Haftarah of Tetzaveh

Yehezkel 43:10-27

The prophet Yehezkel lived in exile in Babylonia, at the time of the destruction of the Temple. The first prophecies in his book describe visions of G-d's Presence leaving the Temple; the final prophecies, including this Haftarah, describe the very same vision in the opposite direction: G-d's Presence returning to Jerusalem.

Yehezkel is instructed to relate the exact dimensions of the new Temple, with detailed measurements of the altar. The Jewish People will receive these instructions only if they show that they have put aside the sins that had caused the previous Temples to be destroyed.

10) You, Son of Man,

tell the House of Israel about the House;

they will be ashamed of their sins,

and they shall measure the plans.

(י) אַתָּה בֶן אָדָם

הַגֵּד אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַבַּיִת

וְיִכָּלְמוּ מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם

וּמָדְדוּ אֶת תָּכְנִית:

11) And if they be ashamed of all that they have done,

then regarding the form of the House,

its foundations,

its exits,

its entrances, and all its forms,

and all its laws and all its forms,

and all its instructions;

inform them,

and write before their eyes;

so that they will keep all its forms and all its laws,

and act upon them.

(יא) וְאִם נִכְלְמוּ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ

צוּרַת הַבַּיִת

וּתְכוּנָתוֹ

וּמוֹצָאָיו

וּמוֹבָאָיו וְכָל צוּרֹתָו

וְאֵת כָּל חֻקֹּתָיו וְכָל צוּרֹתָיו

וְכָל תּוֹרֹתָיו

הוֹדַע אוֹתָם

וּכְתֹב לְעֵינֵיהֶם

וְיִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת כָּל צוּרָתוֹ וְאֶת כָּל חֻקֹּתָיו

וְעָשׂוּ אוֹתָם:

12) These are the instructions for the House:

at the head of the mountain,

its entire perimeter all around is Holy of Holies;

these are the instructions for the House.

(יב) זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַבָּיִת

עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר

כָּל גְּבֻלוֹ סָבִיב סָבִיב קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים

הִנֵּה זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַבָּיִת:

13) And these are the measurements of the altar, in amot:

an amah is an amah and a tefach,

its base shall be an amah high and an amah wide,

and its ledge on its border around shall be one zeret,

that shall be the base of the altar.

(יג) וְאֵלֶּה מִדּוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בָּאַמּוֹת

אַמָּה אַמָּה וָטֹפַח

וְחֵיק הָאַמָּה וְאַמָּה רֹחַב

וּגְבוּלָהּ אֶל שְׂפָתָהּ סָבִיב זֶרֶת הָאֶחָד

וְזֶה גַּב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ:

14) From the base on the ground,

to the lower ledge, is two amot,

and the width of one amah;

and from the smaller ledge

to the greater ledge, is four amot,

and the width of one amah.

(יד) וּמֵחֵיק הָאָרֶץ

עַד הָעֲזָרָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה שְׁתַּיִם אַמּוֹת

וְרֹחַב אַמָּה אֶחָת

וּמֵהָעֲזָרָה הַקְּטַנָּה

עַד הָעֲזָרָה הַגְּדוֹלָה אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת

וְרֹחַב הָאַמָּה:

15) The hearth is four amot,

and from the hearth and upward

four horns.

(טו) וְהַהַרְאֵל אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת

וּמֵהָאֲרִיאֵל וּלְמַעְלָה

הַקְּרָנוֹת אַרְבַּע:

16) The hearth is twelve long,

by twelve wide,

square on all four sides.

(טז) וְהָאֲרִיאֵל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֹרֶךְ

בִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה רֹחַב

רָבוּעַ אֶל אַרְבַּעַת רְבָעָיו:

17) The ledge is fourteen long,

by fourteen wide, on all four sides,

and the ledge around it is half an amah,

and the base is an amah around,

and the steps face east.

(יז) וְהָעֲזָרָה אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה אֹרֶךְ

בְּאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה רֹחַב אֶל אַרְבַּעַת רְבָעֶיהָ

וְהַגְּבוּל סָבִיב אוֹתָהּ חֲצִי הָאַמָּה

וְהַחֵיק לָהּ אַמָּה סָבִיב

וּמַעֲלֹתֵהוּ פְּנוֹת קָדִים:

Yehezkel then receives the instructions for the dedication ceremony of the altar. Like the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan in Tetzaveh, it will last eight days, and its purpose is to purify the altar and render is suitable for sacrifices.

18) He said to me, Son of Man! So says the Hashem, G-d,:

These are the laws of the altar,

on the day it is assembled,

to offer burnt offerings upon it,

and to dash blood against it.

(יח) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי בֶּן אָדָם כֹּה אָמַר אֲ-דֹנָי ה' אֵלֶּה חֻקּוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ

בְּיוֹם הֵעָשׂוֹתוֹ

לְהַעֲלוֹת עָלָיו עוֹלָה

וְלִזְרֹק עָלָיו דָּם:

19) You shall give to the Cohanim of Levi,

who are the descendents of Tzadok, who are close to Me,

says Hashem, G-d, to serve Me,

a bullock as a purification offering.

(יט) וְנָתַתָּה אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם

אֲשֶׁר הֵם מִזֶּרַע צָדוֹק הַקְּרֹבִים אֵלַי

נְאֻם אֲ-דֹנָי ה' לְשָׁרְתֵנִי

פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר לְחַטָּאת:

20) You shall take of its blood,

and place it on the four horns,

and on four corners of the ledge,

and on the ledge around it,

and you will purify it and atone for it.

(כ) וְלָקַחְתָּ מִדָּמוֹ

וְנָתַתָּה עַל אַרְבַּע קַרְנֹתָיו

וְאֶל אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הָעֲזָרָה

וְאֶל הַגְּבוּל סָבִיב

וְחִטֵּאתָ אוֹתוֹ וְכִפַּרְתָּהוּ:

21) You will take

the bullock of the purification offering,

and burn it in the appointed place of the House,

outside the sanctuary.

(כא) וְלָקַחְתָּ

אֵת הַפָּר הַחַטָּאת

וּשְׂרָפוֹ בְּמִפְקַד הַבַּיִת

מִחוּץ לַמִּקְדָּשׁ:

22) On the second day,

you will bring an unblemished goat as a purification offering,

and you shall purify the altar,

like it was purified with the bullock.

(כב) וּבַיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי

תַּקְרִיב שְׂעִיר עִזִּים תָּמִים לְחַטָּאת

וְחִטְּאוּ אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ

כַּאֲשֶׁר חִטְּאוּ בַּפָּר:

23) When you complete the purification,

bring a pure bullock,

and a pure ram from the flock.

(כג) בְּכַלּוֹתְךָ מֵחַטֵּא

תַּקְרִיב פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר תָּמִים

וְאַיִל מִן הַצֹּאן תָּמִים:

24) You will bring them before Hashem,

and the Cohanim will sprinkle salt upon them,

and offer them as a burnt offering to Hashem.

(כד) וְהִקְרַבְתָּם לִפְנֵי ה'

וְהִשְׁלִיכוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלַח

וְהֶעֱלוּ אוֹתָם עֹלָה לַה':

25) For seven days,

bring a goat for a purification offering each day,

and bring a pure bullock and a pure ram.

(כה) שִׁבְעַת יָמִים

תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׂעִיר חַטָּאת לַיּוֹם

וּפַר בֶּן בָּקָר וְאַיִל מִן הַצֹּאן תְּמִימִים יַעֲשׂוּ:

26) Seven days atone for the altar,

and cleanse it,

and consecrate it.

(כו) שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יְכַפְּרוּ אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ

וְטִהֲרוּ אֹתוֹ

וּמִלְאוּ יָדָיו:

27) When the days are completed -

(כז) וִיכַלּוּ אֶת הַיָּמִים ס

It will be, from the eighth day onward,

the Cohanim will make upon the altar,

your burnt offerings and your peace offerings,

and I will accept you, says Hashem, G-d.

וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה

יַעֲשׂוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ

אֶת עוֹלוֹתֵיכֶם וְאֶת שַׁלְמֵיכֶם

וְרָצִאתִי אֶתְכֶם נְאֻם אֲ-דֹנָי ה': ס

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

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

Haftarot Unrolled http://www.torahforum.org/haftara