Haftarah of Shemot

Yeshayahu 27:6 – 28:13, 29:22-23

This prophecy by Yeshayahu addresses both the southern Kingdom of Yehudah and the northern Kingdom of Israel - called "Ephraim" after its ruling tribe. The northern kingdom was conquered and exiled during Yeshayahu's lifetime; this prophecy was probably given only a few decades before that happened. At that time, Yehudah was ruled by King Achaz, who attempted to emulate the pagan culture of Ephraim and other neighboring countries.

This Haftarah begins with the last verse of a prophecy that had compared the Jewish People to a dormant vineyard. Under G-d's care and attention, it comes back to life.

6) The shoots will come out from the root of Yaakov,

Yisrael will bud and flower;

and cover the face of the earth with abundance.

(ו) הַבָּאִים יַשְׁרֵשׁ יַעֲקֹב

יָצִיץ וּפָרַח יִשְׂרָאֵל

וּמָלְאוּ פְנֵי תֵבֵל תְּנוּבָה: ס

The Haftarah continues with a different topic. The prophet points out that punishments that G-d sent to the Jewish People were actually warnings meant to effect a change in their behaviour. This is different from how He punished their enemies. When dealing with the Jewish People, G-d holds back and deals out the precise measure of hardship needed to make them stop their wrong-doing. Having sent the message that idolatry must be stopped, He now expects them to destroy the idols that they had worshipped.

7) Was he scourged as his tormentors were scourged?

Was he killed as his killers were killed?

(ז) הַכְּמַכַּת מַכֵּהוּ הִכָּהוּ

אִם כְּהֶרֶג הֲרֻגָיו הֹרָג:

8) A precise measure was sent to fight them,

holding back the harsh roar, on the day of the east wind.

(ח) בְּסַאסְּאָה בְּשַׁלְחָהּ תְּרִיבֶנָּה

הָגָה בְּרוּחוֹ הַקָּשָׁה בְּיוֹם קָדִים:

9) Therefore, through this would Yaakov’s sin be atoned,

this will be the fruit of removing his sin:

when he turns the stones of the altars to smashed chalk;

so that the tree altars and sun-idols will not arise again.

(ט) לָכֵן בְּזֹאת יְכֻפַּר עֲוֹן יַעֲקֹב

וְזֶה כָּל פְּרִי הָסִר חַטָּאתוֹ

בְּשׂוּמוֹ כָּל אַבְנֵי מִזְבֵּחַ כְּאַבְנֵי גִר מְנֻפָּצוֹת

לֹא יָקֻמוּ אֲשֵׁרִים וְחַמָּנִים:

However, if they do not stop, if they are not wise enough to realize that their misfortunes are actually a warning from their Creator, then they will be destroyed and their cities will be abandoned.

10) For the fortified city is neglected,

the oasis abandoned and forsaken like the desert;

a calf grazes there, and there it will lie down,

devouring its branches.

(י) כִּי עִיר בְּצוּרָה בָּדָד

נָוֶה מְשֻׁלָּח וְנֶעֱזָב כַּמִּדְבָּר

שָׁם יִרְעֶה עֵגֶל וְשָׁם יִרְבָּץ

וְכִלָּה סְעִפֶיהָ:

11) Its harvest is dried out, it is broken;

women come, taking it for kindling.

For it is not a nation of wisdom,

therefore its Maker will not have mercy on them,

and its Creator will not show them grace.

(יא) בִּיבֹשׁ קְצִירָהּ תִּשָּׁבַרְנָה

נָשִׁים בָּאוֹת מְאִירוֹת אוֹתָהּ

כִּי לֹא עַם בִּינוֹת הוּא

עַל כֵּן לֹא יְרַחֲמֶנּוּ עֹשֵׂהוּ

וְיֹצְרוֹ לֹא יְחֻנֶּנּוּ: ס

Nevertheless, a Day of Redemption will come, when G-d will turn the world upside down so that He can pick the Jewish People up one by one. They will hear the call, and come from all over the world to Jerusalem.

12) And it will be on that day –

Hashem will thrash from the surging river to Egypt's valley,

and you will be gathered one by one, Children of Israel.

(יב) וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא

יַחְבֹּט ה’ מִשִּׁבֹּלֶת הַנָּהָר עַד נַחַל מִצְרָיִם

וְאַתֶּם תְּלֻקְּטוּ לְאַחַד אֶחָד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:

13) And it will be on that day –

The great Shofar will be blown,

and the lost ones will come from the land of Assyria

and the distant ones from the land of Egypt,

and will bow to Hashem on the holy mountain, in Jerusalem!

(יג) וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא

יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל

וּבָאוּ הָאֹבְדִים בְּאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר

וְהַנִּדָּחִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַה’ בְּהַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם:

The prophet now describes the wealth, arrogance, and hedonism of the Kingdom of Israel. He warns them that it is all about to be swept away; they will be trampled and swallowed up.

1) Woe to the crown of arrogance, the drunkards of Ephraim!

A fading flower, his glorious laurel,

that is on the head of oily pride, soaked in wine.

(א) הוֹי עֲטֶרֶת גֵּאוּת שִׁכֹּרֵי אֶפְרַיִם

וְצִיץ נֹבֵל צְבִי תִפְאַרְתּוֹ

אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשׁ גֵּיא שְׁמָנִים הֲלוּמֵי יָיִן:

2) Hashem has might and strength

like a stream of hail, a destroying tempest,

like a powerful sweeping current of water,

let down upon the land.

(ב) הִנֵּה חָזָק וְאַמִּץ לַאד-ֹנָי

כְּזֶרֶם בָּרָד שַׂעַר קָטֶב

כְּזֶרֶם מַיִם כַּבִּירִים שֹׁטְפִים

הִנִּיחַ לָאָרֶץ בְּיָד:

3) It will be trampled underfoot,

the crown of arrogance, the drunkards of Ephraim.

(ג) בְּרַגְלַיִם תֵּרָמַסְנָה

עֲטֶרֶת גֵּאוּת שִׁכּוֹרֵי אֶפְרָיִם:

4) It will become a withered flower, his glorious laurel,

that is on the head of oily pride;

like the first fig in early summer,

that whoever happens to see it,

swallows it while it is still in his hand.

(ד) וְהָיְתָה צִיצַת נֹבֵל צְבִי תִפְאַרְתּוֹ

אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשׁ גֵּיא שְׁמָנִים

כְּבִכּוּרָהּ בְּטֶרֶם קַיִץ

אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה הָרֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ

בְּעוֹדָהּ בְּכַפּוֹ יִבְלָעֶנָּה: ס

The remainder of the Jewish People, those who are in the Kingdom of Yehudah, will still have a chance to survive all this - as long as they see G-d as their king and judge, the source of their strength.

5) On that day, Hashem Tzva-ot will be

a crown of laurels,

a dawn of glory,

for the remainder of His people.

(ה) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה’ צְבָא-וֹת

לַעֲטֶרֶת צְבִי

וְלִצְפִירַת תִּפְאָרָה

לִשְׁאָר עַמּוֹ:

6) A spirit of justice

to those who sit in judgment,

and strength, to those who repel the battle at the gate.

(ו) וּלְרוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט

לַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט

וְלִגְבוּרָה מְשִׁיבֵי מִלְחָמָה שָׁעְרָה: ס

However, the Kingdom of Yehudah acts just like their neighbors, Ephraim. Their leaders and teachers are drunk, irrational, and irresponsible; they are blind to the ugly consequences of their actions.

7) And these, too, reel with wine,

stagger with liquor.

priest and prophet, reeling with liquor, drunk with wine;

they stagger from liquor,

their vision reels,

they muddle justice.

(ז) וְגַם אֵלֶּה בַּיַּיִן שָׁגוּ

וּבַשֵּׁכָר תָּעוּ

כֹּהֵן וְנָבִיא שָׁגוּ בַשֵּׁכָר נִבְלְעוּ מִן הַיַּיִן

תָּעוּ מִן הַשֵּׁכָר

שָׁגוּ בָּרֹאֶה

פָּקוּ פְּלִילִיָּה:

8) For all the tables

are covered in vomit and muck,

without space.

(ח) כִּי כָּל שֻׁלְחָנוֹת

מָלְאוּ קִיא צֹאָה

בְּלִי מָקוֹם: ס

The prophet expresses his frustration at not being heard. He has no one to talk to except little children; everyone else acts as if what he is saying is nonsense and gibberish. Even though what he is telling them will get them a reprieve from their troubles, they relate to it as if he's torturing them. They ignore him to their detriment.

9) Whom can one teach knowledge?

Who can understand what he hears?

Just-weaned babes,

removed from the breast?

(ט) אֶת מִי יוֹרֶה דֵעָה

וְאֶת מִי יָבִין שְׁמוּעָה

גְּמוּלֵי מֵחָלָב

עַתִּיקֵי מִשָּׁדָיִם:

10) Just lesson by lesson, lesson by lesson,

line by line, line by line,

a bit here, a bit there?

(י) כִּי צַו לָצָו צַו לָצָו

קַו לָקָו קַו לָקָו

זְעֵיר שָׁם זְעֵיר שָׁם:

11) Only with a twisted tongue,

and in a different language,

should one talk to these people?

(יא) כִּי בְּלַעֲגֵי שָׂפָה

וּבְלָשׁוֹן אַחֶרֶת

יְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם הַזֶּה:

12) To whom it was said,

this is the break, give a break to the weary,

and this is the respite,

but they did not want to listen.

(יב) אֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֲלֵיהֶם

זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה הָנִיחוּ לֶעָיֵף

וְזֹאת הַמַּרְגֵּעָה

וְלֹא אָבוּא שְׁמוֹעַ:

13) So the word of Hashem will be to them,

lesson by lesson, lesson by lesson, line by line, line by line,

a bit here, a bit there;

as a result, they will go and trip, and be broken,

and be snared and captured.

(יג) וְהָיָה לָהֶם דְּבַר ה’

צַו לָצָו צַו לָצָו קַו לָקָו קַו לָקָו

זְעֵיר שָׁם זְעֵיר שָׁם

לְמַעַן יֵלְכוּ וְכָשְׁלוּ אָחוֹר וְנִשְׁבָּרוּ

וְנוֹקְשׁוּ וְנִלְכָּדוּ

The Haftarah skips ahead over a chapter to end with a positive statement: ultimately, it will be the children who will sanctify G-d's Name and bring pride to the Jewish People.

29:22) Therefore, so says Hashem to the House of Yaakov,

the One Who redeemed Avraham:

Yaakov, now you will not be ashamed;

your face will not blanch now.

(כב) לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה’ אֶל בֵּית יַעֲקֹב

אֲשֶׁר פָּדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם

לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב

וְלֹא עַתָּה פָּנָיו יֶחֱוָרוּ:

23) When he sees his children, My handiwork, in his midst, sanctifying My Name;

they will sanctify the Holy One of Yaakov,

and the G-d of Israel they will glorify.

(כג) כִּי בִרְאֹתוֹ יְלָדָיו מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי בְּקִרְבּוֹ

יַקְדִּישׁוּ שְׁמִי

וְהִקְדִּישׁוּ אֶת קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב

וְאֶת אֱ-לֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַעֲרִיצוּ:

In memory of my father, Peter Rozenberg, z"l

לעילוי נשמת אבי מורי פנחס בן נתן נטע ז''ל