Haftarah of Kedoshim

Amos 9:7-15

The prophet Amos lived in the northern Kingdom of Israel, shortly before their exile and destruction. The Haftarah is the last chapter of his prophecy; it expresses frustration with the unrepentant nation, but follows it with a vision of future redemption.

The Haftarah begins by questioning the relationship between G-d and the Jewish People. Do we relate to Him as if we were just a random nation like any other? Are we unique to Him?

7) Are you like the sons of the Nubians to Me, sons of Israel?

says Hashem.

Did I not take Israel out of Egypt,

and the Philistines out of Caphtor, and Aram out of Kir?

(ז) הֲלוֹא כִבְנֵי כֻשִׁיִּים אַתֶּם לִי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

נְאֻם ה'

הֲלוֹא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הֶעֱלֵיתִי מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם

וּפְלִשְׁתִּיִּים מִכַּפְתּוֹר וַאֲרָם מִקִּיר:

If the society of Israel is as corrupt as the nations that had come before it, then it deserves to be destroyed just as they had been. However, G-d has a different plan for the Jewish People. Instead of being destroyed, they will be exiled among the nations. Nevertheless, those who refused to accept responsibility for their actions and for the destruction that they caused, will die in war.

8) Now the eyes of Hashem, G-d, are on the sinful kingdom,

and I will destroy it

from the face of the earth;

nevertheless,

I will not utterly destroy the House of Yaakov, says Hashem.

(ח) הִנֵּה עֵינֵי אֲ-דֹנָי ה' בַּמַּמְלָכָה הַחַטָּאָה וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֹתָהּ

מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה

אֶפֶס

כִּי לֹא הַשְׁמֵיד אַשְׁמִיד אֶת בֵּית יַעֲקֹב נְאֻם ה':

9) For I am issuing a command,

and I will shake the House of Israel among all the nations,

like one shakes a sieve,

and no stalk falls to the ground.

(ט) כִּי הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה

וַהֲנִעוֹתִי בְכָל הַגּוֹיִם אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל

כַּאֲשֶׁר יִנּוֹעַ בַּכְּבָרָה

וְלֹא יִפּוֹל צְרוֹר אָרֶץ:

10) By the sword will die

all the sinners of my people,

who say, "It is not because of us that the bad things come."

(י) בַּחֶרֶב יָמוּתוּ

כֹּל חַטָּאֵי עַמִּי

הָאֹמְרִים לֹא תַגִּישׁ וְתַקְדִּים בַּעֲדֵינוּ הָרָעָה:

The prophet now shifts his focus to the ultimate day of redemption. David's "shelter", the symbol of the rule of law and justice in Israel, will be reinstated, and all that had been destroyed will be rebuilt. Israel will once again be known as the nation that bears G-d's Name.

11) On that day,

I will lift up David's fallen shelter,

I will fence the breaches and lift up the ruins,

and I will build it like the days of old.

(יא) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא

אָקִים אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִיד הַנֹּפֶלֶת

וְגָדַרְתִּי אֶת פִּרְצֵיהֶן וַהֲרִסֹתָיו אָקִים

וּבְנִיתִיהָ כִּימֵי עוֹלָם:

12) So that they will inherit

the remnant of Edom and all the nations,

upon whom My name is called,

says Hashem, who makes this happen.

(יב) לְמַעַן יִירְשׁוּ

אֶת שְׁאֵרִית אֱדוֹם וְכָל הַגּוֹיִם

אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עֲלֵיהֶם

נְאֻם ה' עֹשֶׂה זֹּאת: פ

The prophet describes the prosperity and abundance of the Land of Israel in the future, as the harvests run into each other and the agricultural seasons keep getting longer and more productive. The Jewish People will be planted in their land, and never again would they ever be uprooted.

13) Now the days are coming, says Hashem,

when the one plowing will meet the one reaping,

the stomper of grapes will meet the planter of the seeds;

the mountains will drip with juice,

and all the hills will be lush.

(יג) הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם ה'

וְנִגַּשׁ חוֹרֵשׁ בַּקֹּצֵר

וְדֹרֵךְ עֲנָבִים בְּמֹשֵׁךְ הַזָּרַע

וְהִטִּיפוּ הֶהָרִים עָסִיס

וְכָל הַגְּבָעוֹת תִּתְמוֹגַגְנָה:

14) I will return the remnant of My people, Israel,

and they will build desolate cities and live in them,

they will plant vineyards and drink their wine,

and make orchards

and eat their fruit.

(יד) וְשַׁבְתִּי אֶת שְׁבוּת עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל

וּבָנוּ עָרִים נְשַׁמּוֹת וְיָשָׁבוּ

וְנָטְעוּ כְרָמִים וְשָׁתוּ אֶת יֵינָם

וְעָשׂוּ גַנּוֹת

וְאָכְלוּ אֶת פְּרִיהֶם:

15) I will plant them in their land,

and they will never again be uprooted

from their land that I have given them,

says Hashem, your G-d.

(טו) וּנְטַעְתִּים עַל אַדְמָתָם

וְלֹא יִנָּתְשׁוּ עוֹד

מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָהֶם

אָמַר ה' אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ:

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

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