Haftarah of VaYeitzei

Hoshea 12:13-14:10

After the death of King Shlomo, the nation of Israel was split into two political entities. King David's dynasty retained the southern kingdom, now called Yehudah, while the northern kingdom, called Israel, was given to Yeravam ben Nevat. Since he was from Ephraim (one of the two tribes of Yosef), the kingdom of Israel is referred to as "Ephraim" by the prophets who addressed them.

In order to understand the references of the Haftarah, we need to review the events that followed the founding of the kingdom. Yeravam ben Nevat took several steps to establish the legitimacy of his new monarcy. For his capital city, he chose Shechem, the very first place purchased by Yaakov Avinu in the Land of Israel - as opposed to David's Jerusalem, which was relatively new, having been conquered only a few decades earlier. He then moved his court to Penuel, where Yaakov had struggled with the angel. By associating himself with Yaakov and calling the kingdom "Israel", Yeravam asserted that they were going back to their roots, and that their nation, rather than Yehudah, was original and authentic.

Yeravam's also felt that he needed to offer the people a religious alternative to the Temple in Jerusalem. He established two new altars, one at each end of the country - in the south, in Beit El, the location of Yaakov's dream with the ladder, and in the north, at Dan. Lacking the physical objects that sanctified the Temple in Jerusalem, Yeravam invented substitutes: golden statues similar to the cherubim of the Ark, one for each of his altars. These statues were in the shape of the symbol of Yosef, the bull; more specifically, a calf. Yeravam made not one, but two Golden Calves, and told Israel: "These are your gods, who took you out of Egypt". And so the nation worshipped these calves for the entire duration of the Kingdom of Israel. Even though they started off, like in the Golden Calf of the desert, as a symbol of worshipping Hashem, the situation rapidly deteriorated into worshipping other physical images and other local "gods".

Nevertheless, at the time of Hoshea, the Kingdom of Israel enjoyed economic prosperity and impressive military success. Their arrogance and self-aggrandizement is recorded in several stories in the Tanach; their society was infamous for injustice and deceit.

The Haftarah is taken from the middle of Hoshea's rebuke of Israel for lying, cheating, and idolatry. They counter each criticism by claiming that they had learned deceit from their forefather Yaakov. The Haftarah itself begins at the same point as the Parsha - where Yaakov goes to Aram and has to deal with the duplicitous Lavan by being less than perfectly honest himself. Israel responds that if it's moral for Yaakov to lie and cheat, it must be moral for them as well. They also claim that the golden calves are harmless; they are an intermediary to Hashem just as prophets such as Moshe were intermediaries of Hashem in the desert. The prophet responds in anger and tells them that they're not fooling anyone with their hypocrisy.

13) "Yaakov fled to the land of Aram. Yisrael worked for one woman, for another woman he guarded.	(יג) וַיִּבְרַח יַעֲקֹב שְׂדֵה אֲרָם וַיַּעֲבֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאִשָּׁה וּבְאִשָּׁה שָׁמָר:
14) And with a prophet Hashem took Yisrael out of Egypt, and with a prophet he was guarded."	(יד) וּבְנָבִיא הֶעֱלָה ה’ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם וּבְנָבִיא נִשְׁמָר:
15) Ephraim angered me bitterly; his blood will be upon himself, and his disgrace his master will repay him.	(טו) הִכְעִיס אֶפְרַיִם תַּמְרוּרִים וְדָמָיו עָלָיו יִטּוֹשׁ וְחֶרְפָּתוֹ יָשִׁיב לוֹ אֲדֹנָיו:

It was insecurity about his monarchy that caused Yeravam to lead them down the path to worshipping Ba'al. As one dynasty replaced another through assassination and slaughter, they continued to worship the calves that caused it all. G-d will make all of them disappear, finally and completely.

1) As Ephraim spoke in fear, to be exalted in Israel; instead he shamed himself in Baal, and died.	(א) כְּדַבֵּר אֶפְרַיִם רְתֵת נָשָׂא הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֶּאְשַׁם בַּבַּעַל וַיָּמֹת:
2) And now, they continue to sin; they made images from their silver, with the skills of idolatry, all of it, the work of professionals. About them they say, “Those who slaughter men, kiss calves.”	(ב) וְעַתָּה יוֹסִפוּ לַחֲטֹא וַיַּעְשׂוּ לָהֶם מַסֵּכָה מִכַּסְפָּם כִּתְבוּנָם עֲצַבִּים מַעֲשֵׂה חָרָשִׁים כֻּלֹּה לָהֶם הֵם אֹמְרִים זֹבְחֵי אָדָם עֲגָלִים יִשָּׁקוּן:
3) So they will become like a cloud in the morning, like the dew of daybreak that evaporates, like the chaff that is blown from the threshing floor, like the smoke from a chimney.	(ג) לָכֵן יִהְיוּ כַּעֲנַן בֹּקֶר וְכַטַּל מַשְׁכִּים הֹלֵךְ כְּמֹץ יְסֹעֵר מִגֹּרֶן וּכְעָשָׁן מֵאֲרֻבָּה:

It was not an intermediary who took them out of Egypt and took care of them in the desert, but Hashem Himself. If their success made them take Him for granted, then He will turn against them and see how well they do on their own.

4) But I am Hashem your G-d from Egypt. You will not know another G-d besides Myself. There is no savior but Me.	(ד) וְאָנֹכִי ה’ אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וֵא-לֹהִים זוּלָתִי לֹא תֵדָע וּמוֹשִׁיעַ אַיִן בִּלְתִּי:
5) I knew you in the desert, in the land of drought.	(ה) אֲנִי יְדַעְתִּיךָ בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ תַּלְאֻבוֹת:
6) When they had grazed, and eaten their fill, they were full and they became haughty. And that’s how they forgot Me.	(ו) כְּמַרְעִיתָם וַיִּשְׂבָּעוּ שָׂבְעוּ וַיָּרָם לִבָּם עַל כֵּן שְׁכֵחוּנִי:
7) So I have become for them like a lion, like a leopard lurking by the road to Ashur.	(ז) וָאֱהִי לָהֶם כְּמוֹ שָׁחַל כְּנָמֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָשׁוּר:
8) I will waylay them like a bear bereft of her cubs, I will tear open their closed hearts, I will devour them like a young lion, mangle them like the beasts of the field.	(ח) אֶפְגְּשֵׁם כְּדֹב שַׁכּוּל וְאֶקְרַע סְגוֹר לִבָּם וְאֹכְלֵם שָׁם כְּלָבִיא חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה תְּבַקְּעֵם:
9) You have destroyed yourself, Yisrael, for your help lies with Me.	(ט) שִׁחֶתְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי בִי בְעֶזְרֶךָ:

Without G-d to protect them, who are they to rely on? Their king?Their judges? It was their idea originally to ask for a king "like all the nations", and G-d agreed only on condition that he lead the nation in the ways of the Torah. If not, then not only will the king fail to save them, he will be the source of their downfall.

10) Where, therefore, is your king? Let him save all your cities! And your judges? About whom you said, “Give me a king and ministers”	(י) אֱהִי מַלְכְּךָ אֵפוֹא וְיוֹשִׁיעֲךָ בְּכָל עָרֶיךָ וְשֹׁפְטֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתָּ תְּנָה לִּי מֶלֶךְ וְשָׂרִים:
11) I gave you a king in anger, and I will take him away in fury.	(יא) אֶתֶּן לְךָ מֶלֶךְ בְּאַפִּי וְאֶקַּח בְּעֶבְרָתִי: ס

The nation now faces a crisis, described by the prophet in terms of the last moments of childbirth. They can either turn to Hashem and be reborn, or face death and destruction.

12) Ephraim’s sin is wrapped up, his transgression is stored away.	(יב) צָרוּר עֲוֹן אֶפְרָיִם צְפוּנָה חַטָּאתוֹ:
13) The pain of a laboring woman will come to him. He is an unwise son, for this is not the time to halt, on the birthing stool.	(יג) חֶבְלֵי יוֹלֵדָה יָבֹאוּ לוֹ הוּא בֵן לֹא חָכָם כִּי עֵת לֹא יַעֲמֹד בְּמִשְׁבַּר בָּנִים:
14) Should I redeem them from the grave? Should I save them from death? Where are your plagues, Death? Your butchery, Grave? Comfort is hidden from my eyes.	(יד) מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל אֶפְדֵּם מִמָּוֶת אֶגְאָלֵם אֱהִי דְבָרֶיךָ מָוֶת אֱהִי קָטָבְךָ שְׁאוֹל נֹחַם יִסָּתֵר מֵעֵינָי:
15) He may be fruitful among weeds. But an east wind will come, Hashem’s wind from the desert, it will dry up his spring, and destroy his fountain. He will be robbed of all his precious treasure.	(טו) כִּי הוּא בֵּן אַחִים יַפְרִיא יָבוֹא קָדִים רוּחַ ה’ מִמִּדְבָּר עֹלֶה וְיֵבוֹשׁ מְקוֹרוֹ וְיֶחֱרַב מַעְיָנוֹ הוּא יִשְׁסֶה אוֹצַר כָּל כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה:
1) Shomron will be destroyed in shame, for she embittered her G-d; they will fall by the sword, their infants will be dashed, and their pregnant women ripped open.	(א) תֶּאְשַׁם שֹׁמְרוֹן כִּי מָרְתָה בֵּא-לֹהֶיהָ בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ עֹלְלֵיהֶם יְרֻטָּשׁוּ וְהָרִיּוֹתָיו יְבֻקָּעוּ: פ

The prophet begs Israel to choose to return to Hashem. All they need to do is say the word, to realize that Hashem is their true hope - not military power, not political alliance, not false idols - only Hashem.

2) Return, Yisrael, to Hashem your G-d! For you have stumbled in your sin.	(ב) שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד ה’ אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ בַּעֲוֹנֶךָ:
3) Take with you words, and turn back to Hashem. Say to Him, “Forgive all sins, and take only the goodness. We will offer the words of our lips instead of cows.	(ג) קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל ה’ אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל תִּשָּׂא עָוֹן וְקַח טוֹב וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ:
4) Ashur will not save us, on horses we will not ride, and we will no longer say, “You are G-d” to the work of our hands. For in You will the orphan find comfort."	(ד) אַשּׁוּר לֹא יוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ עַל סוּס לֹא נִרְכָּב וְלֹא נֹאמַר עוֹד אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ יְרֻחַם יָתוֹם:

Hashem will eagerly welcome them back, nurturing them in His love. Ephraim will reject all foreign worship, and flower under Hashem's protection.

5) I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for My anger has turned from him.	(ה) אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה כִּי שָׁב אַפִּי מִמֶּנּוּ:
6) I will be like dew to Yisrael, he will blossom like the lily, and strike his roots like a cedar in Levanon.	(ו) אֶהְיֶה כַטַּל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִפְרַח כַּשּׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְיַךְ שָׁרָשָׁיו כַּלְּבָנוֹן:
7) His offspring will spread out, like an olive tree will be his glory, and his smell like a cedar in Levanon.	(ז) יֵלְכוּ יֹנְקוֹתָיו וִיהִי כַזַּיִת הוֹדוֹ וְרֵיחַ לוֹ כַּלְּבָנוֹן:
8) They’ll come back, those who sit in his shadow, they’ll revive like grain, blossom like the vine, his fragrance like the wine of Levanon.	(ח) יָשֻׁבוּ יֹשְׁבֵי בְצִלּוֹ יְחַיּוּ דָגָן וְיִפְרְחוּ כַגָּפֶן זִכְרוֹ כְּיֵין לְבָנוֹן: ס
9) Ephraim: “What do I care about idols?” I will respond, and care for you, I am like a leafy cypress, from Me will come your fruit.	(ט) אֶפְרַיִם מַה לִּי עוֹד לָעֲצַבִּים אֲנִי עָנִיתִי וַאֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ אֲנִי כִּבְרוֹשׁ רַעֲנָן מִמֶּנִּי פֶּרְיְךָ נִמְצָא:

The prophet ends the Haftarah by warning us that those who are themselves crooked will falter on the path of Hashem. People can talk themselves into believing that what they do is justified and even laudatory, that they are following in the path of their forefather Yaakov; it is the prophet's job to tell them what G-d actually thinks of their actions.

10) Whoever is wise, understand these, whoever is discerning, know them: the ways of Hashem are straight; and the righteous walk on them, but the crooked stumble upon them.

(י) מִי חָכָם וְיָבֵן אֵלֶּה נָבוֹן וְיֵדָעֵם כִּי יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי ה’ וְצַדִּקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם וּפֹשְׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָם:

"Haftarot Unrolled" Copyright © Kira Sirote

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

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