Ha’azinu – the Haftara

Hosea 14:2 – 1; Micah 7:18 – 20; Joel 2:15-27

Reading date: 26^th September 2009 – 8^th Tishrei 5769

Our Highlighted Haftara Text

"Blow a shofar in Zion,
Solemnize a fast,
Proclaim an assembly!
Gather the people,
Bid the congregation purify themselves.
Bring together the old,
Gather the babes
And the sucklings at the breast. Joel 2:15, 16

I can think of no better way to start the process of Teshuva, than by beginning to be grateful.

On Shabbat Shuvah we read the final haftara of the weekly Shabbat cycle. Like the past few months, the haftara is chosen for its connection to the calendar (this week is the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), and not the weekly Torah reading of Ha’azinu. The passage from Joel begins, "Blow a shofar in Zion, Sanctify a fast..." After the holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, we will begin a new cycle of Torah readings once again with Parashat Bereishit, and will return to studying the Torah portion.

Every Shabbat can be referred to by the name of the Parasha, (Shabbat Bereishit) or in some weeks, when a special additional portion is read, the Shabbat has a special name taken from this additional 'maftir' (Shabbat Zachor). Sometimes, when a holiday falls on Shabbat and interrupts the regular weekly readings, Shabbat gets its name from the holiday (Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach). So, I think it is fitting, that this week, our last column on the haftarot, this Shabbat takes its name (Shabbat Shuvah), not from the Torah portion, but from the haftara: ‘Shuvah Yisrael’, Return O Israel.

The haftara is also unusual in that it is taken from more than one book; selections from Hosea, and Micah or Joel form the haftara (depending on whether the Torah portion Vayelech or Ha'azinu falls on Shabbat Shuvah and whether Ashkenazi or Sephardic custom is being followed). (Note also that the passage from Hosea is included in the regular Shabbat haftara read on Parashat VaYetze.)

History

Hosea is the first prophet included in the second section of the Jewish Bible (Tanach), after the historical books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. He lived around 700 BCE and was a contemporary of Amos. After the death of Solomon, the United Kingdom had split into two. The northern tribes were called Israel (or Ephraim after the tribe of their first king Jeroboam) and the southern kingdom was called Judah. Although this was a time of material prosperity, it was also a time of moral laxity and growing paganism.

This is the only haftara that includes a passage from the prophet Joel. Joel speaks of the Day of Judgment, and describes a plague of locusts. The Sages believed Joel was a contemporary of Amos and Hosea, but scholars are unsure of the book's composition. Joel is a short (4 chapter) book, and includes the famous verse: "Your elders shall dream dreams, and your youth shall see visions" (3:1 or 2:28 in some translations). The passage from Joel seems like a description of Rosh Hashanah: "Blow the shofar...Gather the people..."

Commentary

This week's Torah portion Ha'azinu, the last regular Shabbat reading, is a one chapter poem anticipating the Israelites forsaking YHVH. (The Torah's final two chapters are read on Simchat Torah, and then we begin the cycle anew with Shabbat Bereishit.) Moses describes the history of YHVH's relationship with Israel: YHVH is faithful, and the Israelites, in return, worship other gods and do not show gratitude. YHVH's anger will then flare up, and visit famine upon them. The passage from the prophet Joel balances the Torah. Joel too describes a famine caused by a plague of locusts, but YHVH will be roused by the nation's return, and He will again honor the covenant with the Israelites, showering them (literally) with rain, so their crops (of grain, wine, and oil) will be abundant.

Joel says: "And you shall eat your fill and praise the name of Adonai your God Who dealt so wondrously with you...I am Adonai your God, there is no other" (Joel 2:26, 27). This is a paraphrase of Deut. 8:10, "You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Adonai your God..." In both places, the idea is that the earth's bounty is a gift from God, and that abundance should be a sign of YHVH's blessings. Perhaps because of the family meals around the holidays, I am conscious of feeling overly full. But the Torah worries that instead of being grateful and loyal, precisely the opposite will happen: "When you have eaten your fill, have built fine houses to live in... beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget Adonai your God who freed you from the land of Egypt..." (Deut 8:12, 14).

How curious. The more we have to be thankful for, the less we seem to be grateful. In Judaism, saying blessings is our way of expressing gratitude. Indeed, the verse quoted above is the 'proof text' for Birkat HaMazon, the Grace after Meals. The rabbis said that one should offer 100 blessings a day! That might seem like a lot, but think of all the people (seen and unseen) that we should be grateful to each day: the bus driver, the grocer, the farmer, the truck driver, the city workers.

It's easy to complain. Nothing is perfect. But how many blessings we have each day! Let us thank those around us, family, friends, and even strangers. In this season of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I can think of no better way to start the process of Teshuva, than by beginning to be grateful.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova

Parashat Ki Tavo - the Haftara

Ki Tavo – the Haftara

Isaiah 60:1-22

Reading date: 5^th September 2009 – 16^th Elul 5769

Our Highlighted Haftara Text

"Arise, shine, for your light has dawned,
The Presence of Adonai has shone upon you!
Behold! Darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick clouds, the people,
But upon you Adonai will shine,

And God's Presence be seen over you.
And nations shall walk by your light,

Kings, by your shining radiance." Isaiah 60:1-3

The people of Israel in partnership with the Divine source of Light, can usher in the light of redemption.

We continue with the sixth and penultimate Sabbath of Consolation (our series of seven special haftarot: ‘shiva d'nechemta’. These seven readings are linked to the calendar, bridging the commemoration of the destruction of the Temple and the exile from Israel. Like for previous weeks, Alkabetz borrowed phrases from this week's haftara in his Shabbat hymn Lecha Dodi: "Kumi ori ... Arise, shine, for your light has dawned..." (60:1).

History

Isaiah, son of Amotz is the most popular of the prophets for the haftara: fourteen of the weekly portions (in the Ashkenazi calendar) are from Isaiah. Isaiah lived in the southern kingdom of Judah in the latter half of the 8th century B.C.E. While Isaiah hoped that the northern kingdom of Israel would be restored (regrettably, the ten northern tribes vanished permanently), his prophecy was also a warning that to the leaders and population of Judah. 'You could be next if you don't change your behavior.' Indeed, a hundred years later, Judah was conquered, but this time, a remnant did survive, and returned to Israel and re-established a new nation.

Commentary

Reading the Haftara for this week's Parashat Ki Tavo, the imagery of light jumps out at us. Light is a symbol of the Divine (Adonai is my light Ps. 27:1), and Isaiah promises, "No longer shall you need the sun, for light by day, nor the shining of the moon for radiance by night; for Adonai shall be your light everlasting, your God shall be your glory..." (Is. 60:19). Light was YHVH's first creation, and light is also a symbol of revelation. The light of our haftara is the third point of Rosenzweig's triangle (in his Star of Redemption): a symbol of redemption.

Creation

There is the physical light of creation (sun, moon, and stars). Technically, I know that actually, the moon is not a 'source' of light, and is really only reflecting the sun's light. In the ancient world, the moon was used for the calendar, and its light was quite important. As the 'Wise' of Chelm point out, 'The moon is more important than the sun, for after all, the sun shines during the day when it's light, but the moon shines at night when it is dark! (There is actually a real 'Chelm' but I am referring to a mythical town of foolish people).

Revelation

The occurrences at Sinai are described with fire and lightning, and the Torah itself is likened to light: Torah Or.

Redemption

 The final light of redemption will outshine the other sources of light. This brings us right back to a midrash on the light of creation, since if we read the text carefully, we will notice that in fact the 'light' created on the first day precedes the creation of the sun, moon and stars, (on day four), the only natural sources of light in the ancient world. The Rabbis resolve this difficulty by suggesting that the original light of the first three days was not any light that we have today, but a primordial light (today we might suggest the light of the Big Bang)! This light, was 'hidden away' for the righteous, and will be revealed at the end of days.

Now most of the time, we can tell the past tense from the present tense. But without context, "I read the newspaper" could be present tense- (the answer to "What do you do in the morning?") or the past ("What did you do yesterday?"). In Hebrew the verb to read is clear, since ‘kara’ means read (pronounced rehd) vs. ‘korei’ (meaning read pronounced reehd). But some verbs in Hebrew are similarly ambiguous. The verb ‘lavo’, to come is both ‘ba’ for the masculine singular present (He comes) ‘hu ba’, and 3rd person masc. past, (He came). Verse one of our haftara begins, "Arise, shine, for your light has come/came" ‘ki va oreich’. The verse continues with a parallel: YHVH's glory shone ‘zarach’ past tense. So translators are probably right to keep the first verb also in the past tense, as in biblical poetry, these parallels are usually symmetrical. But the very next verse continues that YHVH's light will shine ‘yizrach’. So now, I'm legitimately confused. Shone, shining, will shine? Which is it? This is not only a question of translations. The issue is when is our redemption? Isaiah is describing the restoration of Zion and YHVH's redemption. But which comes first? Do we wait to be redeemed, and then we will be restored to Zion, or is it the other way around. After all, the original opposition of some Orthodox to the early Zionist movement (and sad to say, of some extremist groups still today - many of whom actually live in Israel without supporting the State) was this very question.
Clearly our 'light shining' is connected to our redemption. But I think an answer can be found in one more use of the word light in the phrase, ‘Or goyim’. I, Adonai, in My grace, have summoned you, And I have grasped you by the hand. I created you, and appointed you a covenant people, a light of nations— Opening eyes deprived of light, Rescuing prisoners from confinement, From the dungeon those who sit in darkness (Is. 42:6,7). The people of Israel themselves are also a source of light when we act in partnership with the Divine source of Light. Then surely will all enjoy the light of redemption.

Shabbat Shalom

Parashat Nitzavim - Vayelech - the Haftara

Nitzavim – Vayelech – the Haftara

Isaiah 55:6 – 56:8

Reading date 12^th September 2009  -  23^rd Elul 5769

Our Highlighted Haftara Text

"YHVH thought: Surely they are My people, Children who will not play false. So YHVH was their deliverer. In all their troubles, YHVH was troubled, and the angel of YHVH's presence delivered them.
In YHVH's love and pity, YHVH Himself redeemed them, Raised them, and exalted them
all the days of old."  Isaiah 63:8,9

As we enter this season of repentance, YHVH will take one step towards us for every step we take to return.

We have finally reached the seventh and last Shabbat of Consolation. Much of the imagery and poetry has been used by Isaiah before: the metaphor of marriage, being clothed in splendor, and Zion's feeling of being forsaken is replaced with gratitude for YHVH's deliverance. This is the climactic conclusion to the seven weeks that we have travelled from Tisha B'av to the High Holy Day season.This Shabbat is also the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah (beginning this year on Friday night, Sept. 22).

History

Isaiah, son of Amotz is the most popular of the prophets for the haftara: fourteen of the weekly portions (in the Ashkenazi calendar) are from Isaiah. Isaiah lived in the southern kingdom of Judah in the latter half of the 8th century B.C.E. While Isaiah hoped that the northern kingdom of Israel would be restored (regrettably, the ten northern tribes vanished permanently), his prophecy was also a warning that to the leaders and population of Judah. 'You could be next if you don't change your behavior.' Indeed, a hundred years later, Judah was conquered, but this time, a remnant did survive, and returned to Israel and re-established a new nation.

Commentary

Someone once noted that in their edition of the Chumash, there were some words  printed without vowels, and wanted to know the significance of these unvocalized words. What they were noticing was the phenomenon of k'ri [read] and k'tiv [written]. Different chumashim display this either as a footnote, as marginalia, or, as in the case of the Conservative movement's Etz Hayim edition, right in the text itself. Around the 10th century, a group of scholars arose who established the correct text of the Bible. They are called the Masorites, from the Hebrew word, Masorah, which means to transmit, and denotes 'tradition.' (Indeed, the Hebrew version of Fiddler on the Roof has Tevye singing, "Masoret, masoret..." The Masorites were also responsible for the vowels (which they invented) and the musical notes (trope) that were added to the original biblical text.
In their careful work of establishing the correct text, these sages noted that sometimes an accepted reading was theologically difficult, or incorrect (comparing differing reliable manuscripts due to a scribal error), or in some cases not 'proper' for public reading, and therefore provided a substitute word. By the tenth century, the biblical text's sanctity was accepted, and altering the text was not possible, so the solution was to still write the text the accepted way, but a marginal notation indicated how the text was to be read. Indeed, a Torah reader who did not follow the k'ri  would be removed from his position. Those who claim that the Torah has 'codes' in its letter sequences might reconsider their position since the Bible has about fifteen hundred of such variants.
Which brings us to this week's haftarah, and a very interesting example of k'ri and k'tiv [written]. The Hebrew word for 'no' is lo, spelled lamed-aleph. The word, his, is a homophone: lo, but spelled differently, lamed-vuv. The words sound the same, but look different. According to the Masoretic text as written (k'tiv), and supported by the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation, verse 9 reads: "God was their Deliverer in all their troubles; no [lo- with an aleph] angel or messenger was with God, but God's own Presence delivered them." This theology is familiar from the Pesach Haggadah's insistence (notwithstanding the explicit reference to an angel for the actual Exodus, cf. Num. 20:16), that God alone, not an angel or a messenger, delivered Israel. Rashi, too, agrees with this reading.
But the more interesting reading follows the musical cantillation marks (which also indicate phrasing) and breaks the sentence differently, according to the Masoretic k'ri which translates the lo as His (God's): "In all their troubles, God was troubled, and the angel of God's presence delivered them." This reading is not supported by the ancient texts, or even by the conclusion of the verse that says, "God, Godself redeemed them," yet this midrashic understanding has been popular, and all ten contemporary translations I checked follow this rabbinic theology. Ibn Ezra, who is normally noted for his 'pshat' approach (even more than Rashi) agrees with this latter reading, that when Israel was afflicted, God suffers. (Christianity has made the idea of God's suffering along with humanity, or indeed, on behalf of humanity a central pillar).

The Rabbis used this verse as the prooftext for a midrash on the burning bush. Starting with the verse from Song of Songs (5:2) 'My dove, my twin.' Rabbi Yannai said: 'As with twins, when the head of one aches, the other also feels it, too, so [aware of how radical was this theology the Rabbis add: if one dare attribute such words to God]-- the Holy One said, 'I am with him in trouble' (Ps. 91:15). And again, 'In all their afflictions, God is afflicted.' " (Isa. 63:9) The Holy One said to Moses: "Do you not sense that I live in distress whenever Israel finds themselves in distress? Just look at the place out of which I speak to you-- out of a thornbush. I am--if one may ascribe such a statement to God--a partner in their pain. Ex. Rabbah 2:5.

God is not aloof, and as we enter this season of repentance, God too, wants us to return. This shortens our path since for every step we take in God's direction, God, too, takes a step closer to us. "Turn back to me—says the LORD of Hosts—and I will turn back to you" (Zechariah 1:3).

Shabbat Shalom