Chapter I

והי׳ ביום ההוא יתקע בשופר גדול ובאו
האובדים בארץאשור והנדחים בארץ
מצרים והשתחוו לה׳ בהר הקודש בירושלים

"And it shall be on that day that a great shofar shall be sounded, and those who were lost in the land of Ashur and those who were banished in the land of Mitzrayim shall come and bow down to the L-rd on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim."1

This is a prophecy by Yeshayahu in G-d's blessed name regarding the last days before the final Redemption, as it says in the preceding verse:2 "And you, children of Israel, shall be gathered up [from exile Rashi] one by one."

During the period of exile, the Jewish nation will be scattered all over the world, as it is written:3 " 'For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens', says G-d." But when the time of Redemption comes, Jews from even the farthest reaches of the earth, even places where an extremely small number are found, will all be gathered together and included within the Jewish nation.

The Jews isolated in remote areas, especially if they're living without the company of any other Jews, will be very coarsened and sunk in worldly matters. They will be estranged from Judaism, and may be unwilling to leave their well-established homes and go with Moshiach to Eretz Yisroel. They may not even want to hear of the Redemption. Under the influence of evil friends or leaders, they will have become assimilated into the populace of the lands in which they are found. Some of them will have forgotten, or will have lost all desire to remember, their Jewish heritage. So how will G-d's promise be fulfilled? What will bring these Jews to return to their people?

This matter is addressed by the second prophecy [quoted at the outset of the discourse] that the sound of the "great shofar" will make everyone tremble [and want to go with Moshiach to Eretz Yisroel].

First comes the prophecy4 that on the eve of Redemption, all of mankind will be in a state of extreme agitation due to the cataclysmic events of those days. In turn, this will cause even those Jews who had totally forgotten their heritage to remember that they are Jewish. [Then comes] the second prophecy, that the "great shofar" will rouse even the lost and banished, so that they too will desire to kneel before G-d in Yerushalayim.

In summary: On the eve of Redemption, the whole world will be trembling. Even the most estranged Jews will remember that they are Jewish. The "great shofar" will awaken the essential spark of Judaism within every Jew, including the "lost and banished."