As a reminder, the preface to these lesson supplements, included the first two verses of the Book of Mormon. Therein, the Prophet Nephi gave us the key to understanding the scriptures. We need the "learning of the Jews" along with the "knowledge of the mysteries of God." In this case, the "mysteries" are simply the subtle, God given instructions known by the gift of the Holy Ghost. The imagery of Isaiah can best be understood by knowing his political, cultural and geographic environment. He testifies of the Messiah through everything around him. After all, he is in all things.

"He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space– The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:6-13)

The following statements about Isaiah come from Jewish sources.

"Of all Israel's prophets since Moses, none sorrowed for his people like Isaiah ben Amoz. As a loving father reprimands his disobedient children, Isaiah warned them of their sins and the punishment that would inevitably follow, while he dreamed dreams of hope, peace, sanctity and justice that would someday come to Israel."

"Isaiah was born in Jerusalem (c. eighth century B.C.E.), and he soon became familiar with its street life and inhabitants. He watched crowds of Jews swarm into the Holy Temple to sacrifice their fattened sheep, goats and bulls. Yet at the same time, some openly disobeyed many of God's commandments. They had become hypocritical. Judges dispensed their verdicts according to the bribes they received; men set their hearts on horses and chariots and put their trust in military power; women dressed in gaudy clothing and haughtily paraded through the streets; the wealthy evicted the poor from their tiny plots of land and taxed them heavily; some people, influenced by foreign customs, bowed down to stone and wooden images and sought the advice of soothsayers and witches."

"In 740 B.C.E., moved and disturbed by what he had witnessed, Isaiah began his long mission of rebuking, comforting and restoring his people to their destined role of being "a light unto the nations." His advice was often ridiculed and ignored, but he nevertheless continued."

"The 12 tribes of Israel had split into two factions after King Solomon's death. Two hundred years later, the kingdom of Israel was about to be destroyed by Assyria, and the kingdom of Judah was facing serious decline. Isaiah's first crisis came when the rulers of Syria and Israel tried to force Ahaz, king of Judah, to join them in an alliance against Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria. Isaiah counseled the king to be confident and calm, but Ahaz paid no attention to him and sent urgent tributes to Assyria. By appealing to Tiglath- Pileser for help, the king had invited disaster at the hands of his rescuer."

After the death of Ahaz, Judah was ruled by his son Hezekiah. Although he brought a temporary revival of the worship of God to Judah, he was convinced by his advisers to rebel against Judah's oppressors. In 701 B.C.E., Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, captured Judah's fortified cities and proceeded to surround Jerusalem. Isaiah told Hezekiah that God had sent Sennacherib as a rod to punish Israel but promised that "he shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields nor cast a hank against it" (37:33). A sudden plague overtook the Assyrian army and they returned hastily to their own land. Isaiah's words had been fulfilled and the Holy City was saved."

"Only part of the biblical Book of Isaiah consists of his statesmanlike advice and shrewd political insight. Much of the rest is devoted to the inner state of the Jewish nation and is written in beautiful poetry and descriptive prose. In stark contrast to the disasters and violence of his time, Isaiah describes a glorious age, the coming of "the day of the Lord." After the evil are punished, "it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people" (11:11). With the coming of the Messiah, Jews will come home to Jerusalem, the everlasting city. "He that scattered Israel will gather him as a shepherd his flock" (31:9). They will love God more than themselves. "The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down; the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day" (2:11). The whole world will be inspired by Israel's example, and there will be peace, when "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (2:4)."

"Assyria and Babylon have long since turned to dust, and their stone idols have been forgotten by Israel. Yet man still worships material things, technology, the produce of his own hands. He fights wars more terrible than ever and hungers for power. Isaiah insists that man will be complete only when he tries to change himself morally, when he learns "to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow" (1:17). Thus, almost 3,000 years after he lived, the teachings of Isaiah, watchdog of the nation's conscience, still have great meaning and value for mankind." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

With great meaning for mankind nowadays, modern prophets keep repeating Isaiah’s teaching to stand in Holy Places. Consider the following aspects of Jewish life and how they compare to the life of a Latter-day Saint.

Daily, religious Jews pray for holiness, in Hebrew, Kedushah.

". . . holiness, the additions to the third benediction of the Amidah chanted by the hazzan and the congregation during those services (Shaharit, Musaf, Minhah and Ne'ilah, but not Ma'ariv) in which the Amidah is recited both silently and aloud. The most important part of the Kedushah is the recitation of three biblical verses: Isaiah 6:3 ("Holy, Holy, Holy" (kadosh) is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory") plus Ezekiel 3:12 and Psalms 146:10. The words which introduce each biblical verse vary according to the service and according to the liturgical tradition of the congregation."

"Foremost among the Jewish holy places is the Western Wall, the only visible remaining part of the destroyed Temple of antiquity. Prayer services are held at the Wall daily from sunrise to sunset, and thousands of people come there for prayer or meditation. Other Jewish holy places in Israel include the graves of biblical figures, famous rabbis and pious men. Visiting holy graves has long been a Jewish tradition, and some graves have become the focus of pilgrimages."

"Christian holy places are centered around the life of Jesus, his birthplace in Bethlehem (the Church of the Nativity), his crucifixion in Jerusalem (the Church of the Holy Sepulcher), and places where he traveled and preached in Nazareth and the Galilee, such as Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

Through recent studies and spiritual insights, identification of places where sacred events occurred, have been more accurately defined. Being in those places and reading the accounts that happened there have a profound and enriching effect on visitors.

"The Islamic religion's holy sites are mainly in Jerusalem in a group of buildings known in Arabic as Haram al-Sharif, erected after the Arab conquest of Jerusalem on the platform of the Temple Mount. Here are located the two famous mosques, the Dome of the Rock, and the al-Aqsa Mosque, both built before 700 C.E."

"Other religions also have holy places in the Land of Israel. The Samaritans revere Mount Gerizim, where they believe the Akedah took place and the Temple site should be. The Druze consider the grave of Jethro (Moses' father-in-law) to be holy, and this grave (called Nabi Shu'ayb) is the focus of Druze pilgrimages. The Baha'i temple in Haifa represents still another religion in Israel, and is the burial spot of the Bahai leader Mirza Ali Muhammad."

"The history of the Holy Land has been marked by numerous "holy wars" fought by different religions struggling for control of their holy places. The wars between Christians and Muslims during the Crusades are outstanding examples. In 1949, a United States resolution called for the internationalization of Jerusalem; however, this resolution was accepted by neither party to the Arab- Israel dispute. At the end of the Israel War of Independence, most of the holy places in Erez Israel were held by Jordan, and access was denied to Jews. Following the Six-Day War of June 1967 and the reunification of Jerusalem, all of the holy sites in the Land of Israel came under Israeli administration, and freedom of access was guaranteed to all religions. The Israel government resolved to safeguard all sacred sites, and gave the head of each religious community management of its own holy places." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

There is a strong feeling among religious (and not so religious) that we are in the "Last Days." Jews have a history of being "chosen" yet many ask like Tevia did (Fiddler on the Roof), could you maybe choose someone else!

"Being the Chosen People means receiving God's love and protection, but it also means accepting responsibilities. The prophet Isaiah says that Israel, God's servant, has been chosen for the task of spreading salvation. Israel must convince the other nations of the world that there is only one God, and must spread the true religion, and through it, happiness."

". . . prophets also spoke of the horrors of battle and prayed for peace. Isaiah in particular longed for the time when "they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."

"Isaiah realized that war is not just a series of victories and defeats, of weapons and strategy. It is a very human experience involving bloodshed, suffering, and destruction."

"True shalom between nations does not mean simply a temporary break in the fighting, but a settlement that both sides see as just and which removes the need for war (see Isaiah 2:4--6). Judaism is not basically pacifist in its outlook; it does not hold that resolving not to fight will bring peace. But it does teach that in the Messianic age, all men will seek justice and war will become unnecessary."

" The doctrine of the End of Days (or eschatology as it is known) teaches that at a certain point in time God will drastically change the nature of the world and establish His kingdom over mankind. Originally, the Jewish conception of the End of Days was that after a time of suffering, the "Day of the Lord" would usher in an era of strength and glory for the people of Israel. But in the period before the Babylonian exile, the prophets warned that unless Israel repented its evil ways, the "Day of the Lord" would be one of punishment, not reward. Thus, Amos wrote: "Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord! . . . the day of the Lord shall be darkness, not light, gloomy, devoid of brightness" (5:18, 20). Prophets of this period, most notably Isaiah, predicted that a remnant of Israel would survive this day of destruction, and would form a new covenant with God. Isaiah introduced the theme of the eventual arrival of an ideal king of Judah, laying the foundations for the messianism which characterized later Jewish conceptions of the End of Days."

"The suffering of the Jewish people in the period surrounding the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E. produced a great deal of apocalyptic literature with its own conception of the End of Days. The apocalyptic belief held that the end of the physical world was imminent, and that this would be followed by the advent of the Messiah and the establishment of the kingdom of God. Believers in apocalypse turned their attention from the sufferings of the real world in which they lived to the promise of an approaching Divine world, in which the wicked would be punished and the righteous rewarded. The recently-discovered scrolls of the Dead Sea Sects provide one of the best examples of this literature. The rabbis of the Talmud did not view this belief in apocalypse favorably, which accounts for the exclusion of the apocalyptic books from the canon of the Bible." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

Twenty centuries later, the gathering of Israel is taking place. There are approximately thirteen to thirteen and a half million Jews in the world. Just sixty years ago there were approximately one hundred thousand Jews in what is known as the Land if Israel. By now, close to six-million Jews reside in Israel. Close to a million of them are Russian-speaking Jews who immigrated within the last ten years.

"Wandering from place to place, has been one of the major components of Jewish history, for since the time of the Patriarchs the "wandering Jew" has suffered from a lack of territory, government, and defense. Major Jewish migrations in search of favorable living conditions and in flight from harassment, persecution and expulsion, include the Exodus from Egypt, the Babylonian exile, Jewish settlement outside Erez Israel during the Second Temple period, the dispersion under the Roman and Near Eastern empires after the destruction of the Second Temple. The scattering of Jews throughout the Christian and Islamic states, culminating in the expulsion from the Iberian peninsula in 1492 and their settlement in the New World since the early stages of the European colonization, a process that greatly accelerated in the latter half of the 19th century. Throughout the period of the Diaspora, small numbers of Jews made their way back to Erez Israel, the land promised them in covenant with their God."

"The ten tribes, which once inhabited the northern kingdom of Israel, were exiled in 722 B.C.E. and subsequently disappeared."

"The Jewish nation originally consisted of twelve tribes: ten inhabited the north and were called the Kingdom of Israel, and two (Judah and Benjamin), in the south, were called the Kingdom of Judah. After the Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.E., its inhabitants were exiled to "Halah and Habor by the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes" (II Kings 17:6 and 18:11). They were never seen again, and only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which were exiled to Babylon in 586 B.C.E., eventually succeeded in returning to their homeland."

"Although the ten tribes disappeared, the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel promised that the time would come when they would be reunited with the remainder of the Jewish nation. This promise kept alive the hope that the ten tribes still existed and would be found."

"Many legends were created to explain how the tribes disappeared, where they went and where they are now. Their inability to rejoin their brethren was attributed to the fact that they were exiled beyond the legendary river Sambatyon, whose mysterious powers kept them from crossing."

"Numerous attempts have been made by travelers and explorers to discover the ten tribes, or to identify them with different people. Almost every nation, including the Japanese, Persians, the Falashas of Ethiopia, Red Indians, and the British, have been suggested as descendants of the lost tribes." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

In Tel Aviv, the Diaspora Museum displays the supposed travels and dispersion of the tribes of Israel. The museum curators also identify "Mormons" as those claiming to be part of the lost tribes identifying themselves for the most part as "Ephraimites."

The observance of Jewish tradition and laws is expressed as the code of ethics of Jewish life.

"The ethical life is basic to Jewish religious observance: "Love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:18). Love of God is incomplete without love of man. This precept underlies the rules of conduct which the Torah prescribes to eliminate the harm to individuals or to society caused by man's inhumanity to man. The Jewish ideal is a high and noble one and not easy to achieve. Even the great figures in the Bible -- Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Aaron --- were imperfect human beings with human failings. Judaism does not require perfection but does demand that man should be aware of his limitations and his weaknesses, and should strive at all times to overcome them."

"In Jewish law, since animals are part of creation, man must bear responsibility for them. Thus the Torah demands that compassion and kindness be shown toward animals, both in routine dealings and in ritual matters. Thus the dietary laws which remain to this day a distinctive feature of religious observance specify clearly which animals may be eaten and how they are to be prepared for food."

"Although animal slaughter is permitted to provide food for man it must be done humanely. The Jewish method of slaughter, which is painless and instantaneous, is (known by the rules of) shehitah."

"Whatever the reasons for the commandments, it is clear that a person who observes them carefully will constantly be aware of the presence of God in his life. Indeed, the benediction with which the observance of most commandments is to be prefaced explicitly points to its being in conformity with God's will. Judaism insists on belief, faith and good deeds (which are also called mitzvot); but by themselves they are not enough. The actual observance of the mitzvot, notwithstanding the fact that it may occasionally cause inconvenience, is a prime doctrine of Judaism." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

The prime factor of religious observance for the Jews is keeping the Sabbath day holy. They feel that Sabbath observance identifies them over all other peoples.

"The Hebrew name for the Sabbath is Shabbat, which derives from a root meaning to cease or desist. It gets this name because the Bible tells us that on the seventh day of Creation, God "shavat mi-kol melakhto" --- He "ceased" or "desisted" from all His work (i.e., of Creation). It is from this that the supreme importance of the Sabbath derives; observance of the Sabbath is an act of testimony to the fact that God created the world." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

Observance for religious Jews includes personal improvement and improving life around them.

"The yearning for the Messiah underlies the . . . teaching that the mystical task of the Jewish people is to correct the imperfection in the world --- the existence of evil and impurity. This can be done through devout prayer and strict observance of the precepts of the Torah. Only then will the Messiah come." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

In Judaism there is a daily prayer (Amidah) asking for forgiveness.

"Mercy and forgiveness, says the Talmud, are distinguishing characteristics of Abraham and his seed, and these characteristics motivated God to choose Israel as His people."

"Fasting is an act of repentance or of supplication seeking divine forgiveness or the prevention of disaster. Public fasts also commemorate catastrophic events in Jewish history." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

Wearing white clothing, specifically robes and the Talith (Prayer Garment) denotes the desire to be pure and spotless from the sins of generations around them.

"In Ashkenazi tradition it is not just the bride who wears white on her wedding day. The groom, too, stands under the canopy wearing his white kitel, or robe, over his wedding finery. The day of their marriage is a solemn one for the bride and groom. They pray that their past sins will be forgiven and they can start their life together afresh. The white of their clothing symbolizes the purity and the forgiveness of sin for which they are hoping. For this reason a similar garment is used to clothe the dead for burial. The kitel therefore also serves to remind the wearer of how brief life is, and of the necessity for atonement."

"The exercise of mercy is an obligation for all Jews. By this it is meant that they must act with compassion and forgiveness towards all mankind, and perform deeds of charity and kindness. This quality is an essential characteristic of God who is known as Rahum ("Merciful") and, in accordance with the tradition which sets as man's goal the imitation of God: "As He is merciful, so be you merciful." Just as God is bound by His covenant of mercy with His people, so is the Jew bound by specific commandments to act mercifully to the oppressed, the alien, the orphan, the widow, and indeed, every living creature."

"One of the most important theological doctrines of both the Bible and the Talmud is that if a sinner repents his bad deeds, God will forgive him. Repentance consists of several stages --- firstly the sinner must reflect on his actions and realize that he has indeed done the wrong thing. He must then make up his mind never to do it again, and confess his sin. This confession is not made to any other human being but is made by the sinner directly to God. On this basis the two confessions Ashamnu and Al-Het were introduced into the prayers for the Day of Atonement which is a special occasion for repentance and forgiveness. However, even when a sinner has done all these things, his repentance is still not final until he has been exposed to the same temptation and withstood it. Of course he should not deliberately put himself on that spot again." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

As to their relationship with the "worldliness" around them, religious Jews have traditionally dressed in distinctive, modest clothing. There are signs in the religious neighborhoods in Israel asking every passerby to be modestly clothed. Those with shorts or skimpy clothes may get a dishpan of soapy water thrown at them from balconies above. Beware!

"Our first fashion record is the Bible, which describes common, priestly, and royal dress. "

"The Talmud stresses that "a man's dignity is seen in his costume." A scholar must be spotless and neat. "

"From ancient times Jewish women were known for their modesty. Their hair was always covered, their dresses plain and white. Fine clothing was worn on Sabbath and holidays, simple clothing on weekdays."

"A walk through the streets of almost any city today in Israel, reveals a colorful mixture of old and new --- a challenge to the amateur detective, who can amuse himself by deducing the origin of each passing stranger according to his dress. The clues are not far to seek. Many elderly North African men still wear their traditional long simple gowns; many Indian women still wear their loose fitting colorful silk pantaloons, capes and shawls and many Ethiopian women and men don bright regal-like African attire on special occasions."

"On Sabbath and holidays, the shtreimel covers many venerable heads. It is usually accompanied by traditional garb --- a silk gold-and-black striped gown, a broad white belt, white socks, and black buckled shoes. With practice, the eager observer learns to identify the members of each hasidic sect by its distinctive garb and headgear. Indeed, the kippa alone can indicate its wearer's origins: Georgian migrants wear four-sided floral-embroidered kippot; certain groups in Me'ah She'arim wear pointed white ones; the graduates of certain long-established yeshivot always wear black cotton ones; while the students of the more modern Zionist-oriented yeshivot favor a kippah serugah (crocheted kipa) in bright colors.

"In contrast to all these, is the native Israeli who gives away his identity by his brand- new Levis, his designer shirt, and his portable cellular telephone. In the early years of the state, Israelis did not pay too much attention to fashion. In fact, it was very rare that a man wore a tie and jacket or a woman wore a dress and high heels. All that has changed. In the 1990s, there is a better chance of feeling underdressed rather than overdressed. Israelis, both young and old, have generally shunned the traditional casual wear of their parents for a more trendy, upbeat and metropolitan look. Tel Aviv's trendy Sheinkin Street is Israel's answer to Greenwich Village and is home to Israel's latest fashion trends and tastes." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

As discussed in the first few lesson supplements, the explainable concept of God and Satan have basically disappeared in modern Judaism. That, of course would be Satan’s main goal. Yet the concepts of good and evil are still basic to Jewish life.

"Basic to Judaism is the firm belief that all of life is good. The Bible proclaims: "And God saw all that He had made and found it very good" (Genesis 1:31). Yet how can we fit catastrophe, pain, moral evil and sin into God's design of Creation? The earlier books of the Bible deal very little with the problem of the existence of evil. In the later books, however, questions concerning the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous become familiar. The question appears in Jeremiah, in Isaiah, Job and Psalms, and various answers have been given by talmudists and philosophers."

"The rabbis of the Talmud taught that as good derives from God who is merciful and loving, so does evil. This also removes any idea of separate gods. The rabbis say that just as a man blesses God for the good bestowed upon him, so must he bless Him for evil. To the vexing problem of the seemingly unjust distribution of good and evil the replies are varied. One answer is that it is beyond the understanding of man's mind. Another opinion states that the righteous, suffering in this world, might be receiving punishments for the sins of their ancestors, while the wicked may be prospering because of zekhut avot, the merit of pious ancestors. The most widespread explanation is that the righteous receive their punishment for any small transgression so they can then enjoy their full reward in the world to come. The wicked are rewarded in this world for the slightest good deed but in the next world they will reap the full measure of punishment they deserve. The sufferings of the righteous are also a sort of test, "afflictions of love" which develop in them patience and complete faith. The Book of Job and other biblical sources support this view. Evil initiated by man himself is considered the product of his evil inclination, the yezer ha-ra, a distinct part of man's nature. Yet, it is within man's power to restrain and redirect his evil inclination with the guidance of Torah and its teachings, the only proven antidote. This self-control enables man to serve God with both his good and evil inclinations, helping him to live a good life, and to grow in holiness." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

 

The teaching that God’s hand is always outstretched is reflected in basic Israelite virtue.

"Hospitality is considered by Judaism to be one of the most important virtues that a person can develop. This has been true since the time of ancient Israel, when hospitality was not merely a question of good manners, but a moral institution which grew out of the harsh desert and nomadic existence of the people of Israel. The biblical customs of welcoming the weary traveler and receiving the stranger in one's midst developed into an important Jewish virtue. Isaiah states that one of the duties of the pious is to "deal thy bread to the hungry" and to "bring the poor that are cast out to thy house."

"The Bible is full of examples of hospitality. Abraham, for example, broke off a conversation with God Himself in order to receive guests (the three angels), and though weak in health, ran out to meet them, personally washed their feet, served them food, and made them feel welcomed and honored. Rebekah, Abraham's future daughter-in-law, showed hospitality not only to his servant but to his thirsty camels as well, thus proving herself worthy of marrying Isaac. Jethro was angry that his daughters had not invited Moses to their home, and the prophet Elijah was a permanent guest in the home of the Shunammite woman. Job, like Abraham, had open doors on all four sides of his house so that strangers might have easy access. Breaches of hospitality, on the other hand, were considered punishable offenses."

"In talmudic literature, hospitality is a great mitzvah, and is even more important, according to some rabbis, than prayer. The guest should be shown his room on arrival, so that he will enjoy his meal and not have to worry about where he will sleep later. The host is forbidden to make his guest uncomfortable by appearing miserable or sad, or by watching him too closely when he eats. The guest too, has responsibilities, including showing gratitude to his host, and complying with his host's wishes. Guests must not accept hospitality if they think that doing so will impoverish the host."

"Rabbi Levi Isaac of Berdichev always served his guests personally and made up their beds for them. When asked why he did not leave these duties to his servants, he replied: "Hospitality is an excellent deed when performed without pay. The servant would do it for pay, and the intrinsic kindness of the good deed would be lost." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)