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While interpretations of Biblical Texts are opinions, nevertheless, I have on my home bookshelf
CLEAR EVIDENCE that it was an ACCEPTED interpretation within' traditional Judaism that Isaiah 53 is Speaking about The Messiah
suffering for the sins of His people, Isra'el, and that through this, atonement is made! The evidence of this is in the 1931
Machzor For Yom Kippur, edited by The Rev. Dr. A, Th. Phillips, in the revised and enlarged edition, by The Hebrew Publishing
Company, 77-99 Delancey Street, new York--1931--Hebrew Publishing Company. I now quote from page 239:
'Az millif'ney vere'shiyth naveh veyinnown heshiyth laletiyowth marown mer'shown teken terem kol
`am vlashown Shikhenow `atz shalm lehasherowth showgiym lehad'riykh b'darekhey yesharowth resha` 'im he'adiym rachetzuw vehizzakuw
hiqediym qetzef 'im qatzaf ba'ayuwmathow qadowsh l'o ya`iyr kol chamathow tzummathenuw bevitze`enuw `ad `atah TZuwrenuw `aleynuw
l'o ga`ethah pennah mennuw Moshiyach Tzideqenuw pullatzenuw ve'ayn miy letzaddeqenuw 'aownowtheynuw ve`own fesha`eynuw `owmem
veHuw' mechowlal mifesha`eynuw Sowvel `al shekhem chatt'itheynuw seliychah metz'a la`eownowtheynuw nirefa' lanuw bechabuwrathow
Netzachberiyah chadashah `eth liver'athow mise`iyr hadelehuw lehashemiy`enuw b'har hallevanown sheniyth b'yad yinown.
Before he created any thing, he established his dwelling (the Temple). The offty armoury he established
from the beginning, before any people or language. he counselled to suffer his divine presence to rest there, that throse
who err may be guided into the path of rectitude. Though their wickedness be flagrant, yet hath he caused repentance to precede
it, when he said, "Wash ye, cleanse yourselves." Though he should be exceedingly angry with his people, yet will the holy
One not awaken all his wrath. We have hitherto been cut off through our evil deeds, yet hast though, O our Rock, not brought
consummation on us. Our righteous anointed is departed from us: horror hath seized us, and we have none to justify us. He
hath borne the yoke of our iniquities, and our transgression, and is wounded because of our transgression. He beareth our
sins on his shoulder, that he may find pardon for our iniquities. We shall be healed by his wound, at the time that the Eternal
will create him (the Messiah) as a new creature. O bring him up from the circle of the earth. Raise him up from Seir, to assemble
us the second time on Mount Lebanon, by the hand of Yinown.
NOTE that in the actual Machzor itself, they did not use transliterated Hebrew. However, I had to
use it here so that everyone can read it for themselves. I do not say that this proves that there were not other Jews who
had different interpretations of Isaiah 53. However, this clearly proves that this was one of the accepted interpretations.
Also, the fact that it appears in the Yom Kippur Machzor emphasizes this point. But this interpretation was hugely shunned
by the LATER manstream Jewish community (later part of the 20th century). It would seem obvious that this was due to the emerging
groups like "Jews For Jesus". Apparently, many in the mainstream Jewish community got defensive because this early Jewish
interpretation of Isaiah 53 "sounded too Christian" to them. but the fact remains that interpretations should not be shunned
simply because they make people feel uncomfortable and defensive.
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