Haftarah of Lech Lecha

Isaiah 40:27 – 41:16

As in the other "Chapters of Comfort" of Yeshayahu, the prophet attempts to deal with existential questions and crises of faith of the Jewish People in Exile.

Here, Yeshayahu implies that Israel has reached a conclusion about G-d's apparent lack of involvement in our destiny: either He doesn't know, or, He doesn't care. The prophet challenges this suggestion "Don't you know better? You're not saying these things because you believe them, you are saying them because you are tired."

Hashem's strength has no bounds, and it is our infinite renewable resource. Youth has no patience, and when they fail to reach their goals, they despair. Israel is not a young nation – our trust in Hashem is the source of our strength to go on..

(כז) לָמָּה תֹאמַר יַעֲקֹב וּתְדַבֵּר יִשְׂרָאֵל נִסְתְּרָה דַרְכִּי מֵה’ וּמֵאֱלֹהַי מִשְׁפָּטִי יַעֲבוֹר:	27) Why do you say, Yaakov, why do you claim, Israel, “My path is hidden from Hashem, my case is overlooked by My G-d”?
(כח) הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּ אִם לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם ה’ בּוֹרֵא קְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ לֹא יִיעַף וְלֹא יִיגָע אֵין חֵקֶר לִתְבוּנָתוֹ:	28) Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? Hashem is the G-d of the world, Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not tire, does not get exhausted; His understanding can’t be fathomed.
(כט) נֹתֵן לַיָּעֵף כֹּחַ וּלְאֵין אוֹנִים עָצְמָה יַרְבֶּה:	29) He gives strength to the weary, to the powerless, great might.
(ל) וְיִעֲפוּ נְעָרִים וְיִגָעוּ וּבַחוּרִים כָּשׁוֹל יִכָּשֵׁלוּ:	30) Young men do get tired, get exhausted; youths do falter and fail.
(לא) וְקוֹיֵ ה’ יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ יַעֲלוּ אֵבֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִים יָרוּצוּ וְלֹא יִיגָעוּ יֵלְכוּ וְלֹא יִיעָפוּ: פ	31) But those who trust in Hashem renew their strength, they will rise up like eagles, they will run and not get exhausted, walk and not get tired.

Not only the Jewish People, but also the Nations of the World doubt G-d's role in history. The prophet approaches them now, with a historical argument.

He describes a powerful figure, a political leader representing justice and enjoying nearly miraculous military success. G-d allows these things to happen; He drives history through such outstanding individuals. (The Midrash identifies "he who arose from the East" with Avraham, and the military success with his war against the kings in Lech Lecha)

א) הַחֲרִישׁוּ אֵלַי אִיִּים וּלְאֻמִּים יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ יִגְּשׁוּ אָז יְדַבֵּרוּ יַחְדָּו לַמִּשְׁפָּט נִקְרָבָה:	1) Listen to me, continents! Nations, renew your strength; approach, then speak, let us go to trial together.
(ב) מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ יִתֵּן כֶּעָפָר חַרְבּוֹ כְּקַשׁ נִדָּף קַשְׁתּוֹ:	2) Who arose from the East? Justice follows in his footsteps. Nations were given over to him, and kings subdued. His sword turns all to dust, to driven straw, his bow.
(ג) יִרְדְּפֵם יַעֲבוֹר שָׁלוֹם אֹרַח בְּרַגְלָיו לֹא יָבוֹא:	3) He pursues them but passes unharmed, upon roads his feet have never trod.
(ד) מִי פָעַל וְעָשָׂה קֹרֵא הַדֹּרוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ אֲנִי ה’ רִאשׁוֹן וְאֶת אַחֲרֹנִים אֲנִי הוּא:	4) Who has acted and caused this? Who names the generations in advance? I, Hashem, am the first. and with the last, I am He.

The reaction of the nations to this harbinger of justice is fear. They turn to each other for strength and solidarity - but only to reinforce their previously held ideologies, and literal idols. They themselves made the idols, they realize that the idols might fall apart at any minute, yet they carry on.

(ה) רָאוּ אִיִּים וְיִירָאוּ קְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ יֶחֱרָדוּ קָרְבוּ וַיֶּאֱתָיוּן:	5) The continents saw this and were frightened, the ends of the earth shook with fear, they drew near and approached.
(ו) אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ יַעְזֹרוּ וּלְאָחִיו יֹאמַר חֲזָק:	6) Each one supports the other, to his brother says, “Be strong!”
(ז) וַיְחַזֵּק חָרָשׁ אֶת צֹרֵף מַחֲלִיק פַּטִּישׁ אֶת הוֹלֶם פָּעַם אֹמֵר לַדֶּבֶק טוֹב הוּא וַיְחַזְּקֵהוּ בְמַסְמְרִים לֹא יִמּוֹט:ס	7) The craftsmen fortifies the smith, the one who flattens with the hammer, helps the one who pounds with the mallet. He says about the glue, “it’s good!”, yet fortifies it with nails, so it won’t collapse.[p]

The prophet then contrasts the nations supporting and reinforcing their false idols and ideologies to G-d supporting and reinforcing Israel. G-d has chosen us to serve Him, and that carries with it some very real dangers. He tells us not to fear, and to persevere against those who incite against us. He is in control, He is the source of our courage, He has power over history, and our enemies have nothing.

(ח) וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתִּיךָ זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אֹהֲבִי:	8) But you, Israel, are my servant Yaakov whom I have chosen, the descendent of Avraham, who loved Me.
(ט) אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱזַקְתִּיךָ מִקְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ וּמֵאֲצִילֶיהָ קְרָאתִיךָ וָאֹמַר לְךָ עַבְדִּי אַתָּה בְּחַרְתִּיךָ וְלֹא מְאַסְתִּיךָ:	9) Whom I have held up from the ends of the earth, from among its nobles I have called you, I said to you, “You are My servant”, I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
(י) אַל תִּירָא כִּי עִמְּךָ אָנִי אַל תִּשְׁתָּע כִּי אֲנִי אֱלֹהֶיךָ אִמַּצְתִּיךָ אַף עֲזַרְתִּיךָ אַף תְּמַכְתִּיךָ בִּימִין צִדְקִי:	10) Do not fear, because I am with you, do not be anxious, because I am your G-d. I give you courage, even support you, Even hold you up with the right arm of My justice.
(יא) הֵן יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ כֹּל הַנֶּחֱרִים בָּךְ יִהְיוּ כְאַיִן וְיֹאבְדוּ אַנְשֵׁי רִיבֶךָ:	11) They will be ashamed and embarrassed, all that fume at you; they will be as nothing, will be gone, the men who fight against you.
(יב) תְּבַקְשֵׁם וְלֹא תִמְצָאֵם אַנְשֵׁי מַצֻּתֶךָ יִהְיוּ כְאַיִן וּכְאֶפֶס אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתֶּךָ:	12) You might look for them, but you won’t find them, the men who incited against you; they will be as nothing, as zero, the men who wage war against you.
(יג) כִּי אֲנִי ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מַחֲזִיק יְמִינֶךָ הָאֹמֵר לְךָ אַל תִּירָא אֲנִי עֲזַרְתִּיךָ: ס	13) For I am Hashem, your G-d, who fortifies your right arm, who tells you, ”Do not fear! I support you”. [p]

We might appear to be at the end of our strength, approaching extinction, but G-d will give us strength and power - physical, emotional, and spiritual - to fight again. Our enemies will disappear, and we will prevail.

(יד) אַל תִּירְאִי תּוֹלַעַת יַעֲקֹב מְתֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי עֲזַרְתִּיךְ נְאֻם ה’ וְגֹאֲלֵךְ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל:	14) Do not fear, worm-eaten Yaakov, ebbing Israel; I support you, says Hashem, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
(טו) הִנֵּה שַׂמְתִּיךְ לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ חָדָשׁ בַּעַל פִּיפִיּוֹת תָּדוּשׁ הָרִים וְתָדֹק וּגְבָעוֹת כַּמֹּץ תָּשִׂים:	15) I will make you like a new threshing tool, with extra sharp teeth; you will thresh the mountains and crush them, you will make the hills like chaff.
(טז) תִּזְרֵם וְרוּחַ תִּשָּׂאֵם וּסְעָרָה תָּפִיץ אוֹתָם וְאַתָּה תָּגִיל בַּה’ בִּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּתְהַלָּל: פ	16) You will winnow them and the wind will carry them off, the storm will disperse them. But you will rejoice in Hashem, in the Holy One of Israel, you will exult!

Copyright © Kira Sirote 

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

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