Good Morning Yamon Ki Yesepar:
Isaiah 30:20: “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be hidden any more, but thine eyes shall see they teachers:”
The word “give” is in an imperfect form and should be translated: “And the Lord will give you bread.” The word for water is “mayim.” This could come from the root word “mi” “waters” or “yim” (hot springs). Water has many symbolic meanings in Hebrew. One meaning is that water can be so powerful it can drill through rocks. Hence the water of affliction. Thus the sages teach that God will give you an affliction that will drill through the rocky covering of your heart to penetrate your heart with the love of God. The bread of adversity. Bread also has many symbolic meanings. One aspect is how bread is made. The taking of wheat, pounding it into a flower, rolling it and then baking it at a high temperature. It is a custom in baking bread for Rosh Hashanah to invite people who have hurt you during the year and as you roll your bread you forgive them. Hence the bread of adversity. The sages would teach that the adversity brought on by your sinful acts are pounded, rolled and baked to bring you to repentance and the forgiveness of God. I would also like to add my thought to this. That grain which is pounded, rolled and baked comes out as something new (bread) to bring nourishment to others. Many people have had to go through the pounding, rolling and baking trials by God to bring them to repentance and His forgiveness in Jesus Christ so that Jesus can make them into something new, something of value to others, to bring nourishment to others.
“Your teachers shall not be hidden from you.” Teachers in this passage is “moreka.” This particular form is a participial noun, 2nd person singular. Note it is singular not plural. It is a teaching teacher or a master teacher. The word used her is “yarah” not “lamad” which is the common word for teach. Yarah has the idea of throwing out, or an archer who is shooting an arrow. A teacher is throwing out knowledge, or shooting out knowledge which is aimed at a target. This teacher will not be “hidden.” The word “hidden” is “kanaph.” This is the word for wings, or a loose flowing skirt. These particular words give a picture of an archer shooting at a winged creature but because of it’s illusiveness, the arrow does not meet it’s target. I remember as a child listening to a man names Tom Hanlon who started the Bible Rescue Mission. He told how, as a homeless alcoholic, he would go to the mission and hear the Gospel. He went to the mission and he heard the Gospel. He went to the mission and he heard the Gospel. Then one day he went to the mission and he HEARD THE GOSPEL.” That is probably the best way to explain this.
The last part of this verse also explains it. “And your eyes will see your teachers.” The word “see” is “ra’ah” which is a reference to spiritual seeing, spiritual insight. Your spiritual eyes will be opened and you will see the redemption offer by this Teacher. I would not share this with your local rabbi, but you can guess who I think this “Teacher” is. He is the “Master Teacher.”
What the prophet seems to be saying here is that God is always speaking to you, to give you direction, to set you on the right path or way (see following verse) but sometimes it just does not get through that thick head of ours, and God may have to bring bread of adversity, (adversity that will bring us into repentance and the forgiveness of God) and
the “hot springs” of affliction to drill through that hard shell of our heart and pierce it with the love of God through Jesus Christ.
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