Haftarah of Shabbat HaChodesh

Yechezkel 45:16- 46:38

Yechezkel served as a prophet during the time of the destruction of the first Temple, for the Jewish community in exile in Babylonia. While his prophecies before the destruction were all warnings of impending doom, once the worst had come to pass, his message switched to words of hope and comfort. Among the latter is a set of prophecies that describe the ultimate redemption, including the blueprint of the final Temple. The Haftarah of Shabbat HaChodesh describes the dedication ceremonies that will take place in that Temple, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

Instead of starting at the beginning of the dedication ceremony, the Haftarah starts in the middle of the previous passage, which lists some of the rights and responsibilities of the leader of Israel at the time of the final Temple. The President, as he is called by Yechezkel, will receive a portion of land in Yerushalaim, so that he would not need to draw from the people's property for his needs. He will be responsible for enforcing proper weights and measures, and he will collect a levy to be used for communal sacrifices. It is at this levy that the Haftarah begins.

16) All the people of the land

will be included in this levy

to the President of Israel.

(טז) כֹּל הָעָם הָאָרֶץ

יִהְיוּ אֶל הַתְּרוּמָה הַזֹּאת

לַנָּשִׂיא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:

17) And the President will be responsible

for the burnt offerings, the meal and wine offerings,

for feasts, months, and Shabbats,

at all the holidays of the House of Israel;

he will commission the sin offerings and meal offerings,

burnt offerings and peace offerings,

to make atonement for the House of Israel.

(יז) וְעַל הַנָּשִׂיא יִהְיֶה

הָעוֹלוֹת וְהַמִּנְחָה וְהַנֵּסֶךְ

בַּחַגִּים וּבֶחֳדָשִׁים וּבַשַּׁבָּתוֹת

בְּכָל מוֹעֲדֵי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל

הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת הַחַטָּאת וְאֶת הַמִּנְחָה

וְאֶת הָעוֹלָה וְאֶת הַשְּׁלָמִים

לְכַפֵּר בְּעַד בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל: ס

The altar in the new Temple has been prepared, and is ready to be dedicated. The Haftarah lists the offerings that will be brought during the dedication ceremony, which will be led by the President. It will start on Rosh Chodesh Nissan (the first day of the first month), and end after Succot ("the Holiday").

18) So says Hashem, G-d,

in the first month, on the first day of the month,

you shall take a pure bullock,

and purify the sanctuary.

(יח) כֹּה אָמַר אֲ-דֹנָי ה'

בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ

תִּקַּח פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר תָּמִים

וְחִטֵּאתָ אֶת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ:

19) The priest will take of the blood of the sin offering,

and place it on the doorposts of the house,

and on the four corners of the altar,

and on the doorpost

of the gate of the inner courtyard.

(יט) וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן מִדַּם הַחַטָּאת

וְנָתַן אֶל מְזוּזַת הַבַּיִת

וְאֶל אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הָעֲזָרָה לַמִּזְבֵּחַ

וְעַל מְזוּזַת

שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית:

20) Do this also on the seventh day of the month,

for any man who sinned, whether in error or in ignorance,

and atone for the House.

(כ) וְכֵן תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּשִׁבְעָה בַחֹדֶשׁ

מֵאִישׁ שֹׁגֶה וּמִפֶּתִי

וְכִפַּרְתֶּם אֶת הַבָּיִת:

21) In the first month, on the fourteenth of the month

will be Pesach for you,

a holiday of seven days,

matzos will be eaten.

(כא) בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ

יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַפָּסַח

חָג שְׁבֻעוֹת יָמִים

מַצּוֹת יֵאָכֵל:

22) On that day, the President will make,

for himself and for the entire people,

a bullock of atonement.

(כב) וְעָשָׂה הַנָּשִׂיא בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא

בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד כָּל עַם הָאָרֶץ

פַּר חַטָּאת:

23) During the seven days of the holiday,

he will make an offering to Hashem,

seven bullocks, seven pure rams a day,

for seven days,

and a sin offering of a goat each day.

(כג) וְשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הֶחָג

יַעֲשֶׂה עוֹלָה לַה'

שִׁבְעַת פָּרִים וְשִׁבְעַת אֵילִים תְּמִימִם לַיּוֹם

שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים

וְחַטָּאת שְׂעִיר עִזִּים לַיּוֹם:

24) And a meal offering,

an eifa measure per bullock, an eifa per ram, will be made,

and oil, a hin measure for each eifa.

(כד) וּמִנְחָה

אֵיפָה לַפָּר וְאֵיפָה לָאַיִל יַעֲשֶׂה

וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָאֵיפָה:

25) In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day, on the Holiday,

he will do the same thing, for seven days:

the sin offering, the burnt offering,

the meal offering, and the oil.

(כה) בַּשְּׁבִיעִי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ בֶּחָג

יַעֲשֶׂה כָאֵלֶּה שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים

כַּחַטָּאת כָּעֹלָה

וְכַמִּנְחָה וְכַשָּׁמֶן: ס

The Haftarah continues into the next chapter, and describes the functioning of the inner and outer gates of the Temple. The eastern gate will remain closed except for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh.

46:1) So says Hashem, G-d:

The gate of the inner courtyard facing East

will be closed

during the six days of activity;

and on the day of Shabbat it will be opened,

and on the day of the new month it will be opened.

(א) כֹּה אָמַר אֲ-דֹנָי ה'

שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית הַפֹּנֶה קָדִים

יִהְיֶה סָגוּר

שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה

וּבְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת יִפָּתֵחַ

וּבְיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ יִפָּתֵחַ:

2) The President will come from the hall of the gate from outside,

and stand by the doorpost of the gate;

and the priests will make his burnt and peace offerings,

and he will worship at the threshold of the gate, and leave;

and the gate will not be closed until the evening.

(ב) וּבָא הַנָּשִׂיא דֶּרֶךְ אוּלָם הַשַּׁעַר מִחוּץ

וְעָמַד עַל מְזוּזַת הַשַּׁעַר

וְעָשׂוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת עוֹלָתוֹ וְאֶת שְׁלָמָיו

וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָה עַל מִפְתַּן הַשַּׁעַר וְיָצָא

וְהַשַּׁעַר לֹא יִסָּגֵר עַד הָעָרֶב:

3) All the people will worship at the door of this gate,

on Shabbats and on new months,

before Hashem.

(ג) וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ עַם הָאָרֶץ פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר הַהוּא

בַּשַּׁבָּתוֹת וּבֶחֳדָשִׁים

לִפְנֵי ה':

The Haftarah now lists the Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh offerings that will be brought by the President, the representative of the people, during the months of the dedication.

4) The burnt offering

that the President will bring to Hashem

on Shabbat: six pure sheep and a pure ram.

(ד) וְהָעֹלָה

אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִב הַנָּשִׂיא לַה'

בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת שִׁשָּׁה כְבָשִׂים תְּמִימִם וְאַיִל תָּמִים:

5) Meal offering of an eifa per ram,

and for sheep, a meal offering of as much as he can afford,

and oil, a hin per eifa.

(ה) וּמִנְחָה אֵיפָה לָאַיִל

וְלַכְּבָשִׂים מִנְחָה מַתַּת יָדוֹ

וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָאֵיפָה:

6) On the day of Rosh Chodesh,

a young pure bullock,

six sheep, and a ram, pure and unblemished.

(ו) וּבְיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ

פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר תְּמִימִם

וְשֵׁשֶׁת כְּבָשִׂם וָאַיִל תְּמִימִם יִהְיוּ:

7) An eifa per bullock, an eifa per ram as a meal offering,

and for the sheep,

as much as he can afford,

and oil, a hin per eifa.

(ז) וְאֵיפָה לַפָּר וְאֵיפָה לָאַיִל יַעֲשֶׂה מִנְחָה

וְלַכְּבָשִׂים

כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּשִּׂיג יָדוֹ

וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָאֵיפָה:

The President will be allowed to enter and exit through the same gate, while everyone else must exit through the opposite gate. This is only true when he is functioning as a representative of the people; when he comes as an individual, he must follow the same rules as everyone else.

8) When the President would come,

he shall come by way of the hall of the gate,

and leave the same way.

(ח) וּבְבוֹא הַנָּשִׂיא

דֶּרֶךְ אוּלָם הַשַּׁעַר יָבוֹא

וּבְדַרְכּוֹ יֵצֵא:

9) When the people come before Hashem on holidays

whoever comes through the North gate to bow,

shall leave through the South gate;

and whoever comes through the South gate,

will leave through the North gate;

He shall not go back through the same gate as he came into,

but shall rather leave the opposite way.

(ט) וּבְבוֹא עַם הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי ה' בַּמּוֹעֲדִים

הַבָּא דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר צָפוֹן לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת

יֵצֵא דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר נֶגֶב

וְהַבָּא דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר נֶגֶב

יֵצֵא דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר צָפוֹנָה

לֹא יָשׁוּב דֶּרֶךְ הַשַּׁעַר אֲשֶׁר בָּא בוֹ

כִּי נִכְחוֹ יֵצֵא:

10) And the President,

coming in their midst, will come as they do,

and will leave as they do.

(י) וְהַנָּשִׂיא

בְּתוֹכָם בְּבוֹאָם יָבוֹא

וּבְצֵאתָם יֵצֵאוּ:

11) On feasts and holidays,

the meal offering will be an eifa per bullock and per ram,

and the sheep as much as he can afford,

and oil, a hin per eifa.

(יא) וּבַחַגִּים וּבַמּוֹעֲדִים

תִּהְיֶה הַמִּנְחָה אֵיפָה לַפָּר וְאֵיפָה לָאַיִל

וְלַכְּבָשִׂים מַתַּת יָדוֹ

וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָאֵיפָה: ס

If, during the dedication ceremonies, the President brings an offering on a weekday, the gate that is normally closed during the week will be opened for him. In addition to voluntary offerings, the Haftarah lists the mandatory daily offerings for the months of the dedication.

12) When the President makes a voluntary offering,

burnt or peace voluntary offering to Hashem,

they will open for him the gate facing east,

and he will make his burnt or peace offering,

like those that he would make on Shabbat;

and he will leave, and the gate will be closed after he leaves.

(יב) וְכִי יַעֲשֶׂה הַנָּשִׂיא נְדָבָה

עוֹלָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים נְדָבָה לַה'

וּפָתַח לוֹ אֶת הַשַּׁעַר הַפֹּנֶה קָדִים

וְעָשָׂה אֶת עֹלָתוֹ וְאֶת שְׁלָמָיו

כַּאֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת

וְיָצָא וְסָגַר אֶת הַשַּׁעַר אַחֲרֵי צֵאתוֹ:

13) You will make a pure yearling sheep a day for Hashem,

each morning you will make it.

(יג) וְכֶבֶשׂ בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ תָּמִים תַּעֲשֶׂה עוֹלָה לַיּוֹם לַה'

בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתוֹ:

14) Each morning, you will make a meal offering,

1/6^th of an eipha

and oil, 1/3^rd of a hin, to moisten the flour,

a meal offering to Hashem,

a perpetual, eternal edict.

(יד) וּמִנְחָה תַעֲשֶׂה עָלָיו בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר

שִׁשִּׁית הָאֵיפָה

וְשֶׁמֶן שְׁלִישִׁית הַהִין לָרֹס אֶת הַסֹּלֶת

מִנְחָה לַה'

חֻקּוֹת עוֹלָם תָּמִיד:

15) They will make the sheep and the meal and the oil,

each morning,

a perpetual burnt offering.

(טו) יַעֲשׂוּ אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ וְאֶת הַמִּנְחָה וְאֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן

בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר

עוֹלַת תָּמִיד: פ

The prophet now returns to the topic that preceded the beginning of the Haftarah: the rights and limitations of the property rights of the President. In particular, if he gives away his land, it will revert to his family during the Yovel year. The reason for this is stated explicitly: if he disburses his own property, he will be tempted to take the property of the people to support his own children. This had happened in the past with kings of Israel; it will not be allowed to happen in the time of the final Temple.

16) So says Hashem, G-d:

If the President gives a gift to one of his sons,

it will be an inheritance to his sons,

their property by inheritance.

(טז) כֹּה אָמַר אֲ-דֹנָי ה'

כִּי יִתֵּן הַנָּשִׂיא מַתָּנָה לְאִישׁ מִבָּנָיו

נַחֲלָתוֹ הִיא לְבָנָיו תִּהְיֶה

אֲחֻזָּתָם הִיא בְּנַחֲלָה:

17) If he gives a gift of his land to one of his servants,

it will be his until the year of liberty,

then it shall return to the President,

it's his inheritance,

to his sons it will belong.

(יז) וְכִי יִתֵּן מַתָּנָה מִנַּחֲלָתוֹ לְאַחַד מֵעֲבָדָיו

וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ עַד שְׁנַת הַדְּרוֹר

וְשָׁבַת לַנָּשִׂיא

אַךְ נַחֲלָתוֹ

בָּנָיו לָהֶם תִּהְיֶה:

18) The President may not take from the inheritance of the people,

to force them out of their property;

from his own property he will give his sons inheritance;

so that My people will not be dispersed,

each from his property.

(יח) וְלֹא יִקַּח הַנָּשִׂיא מִנַּחֲלַת הָעָם

לְהוֹנֹתָם מֵאֲחֻזָּתָם

מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ יַנְחִל אֶת בָּנָיו

לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָפֻצוּ עַמִּי

אִישׁ מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ:

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

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

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