Haftarah of VaEtchanan - Shabbat Nachamu

Yeshayahu 40:1-26

This Haftarah is the first of the "Chapters of Comfort" of Yeshayahu that comprise the last 20+ chapters of his book, whose purpose is to give hope to all the generations of the Jewish People, to reassure them that one day, Jerusalem will be rebuilt, that the Jewish People will be living there in safety and security, that their unique relationship with G-d will grow and deepen, and the entire world will acknowledge it and create a world of justice and righteousness. The sum of all that, and more, is called "Redemption".

The Haftarah begins with G-d commanding the prophets to console and comfort the Jewish People for the series of tragedies that is Jewish History. The destruction and exile is not permanent; the punishment has a limit and redemption will come.

1) Give comfort, give comfort to My people, says your G-d.	(א) נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם:
2) Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call out to her, for her term has been fulfilled; for her crime has been wiped away; for she received from the hand of Hashem, double for all her sins.	(ב) דַּבְּרוּ עַל לֵב יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְקִרְאוּ אֵלֶיהָ כִּי מָלְאָה צְבָאָהּ כִּי נִרְצָה עֲוֹנָהּ כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד ה' כִּפְלַיִם בְּכָל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ: ס

The road to redemption appears twisted and obstructed, but when G-d decides that it is time, it will become clear and straight. When that happens, it will also become clear to the entire world that G-d is executing His ultimate plan for mankind.

3) A voice calls in the desert – "Clear the path for Hashem! Pave, in the wilderness, a road for our G-d!"	(ג) קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה' יַשְּׁרוּ בָּעֲרָבָה מְסִלָּה לֵא-לֹהֵינוּ:
4) Each valley will be raised, each mountain, each hill will be lowered; the crooked will become straight, and ranges will become plains.	(ד) כָּל גֶּיא יִנָּשֵׂא וְכָל הַר וְגִבְעָה יִשְׁפָּלוּ וְהָיָה הֶעָקֹב לְמִישׁוֹר וְהָרְכָסִים לְבִקְעָה:
5) Hashem's Glory will be revealed, and all mankind will perceive it together, for the mouth of Hashem has spoken.	(ה) וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד ה' וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו כִּי פִּי ה' דִּבֵּר: ס

Human civilizations, which appear so powerful and threatening, are ephemeral and fleeting. In contrast, G-d's words are immortal.

6) A voice says, "Call!" And I say, "What shall I call? All mankind is grass, and all its achievements are like wildflowers in the field.	(ו) קוֹל אֹמֵר קְרָא וְאָמַר מָה אֶקְרָא כָּל הַבָּשָׂר חָצִיר וְכָל חַסְדּוֹ כְּצִיץ הַשָּׂדֶה:
7) Grass dries, wildflowers wilt, when Hashem's spirit blows over it, so the nation is like grass."	(ז) יָבֵשׁ חָצִיר נָבֵל צִיץ כִּי רוּחַ ה' נָשְׁבָה בּוֹ אָכֵן חָצִיר הָעָם:
8) Grass dries, wildflowers wilt, but the Word of our G-d stands forever!	(ח) יָבֵשׁ חָצִיר נָבֵל צִיץ וּדְבַר אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ יָקוּם לְעוֹלָם: ס

The redemption is on the doorstep, ready to be announced. G-d is described as a shepherd caring for his flock, protecting it as He herds it toward its destination.

9) Go up onto a tall mountain, herald of Zion! Lift your voice loudly, herald of Jerusalem! Lift it, do not fear, tell the cities of Yehuda, Here is your G-d!	(ט) עַל הַר גָּבֹהַ עֲלִי לָךְ מְבַשֶּׂרֶת צִיּוֹן הָרִימִי בַכֹּחַ קוֹלֵךְ מְבַשֶּׂרֶת יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָרִימִי אַל תִּירָאִי אִמְרִי לְעָרֵי יְהוּדָה הִנֵּה אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם:
10) Hashem, G-d, is coming with strength, He rules with His own arm; His assets are with Him, and His endeavor is before Him.	(י) הִנֵּה אֲ-דֹנָי ה' בְּחָזָק יָבוֹא וּזְרֹעוֹ מֹשְׁלָה לוֹ הִנֵּה שְׂכָרוֹ אִתּוֹ וּפְעֻלָּתוֹ לְפָנָיו:
11) As a shepherd herds his own flock, gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom, as he leads the ewes.	(יא) כְּרֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ יִרְעֶה בִּזְרֹעוֹ יְקַבֵּץ טְלָאִים וּבְחֵיקוֹ יִשָּׂא עָלוֹת יְנַהֵל: ס

The prophet addresses one of the fears that drain the hope of redemption: G-d might not be able to carry it through. He answers this implied question with a question: Who taught G-d to create the world? In other words, is there anyone, anything, wiser and more powerful than Him? If G-d is smart enough to create the world, He is smart enough to manipulate history in the direction He wants it to go.

12) Who measured the sea with His handfuls, and affixed the sky with a guideline? And placed in a measure all the dust of the earth, weighed mountains on a scale and hills on a balance?	(יב) מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִשׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ וְשָׁקַל בַּפֶּלֶס הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת בְּמֹאזְנָיִם:
13) Who directed the spirit of Hashem, what man knows His intention?	(יג) מִי תִּכֵּן אֶת רוּחַ ה' וְאִישׁ עֲצָתוֹ יוֹדִיעֶנּוּ:
14) Whom did He consult with, that explained it to Him, and taught Him the way of justice, taught Him knowledge, and let Him know the ways of wisdom?	(יד) אֶת מִי נוֹעָץ וַיְבִינֵהוּ וַיְלַמְּדֵהוּ בְּאֹרַח מִשְׁפָּט וַיְלַמְּדֵהוּ דַעַת וְדֶרֶךְ תְּבוּנוֹת יודִיעֶנּוּ:

All the other forces of history, all the civilizations that appear to stand in the way of redemption, are trifling and inconsequential. If one wanted to measure G-d's power by the number of sacrifices that mankind would owe Him, there wouldn't be enough trees in the forest.

15) Thus, the nations are a drop in a bucket, reckoned like dust on a balance, thus, the continents are like a dust mote.	(טו) הֵן גּוֹיִם כְּמַר מִדְּלִי וּכְשַׁחַק מֹאזְנַיִם נֶחְשָׁבוּ הֵן אִיִּים כַּדַּק יִטּוֹל:
16) The forest of Levanon is not sufficient fuel; its wildlife is not enough to bring as offerings.	(טז) וּלְבָנוֹן אֵין דֵּי בָּעֵר וְחַיָּתוֹ אֵין דֵּי עוֹלָה: ס
17) All the nations are nothing before Him, as null and void, they are counted by Him.	(יז) כָּל הַגּוֹיִם כְּאַיִן נֶגְדּוֹ מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ לוֹ:

The prophet points out the futility of trying to understand G-d in human terms, or worse yet, to capture His essence as a physical model.

18) To whom would you liken G-d? What likeness would you compose for Him?	(יח) וְאֶל מִי תְּדַמְּיוּן אֵל וּמַה דְּמוּת תַּעַרְכוּ לוֹ:
19) A statue that the sculptor has molded, that the goldsmith gilded with gold, that the silversmith adorned with chains?	(יט) הַפֶּסֶל נָסַךְ חָרָשׁ וְצֹרֵף בַּזָּהָב יְרַקְּעֶנּוּ וּרְתֻקוֹת כֶּסֶף צוֹרֵף:
20) This donated treasure, he chooses a piece of wood that will not rot, he searches for a wise sculptor, to prepare a statue that would not decay?	(כ) הַמְסֻכָּן תְּרוּמָה עֵץ לֹא יִרְקַב יִבְחָר חָרָשׁ חָכָם יְבַקֶּשׁ לוֹ לְהָכִין פֶּסֶל לֹא יִמּוֹט:

The prophet asks the Jewish People to consider what they already know: G-d created the world and has unlimited power over history.

21) Do you not know, have you not heard? Has it not been foretold to you? Do you not understand the foundations of the earth?	(כא) הֲלוֹא תֵדְעוּ הֲלוֹא תִשְׁמָעוּ הֲלוֹא הֻגַּד מֵרֹאשׁ לָכֶם הֲלוֹא הֲבִינֹתֶם מוֹסְדוֹת הָאָרֶץ:
22) He who sits over the orbit of the Earth, its inhabitants like insects; He who spreads out the heavens like a curtain, and stretches them like a tent for dwelling.	(כב) הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל חוּג הָאָרֶץ וְיֹשְׁבֶיהָ כַּחֲגָבִים הַנּוֹטֶה כַדֹּק שָׁמַיִם וַיִּמְתָּחֵם כָּאֹהֶל לָשָׁבֶת:
23) He who turns lords into nothingness, rulers of the earth He makes void.	(כג) הַנּוֹתֵן רוֹזְנִים לְאָיִן שֹׁפְטֵי אֶרֶץ כַּתֹּהוּ עָשָׂה:
24) They are barely planted, they are barely sown, their trunk has barely made roots in the earth, even as He breathes on them, they wilt, and a storm tosses them like straw.	(כד) אַף בַּל נִטָּעוּ אַף בַּל זֹרָעוּ אַף בַּל שֹׁרֵשׁ בָּאָרֶץ גִּזְעָם וְגַם נָשַׁף בָּהֶם וַיִּבָשׁוּ וּסְעָרָה כַּקַּשׁ תִּשָּׂאֵם: ס

There is no one who can even be compared to G-d in power. He created the world, and He keeps each of the physical forces of the universe in balance. You don't have to worry about His ability to bring about Redemption.

25) To whom can you liken Me, and find Me equal? says the Holy One.	(כה) וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי וְאֶשְׁוֶה יֹאמַר קָדוֹשׁ:
26) Lift up your eyes to the heavens and see who created all these, He makes the legions come out in their numbers, each one He calls by name. By the greatness of might, and the vastness of power, not a one is lost.	(כו) שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָרָא אֵלֶּה הַמּוֹצִיא בְמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא מֵרֹב אוֹנִים וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ אִישׁ לֹא נֶעְדָּר: ס

Copyright © Kira Sirote

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

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