY KING HEZEKIAH PLACED A SWORD AT THE DOOR OF THE SCHOOLHOUSE AND PROCLAIMED, “HE WHO WILL NOT STUDY THE TORAH SHALL BE PIERCED BY THIS SWORD”**¹ FOLLOWING THE WARNING of Koheles, the prophet Isaiah came and reproached the sages and their students, as they stumbled by failing to fulfill the conditions [required for the Jewish nation’s survival]. This is the sequence of Isaiah 42:18–25: Hear, O you who are deaf, and look, O you who are blind, so that you may see. Who is blind but My servant? or deaf, as My messenger that I send? Who is as blind as he who is wholehearted, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Though you see many things, you guard not, though he opens the ears, he hears not. The Lord desired, for His righteousness’s sake, to make the teaching great and glorious. But this is a people robbed and spoiled, their chosen ones are swollen,² and they are hidden in prison-houses. They are marked as prey, and there is no savior; they are plunder and none says, “Restore.” Who among you will listen to this? Who will heed? They hear from the rear. Who gave up Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the Lord direct so? He against Whom we have sinned, and in Whose ways they would not walk; neither did they listen to His Torah. Therefore, He poured upon him the fury of His anger and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about and he did not notice; and it burned him, and he paid no attention.

footnotes: ¹ Sanhedrin 94a. ² This translation is based on what the Netziv writes later in this chapter.

The theme of this section [of Isaiah] is as follows: It is known that the righteous King Hezekiah, together with the prophet Isaiah, devoted their lives to increasing Torah among Israel. This is stated in Tractate Sanhedrin 94a: Hezekiah “planted a sword by the door of the schoolhouse and proclaimed, ‘He who will not study the Torah shall be pierced with the sword.’” This is not referring to the study of the received laws that they possessed; rather, he [Hezekiah] enhanced the Torah by [influencing Israel] to analyze and penetrate deeply [to find] novel laws such that it resulted in a Shulhan Aruch [“set table”], laws for practice. This is stated further there [in Sanhedrin]: “They searched from Dan to Beer Sheva and no ignoramus was to be found; from Gabbas to Antipris, and no boy, girl, man or woman was found who was not thoroughly versed in the laws of ritual purity and impurity.”

This matter is perplexing, for how could Hezekiah have the heart to decree, “He who will not study the Torah shall be pierced by this sword?” However, the reason is that it was known that in his days Sanheriv would destroy the land and conquer many Jewish communities up to Jerusalem. Israel’s main [strategy] for battle was through the sound of Torah, as it states in Tractate Makkos 10a, which comments, “‘Our feet were standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.’³ In other words, what caused our feet to stand in battle so they would not stumble? It was the gates of Jerusalem that were filled with Torah.”

footnotes: ³ Psalms 122:2.

It also states in the Midrash Rabbah on the Torah passage of Toldos, parasha 65, No one arose in the world who was as wise as Balaam the son of Beor and Abnimos of Guadara. The nations of the world came to them to inquire, “Tell us whether we can defeat⁴ this nation.” They replied, “Walk near their synagogues and their study halls. If you should find small children with voices uplifted there, you will not be able to defeat them. For so were they promised by their Father when he said to them, ‘The voice is the voice of Jacob, and the hands are the hands of Esau.’”⁵ When the voice of Jacob is found within the sanctuaries, the hands of Esau will have no power if not, the hands of Esau will have power, and you will defeat them.’”

footnotes: ⁴ Literally “match them.” ⁵ Gen. 27:22.

Therefore, it always happened that when Israel went out to battle they would designate those with the proper attitude and aptitude for Torah and prayer, so that they would go out among the soldiers in the tents of the field where they would sharpen the edges of their swords with the sound of Torah. As it states in Tractate Megillah 4a,⁶ [Joshua was chastised by an angel on the night before the battle of Ai for neglecting the study of Torah]. “Immediately in response the verse states: ‘Joshua lodged that night… in the valley.’⁷…This teaches that [Joshua] penetrated the Torah law deeply.” This verse clearly pertains to the time that Joshua was in need of advice and a strategy for engaging in the battle of Ai, and [Joshua’s conversation with the angel] pertained to the need for [success] in battle so as to sharpen the fortification provided by the sword of Israel.

footnotes: ⁶ I found it on 3a. ⁷ Joshua 5:14.

This is also the intent of Moshe’s blessing to Zevulun:⁸ “Rejoice, O Zevulun, in your excursions” (to wage battle in the fields) “and Issachar in your tents” (within encampments, in which they are engrossed in the Torah). “The tribes will assemble at the mountain” (for battle, and whoever is standing on the mountain is near victory, as is known from many sources); “there they will slaughter offerings of righteousness,” (as they bring a thanksgiving offering for their victory); “for by the riches of the sea they will be nourished” (from their enemies who reached them by sea, bringing abundance from the sea) “and by the treasures concealed in the sand” (what they obtain from their own inheritance, or this may refer to what the idol worshipers hid in the sand near the seashore when they arrived to wage war).

footnotes: ⁸ Deut. 33:18–19.

In Hezekiah’s time, the power of the Torah was sought out as necessary for success in battle against Sanheriv, for he saw that the yoke of Sanheriv would not be destroyed by a well-sharpened sword or the intensity of battle, but rather by the special sword of Israel (as cited above from Tractate Sanhedrin). [Scripture states]: “The yoke shall be destroyed by reason of oil,”⁹ meaning that the yoke of Sanheriv would be destroyed by the oil of Hezekiah, which burned inside the various synagogues and study halls.¹⁰ Therefore, since there was a need to succeed in war, it would be feasible for Hezekiah to decree [that those who refused to study would be killed], just as a king would order his entire nation to take up the sword, as necessary in wartime. This will be explained in greater length, as God wills, in my compilation Rinah shel Torah.¹¹

footnotes: ⁹ Isa. 10:27. ¹⁰ That is, the Torah study continued throughout the night in Israel. ¹¹ See Sha’ar Yisrael 10–12.

Let us now return to the discussion of the theme of the reproach of Isaiah. When those two righteous ones [King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah] decreed upon the cities of Judah that they should enhance the Torah in great multitudes, and deepen and magnify the power of the Torah with the application of pilpul, many cities did not obey their command and were therefore overrun [by Sanheriv]. That is why when Isaiah came to reproach [Judah] about this, he introduced his reproach with the words: “Hear, O you who are deaf,” etc.

To clarify the reason for his criticism, [let us] use a parable of a king who realizes that the war has reached a critical juncture. The king directs the officers of the army to make new weapons that [seem to be] cumbersome to fight with. Because of the king’s directive, the officers of the army are astonished, since it is common sense that in time of battle one is supposed to simplify the soldiers’ task as much as possible. However, they realized that the king’s perception is without limit and [thus] understood the king’s wisdom. Against the will [of their soldiers], with intense diligence, they would accustom themselves and their hands to the extent that they would be well-trained [in the operation] of this wondrous weapon. For [the officers realized] that the benefit from this [training] would be that their opponents would not [have the same capability] with their weapons against this tool of war. Immediately, they became diligently involved in this task in an exceptional manner, following the king’s directive and thus succeeding in battle. Yet there was one officer who did not fully understand the directive, and [though] he constructed new weapons, he did not strive to train them [the troops] well [in their use]. As a result, when they entered battle, [the solders] being unaccustomed to the new weapons, used the older weapons and were defeated [by the opponent] thus being spoils [of war]. When the king’s wrath was directed against that officer, he retorted that it was due to the negligence of the king’s directive that he lost his army, for he had directed them to make new weapons that were cumbersome. The king angrily replied that this was not true, and since he had failed to comprehend the king’s words, he [the officer] was to blame for [his army] being plundered.

Now with whom should the king be angry? Not with the soldiers, for they [are not expected] to understand the king’s intention. Rather, [the king’s anger] is either directed against the general, who because of his level of intelligence [and expertise] is expected to comprehend the king’s word, or against [the elite solder], the man of valor who attends personally to the king and is thus rebuked by him many times to understand his intent and intimations.

So it was during the days of King Hezekiah, during oppressive times for him and Israel, he commanded that the Torah be enhanced and that pilpul and analysis be strengthened. This matter was difficult for many leaders of various communities to carry out fully, for it is common sense that during a time of siege it is better to keep to a bare minimum [the instructions people have] to acquire, and have them focus on the decided halachah, so that each one will meditate upon them individually and independently. Therefore, whom should the prophet Isaiah rebuke? The giants of Israel.

He [Isaiah] said: “Hear, O you who are deaf, and look, O you who are blind, so that you may see” (in other words: look [contemplate] in order to understand and achieve erudition); “Who is blind but My servant?” ([This refers to] the one who has eyes to see [understand] yet does not look [attempt to comprehend]. It is because of this that I call him “blind.” This does not apply to the one who is incapable of “seeing”). “Or deaf as My messenger that I send?” (He can hear but did not listen, and for this reason is called deaf. I would not insult the one who is incapable of listening. [Isaiah is now going to define who those with the ability to “seek” are]): “Who is as blind as he who is whole hearted?” (This is one who is in the category of a tzaddik [righteous one], who upon sinning is punished immediately, as stated: “The Lord is your Guardian, the Lord is your shade at your right hand.”¹² God promises the tzaddik that He will protect him from sin, so that the sin will not negate the earlier promise [of continuous protection] stated earlier in that Psalm. [The Psalm] explains earlier how he [the tzaddik] will be protected from sin: “The Lord is your shade at your right hand.” Unlike others, though the Holy One blessed be He accompanies them like a shadow, following them wherever they go – whether for good or ill, most people experience the shade, [the consequences of their acts] after some time, and because of this they do not understand why a particular punishment was meted out to them, so that they can be more careful [in the future]. However, the tzaddik is promised that the “shade will be at his right hand”; if he acts improperly, he will receive punishment without delay, and this [is the intent] of the verse, as stated at the end of the third chapter of Tractate Yoma.¹³ Pertaining to such a person, he says, “Who is blind as he who is wholehearted,” for the Holy One, blessed be He, has punished him many times for his unintentional errors, for he is righteous and His servant, and therefore he should have seen [the truth], and yet he does not).

footnotes: ¹² Psalms 121:5. ¹³ 38b.

“And [who is as] blind as the Lord’s servant?” (This is a giant of his generation, who governs Israel in lofty and exalted affairs, and because of his wisdom he should have seen and yet did not see). “Though you see many things, you guard not” (for he has insight to crucial and invaluable matters, many of which he wanted to admonish the people, but he did not take heed to keep guard of them [of impressing on the people] their importance). “Though he opens the ears, he hears not” (the messengers of the Holy One, blessed be He, the prophets of Isaiah’s time, were sent among the various communities in order to stimulate and strengthen in whatever areas required vigor; to increase instruction and pilpul so that they could be saved from the yoke of Sanheriv. And yet they did not listen, and [such a person] is similar to one who is deaf).

[Following these introductory remarks], Isaiah begins the main body of his reproach: “The Lord desired, for His righteousness’ sake, to make the teaching great and glorious.” (It is certainly clear that at the time of Isaiah, many other prophets received prophecy from God to increase the Torah in quantity and quality; to sharpen the sword of Torah through deep penetration and teaching. The reason that we possess no record of their writings is because matters irrelevant to the later generations were included in much of their prophecy, [similar] to what is stated in the first chapter of Tractate Megillah.¹⁴ In reality, earlier in chapter 32,¹⁵ Isaiah chastises the prophets “tottering in judgment,”¹⁶ because they used minimal oversight and analysis and because they did not want to listen, as explained earlier.¹⁷ Pertaining to this Isaiah states that it was “for His righteousness’s sake” that He has taught you the way to be saved from the sword of Sanheriv). “But this is a people robbed and plundered” (where “robbed” refers to one who is not taken captive himself, but whose possessions are taken as plunder, whereas “plundered” refers to who is actually taken captive). “For their chosen ones are swollen”; (the reason [that such a fate] has befallen them is because the special ones of Israel are in a position to wage the battle of Torah with the assistance of their students, as advised [by Koheles].¹⁸ However, they did not do so, and their wisdom and analysis remained within them, as one stricken with a swollen throat, where his air remains inside and cannot be exhaled [i.e., he cannot talk]. Thus the chosen ones have become too lazy to toil with the students in order to clarify the matters that are within their capacity for breath [i.e., his potential to teach]). “They are hidden in prison-houses”: (they did not go to the study halls to supervise the students so that they should study the Torah diligently, rather they sat by themselves and studied in isolation, as if they lived in prison). “They are marked as prey, and there is no savior” (as a result, this evil has befallen some of the communities, their possessions becoming spoil, with none to save them). “For [they are] plunder and none says, ‘Restore them’” (they have been taken captive and no one can protest by saying, “Restore them”). “Who among you will listen to this? Who will heed? They hear from the rear.” ([That is, they do not listen attentively]. Who among the giants of Israel will listen to this reproach that I have uttered, acting as if they were hidden in the prison-houses, uninvolved in promoting diligent study by the students – “they [the giants of Israel] hear from the rear.” For Isaiah stated that [these calamities befell] because the special ones acted as though they had swollen throats, not uttering words of Torah to their students, continuing [to remain in isolation] like one in prison, by not going to the study halls at all. Yet they, [the giants of Israel] say the opposite, that they are forced to remain in the “prison-houses,” for they cannot burden the students with such difficult labor – apply pilpul and deep analysis at a time of crisis. Therefore, even they have reached such a level that every special one [acts as if he] possesses a swollen throat, such that there is no longer found a single [student] before whom a scholar can communicate the deep analysis of the halachah residing within him). “Who gave up Jacob as plunder” (the multitudes were taken captive due to the lack of the merit of the students’ “voice of Jacob”) “and Israel to the robbers?” (Although the giants of Israel¹⁹ on Gen. 38:10, in which “Israel” refers to the exceptional ones, while “Jacob” represents the masses. possessed merit [of Torah study] sufficient to save themselves (as I wrote in chapter 9), nevertheless their possessions became plunder [of war]).

footnotes: ¹⁴ 14a. ¹⁵ I found it in chapter 28. ¹⁶ A term used by the Prophet in Isa. 28:7. ¹⁷ See Part 2, chapter 6. ¹⁸ 12:12. ¹⁹ See Ha’amek Davar

Did not the Lord [direct so]? (For even if they [the giants of Israel] did not direct that the Torah be enhanced and strengthened by sharpness of study, [they could at least have charged them] to study diligently what they had received, and [many] would [be able to] supervise them. Had they come to the study hall to supervise the students, [this would have led to interaction between the students], so that they would tell them what was in their minds rather than act as though their throats were swollen. However, [the giants of Israel insist] that though the Holy One, blessed be He, has charged them to sharpen the sword of Israel, it is impossible today [to achieve victory in this manner] by imposing [such study] on the students.

This [attitude of the giants of Israel] resulted in “He against whom we have sinned” (this is the cause for having sinned against Him, for we are lax in establishing the word of God) “and in whose ways they would not walk” (pertaining to the way He exhorted and taught the strategy for being saved from Sanheriv); “neither did they listen to His Torah.” (They ignored the many places where the Torah declares the greatness of the power of the sword of Torah); “Therefore He poured upon him the fury of His anger”(such that many communities were overrun by Sanheriv) “and the strength of battle” (many stood to fight and did not succeed due to the intensity of the battle). “It set him on fire round about, and he did not notice” (for they heard at first that the villages surrounding the city were already destroyed and burned by Sanheriv’s army, and yet they did not learn any lessons from this for what they should be careful). “And it burned him, and he paid no attention.” (Even when the punishment arrives, he pays no attention for the future [and does not understand] that this is a punishment from Heaven. As it states in Avos, “If you neglect the [study of] Torah, you will have many excuses to neglect it,”²⁰ meaning that he will find many [other] matters to [make him] neglect it, and he will not be strengthened any further in this, [i.e., the study of Torah]).

footnotes: ²⁰ 4:10.