Haftarah of Noach

Yeshayahu 54:1 – 55:5

This chapter, which is also the source for two of the "Seven Haftarot of Comfort" that are read in the summer, is taken from the later chapters of Yeshayahu. The chapters, called, "Chapters of Comfort", address the Jewish People in Exile and assure them that despite all that they have experienced, G-d will not forsake them, and Redemption will come.

The background of the Haftarah is a metaphor of Jerusalem as a woman who had betrayed her husband and was thrown out of her home, living a life of loneliness and shame. Her husband now wishes to forgive her, assuring her that he never intended their separation to be permanent. Similarly, the Jewish People have been made to feel that G-d has rejected and replaced them. The prophet Yeshayahu points out that this is not true, and the process of Redemption will make this clear to the entire world.

As the Haftarah begins, Jerusalem has been abandoned and empty. G-d warns her that she is about to experience a sudden and significant expansion. She needs to build, and build quickly.

1) Sing, barren one, who has not given birth!

Burst out in song and rejoice, she who has not felt birth pangs!

For the sons of the forsaken one are more numerous

than the sons of the secure one, says Hashem.

(א) רָנִּי עֲקָרָה לֹא יָלָדָה

פִּצְחִי רִנָּה וְצַהֲלִי לֹא חָלָה

כִּי רַבִּים בְּנֵי שׁוֹמֵמָה

מִבְּנֵי בְעוּלָה אָמַר ה':

2) Expand the dimensions of your tent,

spread out the tarps of your dwelling – do not hold back!

Lengthen your tent ropes

and reinforce your poles.

(ב) הַרְחִיבִי מְקוֹם אָהֳלֵךְ

וִירִיעוֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתַיִךְ יַטּוּ אַל תַּחְשֹׂכִי

הַאֲרִיכִי מֵיתָרַיִךְ

וִיתֵדֹתַיִךְ חַזֵּקִי:

3) For, to the right and to the left you will burst out;

your children will inherit nations,

and desolate cities will be resettled.

(ג) כִּי יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול תִּפְרֹצִי

וְזַרְעֵךְ גּוֹיִם יִירָשׁ

וְעָרִים נְשַׁמּוֹת יוֹשִׁיבוּ:

Even though the Redemption has begun, the Jewish People are still carrying the burden and shame of G-d's rejection throughout their Exile. When the entire world sees that G-d has been running history all along, and that the Jewish People have been His people throughout, this shame will fade from their consciousness. The perceived rejection was temporary, but the reconciliation will be permanent.

4) Do not fear, for you will not be shamed,

do not be troubled, for you will not be disgraced;

for you will forget the shame of your youth,

the disgrace of your loneliness you will recall no more.

(ד) אַל תִּירְאִי כִּי לֹא תֵבוֹשִׁי

וְאַל תִּכָּלְמִי כִּי לֹא תַחְפִּירִי

כִּי בֹשֶׁת עֲלוּמַיִךְ תִּשְׁכָּחִי

וְחֶרְפַּת אַלְמְנוּתַיִךְ לֹא תִזְכְּרִי עוֹד:

5) For your spouse is your Maker,

Hashem Tzva-ot is His name;

and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,

G-d of the entire world, He will be called.

(ה) כִּי בֹעֲלַיִךְ עֹשַׂיִךְ

ה' צְבָא-וֹת שְׁמוֹ

וְגֹאֲלֵךְ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל

אֱ-לֹהֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ יִקָּרֵא:

6) You were like a woman abandoned, depressed,

when Hashem called to you;

"Could one reject the wife of one's youth?"

asks your G-d.

(ו) כִּי כְאִשָּׁה עֲזוּבָה וַעֲצוּבַת רוּחַ

קְרָאָךְ ה'

וְאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרִים כִּי תִמָּאֵס

אָמַר אֱ-לֹהָיִךְ:

7) For just a tiny moment I have abandoned you,

but with great mercy I will gather you up.

(ז) בְּרֶגַע קָטֹן עֲזַבְתִּיךְ

וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵךְ:

8) In a foam of fury I hid My face but for a moment from you,

but with an eternity of constancy I will show mercy to you,

says your Redeemer, Hashem.

(ח) בְּשֶׁצֶף קֶצֶף הִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי רֶגַע מִמֵּךְ

וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם רִחַמְתִּיךְ

אָמַר גֹּאֲלֵךְ ה': ס

G-d swears that no matter what happens, the Jewish People will never again feel His anger, just as He swore to Noach not to destroy the entire world. From this point on, the Redemption will not be reversed.

9) For it is like the Waters of Noach to Me,

as I swore not to let the Waters of Noach pass over the land,

so too I have sworn not to be angry at you, nor to chastise you.

(ט) כִּי מֵי נֹחַ זֹאת לִי

אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מֵעֲבֹר מֵי נֹחַ עוֹד עַל הָאָרֶץ

כֵּן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מִקְּצֹף עָלַיִךְ וּמִגְּעָר בָּךְ:

10) Would even mountains wear away,

and hills erode,

My constancy will not wear away from you,

and My covenant of peace will not erode,

says He who shows mercy to you, Hashem.

(י) כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ

וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶנָה

וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתֵּךְ לֹא יָמוּשׁ

וּבְרִית שְׁלוֹמִי לֹא תָמוּט

אָמַר מְרַחֲמֵךְ ה': ס

Given our painful history, the Jewish People are unable to envision a time of prosperity and security, not to mention true peace. G-d reassures us that He will personally make it happen. The raw materials of the rebuilding of Jerusalem will be of the precious stones that represent the Jewish People; their knowledge of G-d will form the foundation for peace.

11) Poor woman, storm-tossed and uncomforted!

I am cutting rubies for your building stones,

and laying your foundations out of sapphires.

(יא) עֲנִיָּה סֹעֲרָה לֹא נֻחָמָה

הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מַרְבִּיץ בַּפּוּךְ אֲבָנַיִךְ

וִיסַדְתִּיךְ בַּסַּפִּירִים:

12) I will inlay your windows with diamonds,

your gates with carbuncles,

and all your borders with precious stones.

(יב) וְשַׂמְתִּי כַּדְכֹד שִׁמְשֹׁתַיִךְ

וּשְׁעָרַיִךְ לְאַבְנֵי אֶקְדָּח

וְכָל גְּבוּלֵךְ לְאַבְנֵי חֵפֶץ:

13) All your children will be taught by Hashem;

great will be the peace of your children.

(יג) וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי ה'

וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָיִךְ:

Fear and terror will no longer be a part of our experience. As the source and creator of everything, including destruction itself, G-d has the power to ensure that weapons turned against the Jewish People do not hit their targets. Propaganda weapons will be equally powerless.

14)You will be established in righteousness,

you will be distanced from oppression,

as you will have no reason to fear;

and from terror,

as it will not come near you.

(יד) בִּצְדָקָה תִּכּוֹנָנִי

רַחֲקִי מֵעֹשֶׁק

כִּי לֹא תִירָאִי

וּמִמְּחִתָּה

כִּי לֹא תִקְרַב אֵלָיִךְ:

15) Truly, there will be nothing to fear but Me,

who could frighten you or attack you?

(טו) הֵן גּוֹר יָגוּר אֶפֶס מֵאוֹתִי

מִי גָר אִתָּךְ עָלַיִךְ יִפּוֹל:

16) It is I who has created the smith,

who fans coal fires

and makes the tools of his trade;

and it is I who has created the weapons of destruction.

(טז) הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּרָאתִי חָרָשׁ

נֹפֵחַ בְּאֵשׁ פֶּחָם

וּמוֹצִיא כְלִי לְמַעֲשֵׂהוּ

וְאָנֹכִי בָּרָאתִי מַשְׁחִית לְחַבֵּל:

17) All weapons made against you will fail,

each tongue raised against you in court, you will find guilty.

This is the lot of the servants of Hashem,

and their righteousness from Me, says Hashem.

(יז) כָּל כְּלִי יוּצַר עָלַיִךְ לֹא יִצְלָח

וְכָל לָשׁוֹן תָּקוּם אִתָּךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּט תַּרְשִׁיעִי

זֹאת נַחֲלַת עַבְדֵי ה'

וְצִדְקָתָם מֵאִתִּי נְאֻם ה': ס

With war and terror neutralized, the prophet addresses the Nations of the World, as they begin to realize that their philosophies are bankrupt, and turn to the Jewish People for perspective and guidance. King David's legacy of justice and righteousness will be the inspiration for the entire world as we are recognized and acknowledged as being G-d's People.

55:1) Hey, all who are thirsty, come for water;

whoever has no money,

come take and eat.

Go get without payment,

without cost, wine and milk.

(א) הוֹי כָּל צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם

וַאֲשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ כָּסֶף

לְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ וֶאֱכֹלוּ

וּלְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ בְּלוֹא כֶסֶף

וּבְלוֹא מְחִיר יַיִן וְחָלָב:

2) Why should you deal out money without getting bread?

Why do you labor without getting satisfied?

Listen to me, and eat well,

and delight your souls with plenty.

(ב) לָמָּה תִשְׁקְלוּ כֶסֶף בְּלוֹא לֶחֶם

וִיגִיעֲכֶם בְּלוֹא לְשָׂבְעָה

שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ אֵלַי וְאִכְלוּ טוֹב

וְתִתְעַנַּג בַּדֶּשֶׁן נַפְשְׁכֶם:

3) Lend me your ears, and come to me,

listen and your souls will live!

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

like that of David’s faithful loyalty.

(ג) הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם וּלְכוּ אֵלַי

שִׁמְעוּ וּתְחִי נַפְשְׁכֶם

וְאֶכְרְתָה לָכֶם בְּרִית עוֹלָם

חַסְדֵי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים:

4) Truly, I have made him a witness to the nations,

a leader and a commander of nations.

(ד) הֵן עֵד לְאוּמִּים נְתַתִּיו

נָגִיד וּמְצַוֵּה לְאֻמִּים:

5) Truly, you will call nations that you do not know,

and nations that do not know you, will run to you,

for the sake of Hashem, your G-d,

for the Holy One of Israel, Who glorifies you!

(ה) הֵן גּוֹי לֹא תֵדַע תִּקְרָא

וְגוֹי לֹא יְדָעוּךָ אֵלֶיךָ יָרוּצוּ

לְמַעַן ה' אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ

וְלִקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי פֵאֲרָךְ:

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

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