In a time of great global uncertainty, we long for the prophetic promise that a day will come when the “wolf shall live with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6).
During Isaiah’s lifetime, the small kingdom of Judah faced grave threats from the neighboring Assyrian empire. The Assyrians already had ravaged the northern kingdom of Israel and were in the process of invading Judah.
In the midst of growing fear, Isaiah assured the people in Isaiah 11:1-2: “And there shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow from his roots. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
Jesse was King David’s father. This is one of the texts telling us that the Messiah will be a descendent of King David.
But this tells us so much more. This isn’t just about a person, not even the Messiah. This is about hope. And it is about the characteristics we should cultivate to nourish hope and goodness.
And Isaiah tells us that the chief characteristic is that “his delight shall be in the awe of Adonai; and he shall not judge by what his eyes see, nor decide by what his ears hear” (11:3).
Think about this concept of delight and joy in awe of God, in contemplating and experiencing God. And this awe leads this person to justice and wisdom.
Isaiah tells of a world that can be like the Garden of Eden. God Himself will not only transform people, He will transform nature.
“The wolf also shall live with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them” (11:6).
Deep understanding
Isaiah said this over 2,700 years ago. But since his time, we’ve had more than our share of tragedy.
Later on, Jerusalem would face destruction twice. Not to mention the persecutions by Greece, Rome, Spain, the Crusades, pogroms and the Holocaust.
And through all this, we still hear Isaiah’s voice of comfort and promise. No, the wolf certainly does not live with the lamb. But that thought, that hope, has sustained us through the ages.
During Isaiah’s lifetime, the Assyrians brutally exiled most of the northern kingdom’s inhabitants. But he taught that the exiles would be gathered, and that redemption is continual, a process, not a one-time event.
Therefore, instead of waiting for the wolf and lamb to actually curl up together, let’s examine what this means in our hearts.
It is a worthy goal. But how many of us find fault — where there is none — or where it’s so petty it isn’t worth thinking about.
Do we ignore Isaiah’s aspiration that the descendent of Jesse “shall not judge by what his eyes see, nor decide by what his ears hear.” This seems counterintuitive. How else do we make decisions if not by what we see and hear?
We mustnot limit ourselves to what we see and hear. We must look beyond the surface, not accept information at face value. Isaiah is telling us that above all, we must seek deep understanding. We cannot settle for less.
Note that Isaiah predicted a transformed world. Judaism teaches that the way to transforming the world is to transform ourselves.
We can transform the way we look at the world, how we consider it. Do we bother to see the beauty surrounding us?
If Isaiah predicts the transformation of nature, maybe we should reconsider how each of us treats and regards nature.
Do we see the good in people? Or do we blind ourselves by seeing only problems? We then find ourselves continually burdened with disappointment.
In other words: Stay centered as much as you can. Sing to God. Be grateful for the many gifts He bestows. For life itself is a gift. Being a Jew is a gift. Everything we have is a gift from the Holy One.
Our inner wolf and lamb will coexist when we learn to act out of kindness, tame our impulses to carp and criticize and recognize, and participate in, the joy and beauty of God’s world.
Rabbi Shaina Bachrach serves Congregation Cnesses Israel in Green Bay.
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