Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel. (Is 35:1)
יְשֻׂשׂ֥וּם מִדְבָּ֖ר וְצִיָּ֑ה וְתָגֵ֧ל עֲרָבָ֛ה וְתִפְרַ֖ח כַּחֲבַצָּֽלֶת׃
Lætabitur deserta et invia, et exultabit solitudo, et florebit quasi lilium.
The desert is a permanent element of the topography of the Holy Land. Apart from the natural aspect of such a space, it is worth capturing the spiritual meaning. Etymologically, this word comes from the word דָּבַר [ḏâḇar], meaning a word, event, matter. Along these lines, there is some suggestion that the desert is not completely empty. It is rather a place for the word, for conversion. Today, the desert becomes a place of joy that flows from the life-giving source of God’s blessing. In this way, it ceases to be sinister and threatening. The prophet Isaiah wants to use such images to bring comfort to the hearts of the Israelites tormented by their time of slavery.
