ישעיהו, פרק כ״ט, פסוק י׳

A profound spiritual numbness and an inability to perceive reality falls upon the nation, plunging both its leaders and its masses into a state of deep detachment. This condition is likened to a heavy slumber and total blindness, where basic understanding seems completely lost. God brings about this deep sleep, which creates intense confusion and a total lack of clarity [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. Commentators explain this action in a few ways. Some describe it as God pouring this spirit of slumber directly into the people [מלבי״ם, שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ] or mixing it into their awareness [רש״י]. Others view it as an act of covering and hiding the truth from them [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. A unique perspective suggests that God actually gave the spirit of sleep dominion and ruling power over the nation [רש״י].

Alongside this heavy sleep, their eyes are shut tightly [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. This is pictured vividly as though a physical barrier, like a bone, has been placed over their eyes to entirely block their vision [אבן עזרא]. Although God is the one bringing this slumber and shutting their eyes, this is actually a direct consequence of the people's own stubbornness. Because they obstinately refused to see, God withheld their understanding. The resulting blindness is so absolute that it appears as a direct divine decree [רד״ק, שד״ל].

The primary approach among commentators is that this situation addresses the sinners of the nation, and the prophets and seers involved are actually the false prophets and astrologers whom the people chose to follow. God shut the eyes of these false leaders, preventing them from recognizing the truth. As a result, they only magnify the general blindness and continue to lead the public down a misguided path [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, שד״ל, רש״י, מצודת ציון].

Conversely, a completely different approach reads this situation as a sharp rebuke delivered through a rhetorical question. According to this view, the heavy slumber fell only upon the general public, who fell asleep in the empty pursuits of the world and failed to open their eyes to God's actions. The true prophet turns to the people and challenges them: Just because you are trapped in a foolish sleep, do you truly believe that the eyes of the authentic prophets and seers who lead you are just as blind and covered as your own? [מלבי״ם].