Haftarah of Shavuot

Yechezkel 1:1 – 1:28, 3:21

This Haftarah is the first chapter of Yechezkel. Yechezkel received his prophecies in Babylonia, where he had been exiled after the first defeat of the king of Yehudah by Nevuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonian empire. Yechezkel's prophecies served as a source of information to the Jewish community in exile about what was happening going on back home in Jerusalem and why. As the introductory verses tell us, the first of his prophecies was received several years before the destruction of the Temple.

1) In the 30th year, in the 4^th month, on the 5^th day of the month,

while I was in the exile at the river Kevar –

the heavens opened,

and I saw visions of G-d.

(א) וַיְהִי בִּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה בָּרְבִיעִי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה לַחֹדֶשׁ

וַאֲנִי בְתוֹךְ הַגּוֹלָה עַל נְהַר כְּבָר

נִפְתְּחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם

וָאֶרְאֶה מַרְאוֹת אֱ-לֹהִים:

2) On the 5^th day of the month,

it being the 5^th year

of the exile of the King Yehoyakhin.

(ב) בַּחֲמִשָּׁה לַחֹדֶשׁ

הִיא הַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית

לְגָלוּת הַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹיָכִין:

3) Hashem’s word came to Yehezkel ben Buzi the Cohen,

in the land of the Chaldeans on the river Kevar.

Hashem’s hand was upon him.

(ג) הָיֹה הָיָה דְבַר ה’ אֶל יְחֶזְקֵאל בֶּן בּוּזִי הַכֹּהֵן

בְּאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים עַל נְהַר כְּבָר

וַתְּהִי עָלָיו שָׁם יַד ה’:

Yechezkel's first vision is that of a variety of angelic entities that represent G-d's Presence. The names of the beings are proper nouns and are left un-translated. What we can glean about them from their names is as follows: "Ruach" is spirit, "Nogah" is glow, "Chashmal" is speech (not electricity), "Chayot" are life, and "Ophanim" are movement.

4) I saw, and there was a storm of Ruach coming from the north,

a great cloud and flashing fire,

and a Nogah around it,

and from its midst,

a vision of the Chashmal, from the midst of the fire.

(ד) וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ סְעָרָה בָּאָה מִן הַצָּפוֹן

עָנָן גָּדוֹל וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת

וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב

וּמִתּוֹכָהּ

כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַל מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ:

A description of the four Chayot angels, who have faces, wings, and feet.

5) From its midst,

a form of four Chayot,

and this was their vision – they had human form.

(ה) וּמִתּוֹכָהּ

דְּמוּת אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת

וְזֶה מַרְאֵיהֶן דְּמוּת אָדָם לָהֵנָּה:

6) Each one had four faces,

and each one had four wings.

(ו) וְאַרְבָּעָה פָנִים לְאֶחָת

וְאַרְבַּע כְּנָפַיִם לְאַחַת לָהֶם:

7) Their feet were straight,

and the soles of their feet were like those of a calf;

and they sparkled,

like polished copper.

(ז) וְרַגְלֵיהֶם רֶגֶל יְשָׁרָה

וְכַף רַגְלֵיהֶם כְּכַף רֶגֶל עֵגֶל

וְנֹצְצִים

כְּעֵין נְחֹשֶׁת קָלָל:

8) Human hands were under their wings,

on all four sides,

and all four had faces and wings.

(ח) וִידֵי אָדָם מִתַּחַת כַּנְפֵיהֶם

עַל אַרְבַּעַת רִבְעֵיהֶם

וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם:

9) Their wings were joined to each other,

and they did not turn when they moved –

each moved in the direction of their faces as they went.

(ט) חֹבְרֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ כַּנְפֵיהֶם

לֹא יִסַּבּוּ בְלֶכְתָּן

אִישׁ אֶל עֵבֶר פָּנָיו יֵלֵכוּ:

10) The form of their faces were,

the face of a man, with the face of a lion to the right of the four,

the face of an ox to the left of the four,

and the face of an eagle.

(י) וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם

פְּנֵי אָדָם וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם

וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן

וּפְנֵי נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן:

11) Their faces and wings were separated on top;

for each one, two connected the entities,

while two covered

their bodies.

(יא) וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרֻדוֹת מִלְמָעְלָה

לְאִישׁ שְׁתַּיִם חֹבְרוֹת אִישׁ

וּשְׁתַּיִם מְכַסּוֹת

אֵת גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶנָה:

The entities are described as being animated by the Ruach (spirit).

12) Each entity moved in the direction of his face,

wherever the Ruach was to go, they would go;

they did not turn as they moved.

(יב) וְאִישׁ אֶל עֵבֶר פָּנָיו יֵלֵכוּ

אֶל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה שָׁמָּה הָרוּחַ לָלֶכֶת יֵלֵכוּ

לֹא יִסַּבּוּ בְּלֶכְתָּן:

13) The form of the Chayot, their vision like coals,

burning like a vision of torches,

walking between the Chayot,

and a Nogah of fire,

and from the fire came out sparks.

(יג) וּדְמוּת הַחַיּוֹת מַרְאֵיהֶם כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ

בֹּעֲרוֹת כְּמַרְאֵה הַלַּפִּדִים

הִיא מִתְהַלֶּכֶת בֵּין הַחַיּוֹת

וְנֹגַהּ לָאֵשׁ

וּמִן הָאֵשׁ יוֹצֵא בָרָק:

14) The Chayot ran back and forth,

like a vision of lightning.

(יד) וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב

כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק:

The Chayot are each connected to an entity called Ophan (movement). They move in tandem, also animated by the Ruach.

15) I saw the Chayot,

and there was one Ophan on the ground

near the Chayot, on each of its four faces.

(טו) וָאֵרֶא הַחַיּוֹת

וְהִנֵּה אוֹפַן אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ

אֵצֶל הַחַיּוֹת לְאַרְבַּעַת פָּנָיו:

16) The appearance of the Ophan and their actions was like topaz,

all four had a single form,

and their appearance and actions were

as if there was an Ophan within an Ophan.

(טז) מַרְאֵה הָאוֹפַנִּים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כְּעֵין תַּרְשִׁישׁ

וּדְמוּת אֶחָד לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן

וּמַרְאֵיהֶם וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם

כַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה הָאוֹפַן בְּתוֹךְ הָאוֹפָן:

17) They moved on their four sides as they went,

they did not turn as they moved.

(יז) עַל אַרְבַּעַת רִבְעֵיהֶן בְּלֶכְתָּם יֵלֵכוּ

לֹא יִסַּבּוּ בְּלֶכְתָּן:

18) Their backs

were high and fearsome,

the backs of all four were filled with eyes.

(יח) וְגַבֵּיהֶן

וְגֹבַהּ לָהֶם וְיִרְאָה לָהֶם

וְגַבֹּתָם מְלֵאֹת עֵינַיִם סָבִיב לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן:

19) When the Chayot moved,

the Ophanim moved near them;

when the Chayot rose up from the earth,

the Ophanim were also lifted.

(יט) וּבְלֶכֶת הַחַיּוֹת

יֵלְכוּ הָאוֹפַנִּים אֶצְלָם

וּבְהִנָּשֵׂא הַחַיּוֹת מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ

יִנָּשְׂאוּ הָאוֹפַנִּים:

20) Wherever the Ruach had to go,

there the Ruach would be there to go,

and the Ophanim would be lifted there,

for the Ruach of the Chayot was in the Ophanim.

(כ) עַל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה שָּׁם הָרוּחַ לָלֶכֶת יֵלֵכוּ

שָׁמָּה הָרוּחַ לָלֶכֶת

וְהָאוֹפַנִּים יִנָּשְׂאוּ לְעֻמָּתָם

כִּי רוּחַ הַחַיָּה בָּאוֹפַנִּים:

21) When they would go, they would also go,

when they would stand, they would also stand,

when they were lifted from the earth, the Ophanim would rise,

for the Ruach of the Chayot was in the Ophanim.

(כא) בְּלֶכְתָּם יֵלֵכוּ

וּבְעָמְדָם יַעֲמֹדוּ

וּבְהִנָּשְׂאָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ יִנָּשְׂאוּ הָאוֹפַנִּים לְעֻמָּתָם

כִּי רוּחַ הַחַיָּה בָּאוֹפַנִּים:

A description of the entity above the Chayot, the "Rakiah" (sky), and of the sounds made by their wings.

22) The form above the heads of the Chaya was a Rakiah,

like an awesome ice,

spread out above their heads.

(כב) וּדְמוּת עַל רָאשֵׁי הַחַיָּה רָקִיעַ

כְּעֵין הַקֶּרַח הַנּוֹרָא

נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מִלְמָעְלָה:

23) Under the Rakiah,

their wings were straight,

one towards the other,

for each entity, two covered them here,

and for each entity, two covered them there,

covering their bodies.

(כג) וְתַחַת הָרָקִיעַ

כַּנְפֵיהֶם יְשָׁרוֹת

אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ

לְאִישׁ שְׁתַּיִם מְכַסּוֹת לָהֵנָּה

וּלְאִישׁ שְׁתַּיִם מְכַסּוֹת לָהֵנָּה

אֵת גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶם:

24) Then I heard the sound of their wings,

like the sound of many waters like the voice of G-d as they moved, the sound of their tumult was like the sound of an armed camp,

when they stood still, they let down their wings.

(כד) וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל כַּנְפֵיהֶם

כְּקוֹל מַיִם רַבִּים כְּקוֹל שׁ-ַדַּי בְּלֶכְתָּם

קוֹל הֲמֻלָּה כְּקוֹל מַחֲנֶה

בְּעָמְדָם תְּרַפֶּינָה כַנְפֵיהֶן:

25) There was a sound from the Rakiah above their heads,

when they stood still, they let down their wings.

(כה) וַיְהִי קוֹל מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשָׁם

בְּעָמְדָם תְּרַפֶּינָה כַנְפֵיהֶן:

Finally, above all of those entities, the throne of G-d.

26) Above the Rakiah that was above their heads,

like a vision of sapphire, was the form of a throne,

and over the form of the throne,

there was a form like a vision of a man on it from above.

(כו) וּמִמַּעַל לָרָקִיעַ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשָׁם

כְּמַרְאֵה אֶבֶן סַפִּיר דְּמוּת כִּסֵּא

וְעַל דְּמוּת הַכִּסֵּא

דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה:

27) I saw something like a Chashmal,

like a vision of fire, as a house all around it,

from the vision of his hips and above;

from the vision of his hips and below,

I saw a vision like fire,

with a Nogah around it.

(כז) וָאֵרֶא כְּעֵין חַשְׁמַל

כְּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ בֵּית לָהּ סָבִיב

מִמַּרְאֵה מָתְנָיו וּלְמָעְלָה

וּמִמַּרְאֵה מָתְנָיו וּלְמַטָּה

רָאִיתִי כְּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ

וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב:

28) Like a vision of the rainbow

that is in the clouds on a rainy day,

so was the vision of the Nogah around.

This was the vision of Kevod Hashem.

I saw it, and I fell on my face.

Then I heard a voice speak.

(כח) כְּמַרְאֵה הַקֶּשֶׁת

אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בֶעָנָן בְּיוֹם הַגֶּשֶׁם

כֵּן מַרְאֵה הַנֹּגַהּ סָבִיב

הוּא מַרְאֵה דְּמוּת כְּבוֹד ה’

וָאֶרְאֶה וָאֶפֹּל עַל פָּנַי

וָאֶשְׁמַע קוֹל מְדַבֵּר: ס

This ends the chapter. In the next chapter, Yechezkel is told that what he is seeing is the Divine Presence leaving Jerusalem in preparation for its destruction.

The Haftarah skips to chapter 3, to Yechezkel's reaction to the very explicit and overwhelming vision of G-d.

3-12) Then the Ruach lifted me up,

and I heard behind me

the sound of a great rushing –

“Blessed be Kevod Hashem from His place!”

(יב) וַתִּשָּׂאֵנִי רוּחַ

וָאֶשְׁמַע אַחֲרַי

קוֹל רַעַשׁ גָּדוֹל

בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד ה’ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ:

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

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