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The Jewish Home | APRIL 28, 2022
Delving into the Daf
Leave the Rest to Hashem by rabbi Avrohom Sebrow
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OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home
t
he Mishna in Yevamos (49a) tells of a mysterious scroll found in Yerushalayim. The Gemara proceeds to enumerate the contents of the parchment. It is not immediately clear what the common thread is to all the facts listed on the scroll. However, one surprising fact mentioned in it sheds light on a historical mystery: How did Yeshaya HaNavi die? The scroll tells us the tragic and surprising answer. Yeshaya Hanavi was killed by his own grandson. The story starts before his grandson was even born. Chizkiya HaMelech was deathly ill. Yeshaya HaNavi came to visit him and deliver a message. (Berachos 10a) The Navi told Chizkiya that his death is a punishment for not marrying. Chizkiya protested that he was within his rights not to marry. He de-
termined through Ruach HaKodesh that he would have wicked children. Rather than fathering wicked offspring, Chizkiya decided not to marry. Yeshaya HaNavi responded that regardless of the future, Hashem expected Chizikya to follow the halacha and marry. Chizkiya should leave the future to Hashem. Chizkiya accepted the rebuke and agreed to marry. However, Yeshaya Hanavi told him it was too late; his death had already been decreed. Whereupon, Chizkiya HaNavi declared, “I have a tradition from my father’s house that even if a sharp sword is on a person’s neck, it is not too late to pray!” Chizkiya prayed for forgiveness and accepted to marry. Yeshaya HaNavi delivered Hashem’s response: fifteen years had been added to Chizkiya’s life. Chizkiya asked Yeshaya if he could marry his
daughter. Perhaps their combined merit would ensure that the offspring would be righteous. Unfortunately, the plan did not succeed. Chizkiya’s son was the wicked King Menashe. The Gemara (Yevamos 49b) states that Menashe determined that Yeshaya was a false prophet. Moshe Rabbeinu indicated in the Torah that the best blessing a person can achieve in regards to his lifespan is to live the full number of his predetermined years. Yet, Yeshaya HaNavi prophesied that Hashem added 15 years to Chizkiya’s life, more than his predetermined years. The contradiction is actually a good question. There is a debate in the Gemara about what the correct answer is. Yet Menashe did not want to hear the answer – he was just looking for an excuse to kill Yeshaya, and so he
declared Yeshaya HaNavi to be a false prophet. The penalty for such an offense is death. Yeshaya HaNavi died at the hands of his own grandson, the wicked King Menashe. Yeshaya HaNavi instructed Chizkiya to just follow halacha and leave the future to Hashem. There are other places in Tanach that demonstrate the same theme. The Megilla (2:10) tells us that Esther did not reveal her nationality to Achashveirsoh because Mordechai commanded her to do so. What was the reason for Mordechai’s instructions? Rashi says that Mordechai hoped that Achashveirsoh would reject her as a queen due to her unconfirmed and suspicious heritage. Yet, in the very next verse, the Megilla states that Mordechai stayed close
