(Deut. 1:1:) THESE ARE THE WORDS (elleh hadevarim). May the name of the Holy One be blessed and may his memory be exalted.¹., Deut. 1:1. All the miracles that he did for Israel in the wilderness, he is likewise going to do in Zion. It is written concerning the wilderness (ibid.): THESE ARE THE WORDS; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 42:16): I WILL TURN DARKNESS BEFORE THEM INTO LIGHT AND ROUGH PLACES INTO LEVEL GROUND. THESE THINGS (elleh hadevarim) [I WILL DO, AND I WILL NOT FORSAKE THEM]. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS (qol in the plural); and it is written concerning Zion (in Jer. 7:34): AND I WILL PUT AN END … TO THE SOUND (qol) OF JOY AND THE SOUND (qol) OF GLADNESS, THE VOICE (qol) OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE VOICE (qol) OF THE BRIDE. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Ps. 68:9 [8]): THE EARTH QUAKED; and it is written concerning Zion (in Hag. 2:6): I WILL CAUSE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH TO QUAKE. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Exod. 13:21): AND THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM BY DAY; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 52:12): FOR THE LORD SHALL GO BEFORE YOU. It is written concerning the wilderness (in Deut. 30:9): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE GLAD OVER YOU AGAIN; and it is written concerning Zion (in Is. 65:19): I WILL ALSO REJOICE IN JERUSALEM AND BE GLAD IN MY PEOPLE. [Also (according to Is. 35:1): THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD.] What did Isaiah see to say this? It is simply that, when Israel transgressed the Torah, Hosea arose and said (in Hos. 2:5 [3]): I WILL MAKE HER LIKE A WILDERNESS [AND RENDER HER LIKE AN ARID LAND]. For that reason Isaiah has said (in Is. 35:1): THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD. Now all the consolations of which Isaiah spoke are double, because (according to Is. 40:2:) SHE (i.e., Jerusalem) HAS RECEIVED FROM THE HAND OF THE LORD DOUBLE FOR ALL HER SINS.² So for that reason Isaiah has comforted her doubly (in vs. 1) COMFORT, O COMFORT MY PEOPLE, SAYS YOUR GOD. Similarly (in Is. 51:12): I, I AM THE ONE WHO COMFORTS YOU. Also (in Is. 51:9): AWAKE, AWAKE, PUT ON STRENGTH, O ARM OF THE LORD! Also (in Is. 51:17): ROUSE YOURSELF, ROUSE YOURSELF! ARISE, O JERUSALEM … ! Also (in Is. 61:10): I WILL BE GLAD WITH REJOICING IN THE LORD. Also (in Is. 35:1–2) THE WILDERNESS AND THE ARID LAND SHALL BE GLAD …; IT SHALL BLOSSOM WITH BLOSSOMS.

footnotes: ¹ Tanh ² Lam. R. 1:22 (57).