ישעיהו, פרק ס״ו, פסוק ז׳

A miraculous historical event that completely defies the laws of nature unfolds through the vivid imagery of childbirth. In a striking reversal of the natural order, a mother gives birth before she ever feels the pains of labor. This biological metaphor paints a powerful picture of a sudden, rapid redemption, bypassing the usual suffering and physical struggles that normally accompany major historical shifts [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The act of birth itself represents bringing out something that was previously swallowed up and hidden deep inside [רש״י, רד״ק].

The primary approach among commentators is that Jerusalem is compared to a mother, and the people of Israel are her children. The gathering of the exiles and their salvation will happen all at once, without the prior effort and hardship that usually precede great transformations. The children of Israel will return to their homeland from all directions with surprising speed, much like a birth that occurs effortlessly without any preparatory contractions [רש״י, אבן עזרא, צאינה וראינה].

The specific arrival of a male child carries deep symbolic meaning. Naturally, a son evokes a profound sense of joy, as he preserves the father's name and represents strength and stability. In this context, the male child symbolizes the immense and complete joy that will accompany the redemption [רד״ק, שד״ל, מצודת דוד]. Another layer of meaning suggests that while past redemptions were compared to a female, the future and final redemption is likened to a male, representing a new and permanent spiritual wholeness [אהבת יהונתן].

Despite the agreement on the suddenness of this birth, there is an interesting discussion regarding the labor pains themselves—specifically, the periods of hardship and war that traditionally precede the messianic era. One approach argues that the salvation will indeed begin suddenly and quietly, with a small group returning to Jerusalem. However, in a paradoxical twist, the labor pains will arrive immediately after this initial birth. A brief period of trouble and conflict will follow, and only after enduring this will the grand, universal redemption be fully realized [מלבי״ם, רד״ק].

In contrast, a unique alternative perspective rejects the idea that this event refers to the gathering of the exiles at all. Instead, it describes the resurrection of the dead. According to this view, the resurrection will be an absolute miracle, devoid of any natural preparations or accompanying hardships. The bodies of the departed will rise all at once in perfect wholeness, free from any crises or pains, neither before nor after the miraculous event [אברבנאל].