Haftarah of VaYikra

Yeshayahu 43 : 21 - 44:23

The Haftarah is from the Chapters of Comfort in Yeshayahu, which aims to give perspective to the Jewish People about their role in history.

The Haftarah begins by pointing to the purpose of the Jewish People: to make G-d known throughout the world. However, instead of bringing honor to G-d's Name, they act as if serving G-d is an imposition and a burden.

21) This nation that I have created for Me, My praise they shall tell.	(כא) עַם זוּ יָצַרְתִּי לִי תְּהִלָּתִי יְסַפֵּרוּ: ס
22) Not Me did you call, Yaakov; for you have wearied of Me, Israel.	(כב) וְלֹא אֹתִי קָרָאתָ יַעֲקֹב כִּי יָגַעְתָּ בִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
23) You did not bring Me the sheep of your burnt sacrifices, and did not honor Me with your meat offerings. I did not burden you with meal offerings, and did not weary you with incense offerings.	(כג) לֹא הֵבֵיאתָ לִּי שֵׂה עֹלֹתֶיךָ וּזְבָחֶיךָ לֹא כִבַּדְתָּנִי לֹא הֶעֱבַדְתִּיךָ בְּמִנְחָה וְלֹא הוֹגַעְתִּיךָ בִּלְבוֹנָה:
23) You did not buy Me spice sticks with money, the fat of your offerings you did not lavish upon Me; rather you have burdened Me with your transgressions, and made Me weary with your sins.	(כד) לֹא קָנִיתָ לִּי בַכֶּסֶף קָנֶה וְחֵלֶב זְבָחֶיךָ לֹא הִרְוִיתָנִי אַךְ הֶעֱבַדְתַּנִי בְּחַטֹּאותֶיךָ הוֹגַעְתַּנִי בַּעֲוֹנֹתֶיךָ: ס

One of the purposes of sacrifices is to erase the spiritual effect of sin. However, it is not automatic; G-d decides whether or not to do so. He evaluates the many factors involved, and if the Jewish People had expected to sail through, they were mistaken.

24) I, I, am the one who erases your crimes for My sake, and your transgressions I will not recall.	(כה) אָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי הוּא מֹחֶה פְשָׁעֶיךָ לְמַעֲנִי וְחַטֹּאתֶיךָ לֹא אֶזְכֹּר:
25) Remind Me, let us be judged together; tell Me, so that you can be acquitted.	(כו) הַזְכִּירֵנִי נִשָּׁפְטָה יָחַד סַפֵּר אַתָּה לְמַעַן תִּצְדָּק:
26) Your earliest ancestor sinned; your defenders have betrayed Me.	(כז) אָבִיךָ הָרִאשׁוֹן חָטָא וּמְלִיצֶיךָ פָּשְׁעוּ בִי:
27) I have defiled the holy princes, and I have given Yaakov over to destruction, and Israel to disgrace.	(כח) וַאֲחַלֵּל שָׂרֵי קֹדֶשׁ וְאֶתְּנָה לַחֵרֶם יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְגִדּוּפִים: ס

Now G-d explains how He sees His relationship with the Jewish People. As His creation, we are closer to Him even than a mother and child. He forged us, He chose us, and we belong to Him. G-d will flood us with His blessing; we will flourish, and we will be identified with Him in all that we do.

1) Now listen, My servant Yaakov, Israel whom I have chosen.	(א) וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע יַעֲקֹב עַבְדִּי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ:
2) So says Hashem, your Maker and Creator, who helps you from the womb: do not fear, My servant Yaakov, Yeshurun whom I have chosen.	(ב) כֹּה אָמַר ה' עֹשֶׂךָ וְיֹצֶרְךָ מִבֶּטֶן יַעְזְרֶךָּ אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב וִישֻׁרוּן בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ:
3) As I would pour water on thirsty ground and liquids on dry land; I will pour My spirit on your descendents, and My blessing on your offspring.	(ג) כִּי אֶצָּק מַיִם עַל צָמֵא וְנֹזְלִים עַל יַבָּשָׁה אֶצֹּק רוּחִי עַל זַרְעֶךָ וּבִרְכָתִי עַל צֶאֱצָאֶיךָ:
4) They will grow among the wildflowers, like willows on flowing waters.	(ד) וְצָמְחוּ בְּבֵין חָצִיר כַּעֲרָבִים עַל יִבְלֵי מָיִם:
5) This one will say, "I am for Hashem", and this one will be called by the name of Yaakov, and this one will sign his signature "to Hashem", and by the name of Israel will be called.	(ה) זֶה יֹאמַר לַה' אָנִי וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְשֵׁם יַעֲקֹב וְזֶה יִכְתֹּב יָדוֹ לַה' וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה: פ

It is Israel's task in this world to bear witness to the fact that there is One G-d. Only He controls history, and it is only with the Jewish People that He shares His knowledge of what will be.

6) So says Hashem, king of Israel and savior, Hashem Tzva-ot: I am first and I am last, besides Me there is no G-d.	(ו) כֹּה אָמַר ה' מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלוֹ ה' צְבָא-וֹת אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱ-לֹהִים:
7) Who can predict and foretell and arrange for Me, as I can? From the time I set up an eternal nation and their wonders, it is to them that I foretell what will occur.	(ז) וּמִי כָמוֹנִי יִקְרָא וְיַגִּידֶהָ וְיַעְרְכֶהָ לִי מִשּׂוּמִי עַם עוֹלָם וְאֹתִיּוֹת וַאֲשֶׁר תָּבֹאנָה יַגִּידוּ לָמוֹ:
8) Do not be afraid, do not be concerned; from the time I made you hear and told you, you are My witnesses! Is there a power besides Me? Is there a force that I am not aware of?	(ח) אַל תִּפְחֲדוּ וְאַל תִּרְהוּ הֲלֹא מֵאָז הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ וְהִגַּדְתִּי וְאַתֶּם עֵדָי הֲיֵשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ מִבַּלְעָדַי וְאֵין צוּר בַּל יָדָעְתִּי:

Those who do not recognize that G-d runs the world, those that worship statues that they themselves know are useless, are acting in a way that is shamefully irrational.

9) The creators of statues are all null, their precious things have no effect, they are their own witness – they do not see, do not know, that they may be ashamed.	(ט) יֹצְרֵי פֶסֶל כֻּלָּם תֹּהוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶם בַּל יוֹעִילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶם הֵמָּה בַּל יִרְאוּ וּבַל יֵדְעוּ לְמַעַן יֵבֹשׁוּ:
10) Who creates a god, and molds a statue that has no effect?	(י) מִי יָצַר אֵל וּפֶסֶל נָסָךְ לְבִלְתִּי הוֹעִיל:
11) Thus all his fellows will be shamed, the craftsmen are mortal; they shall gather, will stand and be afraid, be shamed together.	(יא) הֵן כָּל חֲבֵרָיו יֵבֹשׁוּ וְחָרָשִׁים הֵמָּה מֵאָדָם יִתְקַבְּצוּ כֻלָּם יַעֲמֹדוּ יִפְחֲדוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ יָחַד:

The prophet now describes the cognitive dissonance that allows a human being to make objects with his own hands and then pray to them as if they have power over his life. This person might be a blacksmith or a carpenter; he puts in great effort and attention to detail in making the idol. It is not that he is unaware of the fact that he made the statue himself.

12) He crafts iron with tongs, works with coal and hammers, he creates it and works it with the strength of his arm, even if he's hungry and has no strength, has not drunk water and is tired.	(יב) חָרַשׁ בַּרְזֶל מַעֲצָד וּפָעַל בַּפֶּחָם וּבַמַּקָּבוֹת יִצְּרֵהוּ וַיִּפְעָלֵהוּ בִּזְרוֹעַ כֹּחוֹ גַּם רָעֵב וְאֵין כֹּחַ לֹא שָׁתָה מַיִם וַיִּיעָף:
13) He crafts wood, draws a line; he marks it with a ruler, crafts it with tools, and with a compass marks it. He makes it in the shape of a man, with the beauty of mankind, to grace his home.	(יג) חָרַשׁ עֵצִים נָטָה קָו יְתָאֲרֵהוּ בַשֶּׂרֶד יַעֲשֵׂהוּ בַּמַּקְצֻעוֹת וּבַמְּחוּגָה יְתָאֳרֵהוּ וַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ כְּתַבְנִית אִישׁ כְּתִפְאֶרֶת אָדָם לָשֶׁבֶת בָּיִת:

And the material for the idol, where does that come from? The woodcutter chops down a tree; half of it is used for firewood and the second half to make an idol. The same wood that he used for making his dinner is the same wood that he then worships.

14) Chopping down cedars, he takes a tree and an oak; He works hard in the forest, planting pine, and the rain will make it grow.	(יד) לִכְרָת לוֹ אֲרָזִים וַיִּקַּח תִּרְזָה וְאַלּוֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ לוֹ בַּעֲצֵי יָעַר נָטַע אֹרֶן וְגֶשֶׁם יְגַדֵּל:
15) It becomes firewood for people, they take it and get warm, he burns it and bakes bread; also makes a god and bows to it, makes it into a statue and worships it.	(טו) וְהָיָה לְאָדָם לְבָעֵר וַיִּקַּח מֵהֶם וַיָּחָם אַף יַשִּׂיק וְאָפָה לָחֶם אַף יִפְעַל אֵל וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ עָשָׂהוּ פֶסֶל וַיִּסְגָּד לָמוֹ:
16) Half the wood he burns in the fire, over one half, he eats meat, he grills a roast and is sated, and even received heat; he says, "The furnace has heated me, I saw a flame."	(טז) חֶצְיוֹ שָׂרַף בְּמוֹ אֵשׁ עַל חֶצְיוֹ בָּשָׂר יֹאכֵל יִצְלֶה צָלִי וְיִשְׂבָּע אַף יָחֹם וְיֹאמַר הֶאָח חַמּוֹתִי רָאִיתִי אוּר:
17) And the rest, he makes into a god, into a statue that he worships, bows and prays to it; he says, "Save me, for you are my god!"	(יז) וּשְׁאֵרִיתוֹ לְאֵל עָשָׂה לְפִסְלוֹ יִסְגָּד לוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּחוּ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וְיֹאמַר הַצִּילֵנִי כִּי אֵלִי אָתָּה:

The prophet tries to wrap his head around the level of self-deception that it takes to live this kind of lie.

18) They did not know, they did not fathom, for their eyes are pasted over from seeing, their hearts from understanding.	(יח) לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כִּי טַח מֵרְאוֹת עֵינֵיהֶם מֵהַשְׂכִּיל לִבֹּתָם:
19) Without pondering in his heart, without knowledge, without understanding, to say, "Half I burned in the fire, and baked bread in its coals, roasted meat and ate, while the rest I made into a perversion, a lump of wood that I worship."	(יט) וְלֹא יָשִׁיב אֶל לִבּוֹ וְלֹא דַעַת וְלֹא תְבוּנָה לֵאמֹר חֶצְיוֹ שָׂרַפְתִּי בְמוֹ אֵשׁ וְאַף אָפִיתִי עַל גֶּחָלָיו לֶחֶם אֶצְלֶה בָשָׂר וְאֹכֵל וְיִתְרוֹ לְתוֹעֵבָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְבוּל עֵץ אֶסְגּוֹד:
20) His warped heart steers him toward an ashen shepherd, that will not save his life, and he does not say, "That is a lie that I am holding on to."	(כ) רֹעֶה אֵפֶר לֵב הוּתַל הִטָּהוּ וְלֹא יַצִּיל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ וְלֹא יֹאמַר הֲלוֹא שֶׁקֶר בִּימִינִי: ס

The Jewish People are not like that; they will not deceive themselves, at least not for long. Ultimately, they will remember their purpose, why they were created and by Whom. G-d will wipe away their sins, and return to the closeness that we had before. Then the Jewish People will indeed bring honor to their Creator.

21) Remember this, Yaakov and Israel, for you are My servant that I created, you are a servant to Me, Israel; you will not forsake Me.	(כא) זְכָר אֵלֶּה יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יְצַרְתִּיךָ עֶבֶד לִי אַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תִנָּשֵׁנִי:
22) I will wipe away your crimes like a fog, your sins like a cloud; come back to Me so I can redeem you!	(כב) מָחִיתִי כָעָב פְּשָׁעֶיךָ וְכֶעָנָן חַטֹּאותֶיךָ שׁוּבָה אֵלַי כִּי גְאַלְתִּיךָ:
23) Sing, heavens, over what Hashem has done, trumpet, the depths of the earth – mountains, burst out in song, the forest and every tree in it! For Hashem has redeemed Yaakov, and in Israel He will be glorified!	(כג) רָנּוּ שָׁמַיִם כִּי עָשָׂה ה' הָרִיעוּ תַּחְתִּיּוֹת אָרֶץ פִּצְחוּ הָרִים רִנָּה יַעַר וְכָל עֵץ בּוֹ כִּי גָאַל ה' יַעֲקֹב וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְפָּאָר: פ

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

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