Haftarah of Yom Kippur

Yeshayahu 57:14–58:14

The society that Yeshayahu is speaking to in his prophecy is one of external piety yet a high tolerance for injustice and poverty.

The prophecy begins with G-d telling the Jewish People that His anger at their deeds is not irreversible; as the Creator of human beings, He knows that they are fallible and is ready to welcome them back.

14) And He said, "Pave, pave, clear the way!

Remove obstructions from the path of my people."

(יד) וְאָמַר סֹלּוּ סֹלּוּ פַּנּוּ דָרֶךְ

הָרִימוּ מִכְשׁוֹל מִדֶּרֶךְ עַמִּי: ס

15) For so says the High and Exalted, Eternal, Holy of Name:

I dwell on High in Holiness.

with the contrite and humble of spirit,

reviving the spirit of the humble,

reviving the heart of the contrite.

(טו) כִּי כֹה אָמַר רָם וְנִשָּׂא שֹׁכֵן עַד וְקָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ

מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּוֹן

וְאֶת דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ

לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים

וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים:

16) For it is not forever that I will be against you,

not always that I will storm at you,

for the spirit will be gathered up before Me,

souls that I have made.

(טז) כִּי לֹא לְעוֹלָם אָרִיב

וְלֹא לָנֶצַח אֶקְּצוֹף

כִּי רוּחַ מִלְּפָנַי יַעֲטוֹף

וּנְשָׁמוֹת אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי:

G-d will only punish for actual sins; as soon as someone changes their ways, G-d offers him peace and a renewed relationship, even if he had previously been estranged. However, people who hold on to their evil ways will continue to live with the turmoil their actions cause; G-d has nothing to offer them.

17) For the crimes he committed,

I stormed and punished, left him and stormed,

yet he went unheeding in the path of his own heart.

(יז) בַּעֲוֹן בִּצְעוֹ

קָצַפְתִּי וְאַכֵּהוּ הַסְתֵּר וְאֶקְצֹף

וַיֵּלֶךְ שׁוֹבָב בְּדֶרֶךְ לִבּוֹ:

18) His paths I saw, and I healed him;

I led him, I gave him peace and relief,

to him and those who mourn with him.

(יח) דְּרָכָיו רָאִיתִי וְאֶרְפָּאֵהוּ

וְאַנְחֵהוּ וַאֲשַׁלֵּם נִחֻמִים

לוֹ וְלַאֲבֵלָיו:

19) I will create new forms of speech,

Peace, peace,

to the far and near,

says Hashem, and heals him.

(יט) בּוֹרֵא נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם

שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם

לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב

אָמַר ה' וּרְפָאתִיו:

20) For the evil like the sea shall churn,

for it cannot rest,

his waters will churn up dirt and mud.

(כ) וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ

כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכָל

וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט:

21) No peace,

says G-d, to the wicked.

(כא) אֵין שָׁלוֹם

אָמַר אֱ-לֹהַי לָרְשָׁעִים: ס

G-d tells the prophet to explain to the Jewish People what they're doing wrong, to put them on the right track regarding what G-d actually wants from them.

1) Call out aloud, do not spare,

like the Shofar lift your voice,

speak to My people of their crimes,

to the House of Yaakov, of their sins.

(א) קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל תַּחְשֹׂךְ

כַּשּׁוֹפָר הָרֵם קוֹלֶךָ

וְהַגֵּד לְעַמִּי פִּשְׁעָם

וּלְבֵית יַעֲקֹב חַטֹּאתָם:

2) So that Me each day they will seek,

to know my ways, they crave,

like a nation which does justice,

the laws of His G-d does not abandon.

They will request of Me the laws of justice,

closeness to G-d is what they will crave.

(ב) וְאוֹתִי יוֹם יוֹם יִדְרֹשׁוּן

וְדַעַת דְּרָכַי יֶחְפָּצוּן

כְּגוֹי אֲשֶׁר צְדָקָה עָשָׂה

וּמִשְׁפַּט אֱ-לֹהָיו לֹא עָזָב

יִשְׁאָלוּנִי מִשְׁפְּטֵי צֶדֶק

קִרְבַת אֱ-לֹהִים יֶחְפָּצוּן:

The Jewish People question why G-d does not appear to react to their fasting. G-d tells them that He is not particularly impressed by the external actions of self-affliction. What He is looking for is justice, morality, and kindness to the weak and helpless.

3) Why did we fast, and You did not see?

We afflicted ourselves, and You did not know?

So, on the day of your fast, you seek what you crave,

you distract yourself from all your discomfort.

(ג) לָמָּה צַּמְנוּ וְלֹא רָאִיתָ

עִנִּינוּ נַפְשֵׁנוּ וְלֹא תֵדָע

הֵן בְּיוֹם צֹמְכֶם תִּמְצְאוּ חֵפֶץ

וְכָל עַצְּבֵיכֶם תִּנְגֹּשׂוּ:

4) So, in conflict and friction you fast,

beating with the fist of evil.

Do not fast today,

making your voices heard on High.

(ד) הֵן לְרִיב וּמַצָּה תָּצוּמוּ

וּלְהַכּוֹת בְּאֶגְרֹף רֶשַׁע

לֹא תָצוּמוּ כַיּוֹם

לְהַשְׁמִיעַ בַּמָּרוֹם קוֹלְכֶם:

5) Is this the fast that I choose:

a day when a man afflicts himself,

lowering his head like a reed, wearing sackcloth and ash?

Is this what you call a fast?

A day to please Hashem?

(ה) הֲכָזֶה יִהְיֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ

יוֹם עַנּוֹת אָדָם נַפְשׁוֹ

הֲלָכֹף כְּאַגְמֹן רֹאשׁוֹ וְשַׂק וָאֵפֶר יַצִּיעַ

הֲלָזֶה תִּקְרָא צוֹם

וְיוֹם רָצוֹן לַה':

6) Isn't this the fast that I choose:

Open the shackles of evil,

release the shackled bond,

let the oppressed go free,

release all bonds.

(ו) הֲלוֹא זֶה צוֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ

פַּתֵּחַ חַרְצֻבּוֹת רֶשַׁע

הַתֵּר אֲגֻדּוֹת מוֹטָה

וְשַׁלַּח רְצוּצִים חָפְשִׁים

וְכָל מוֹטָה תְּנַתֵּקוּ:

7) Shouldn't you break your bread for the hungry,

the destitute poor bring into your home;

if you see one unclothed, cover him,

your own flesh, do not ignore.

(ז) הֲלוֹא פָרֹס לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ

וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים תָּבִיא בָיִת

כִּי תִרְאֶה עָרֹם וְכִסִּיתוֹ

וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ לֹא תִתְעַלָּם:

The prophet describes what it would be like when G-d is pleased with and proud of the Jewish People and their actions.

8) Then, your light will break like the dawn,

quickly your health will blossom,

your righteousness will walk before you,

Hashem's honor will follow you.

(ח) אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ

וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ מְהֵרָה תִצְמָח

וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ

כְּבוֹד ה' יַאַסְפֶךָ:

9) Then, you will call, and Hashem will answer;

pray, and He will say, "I am here,"

if you will remove from within you oppression,

finger-pointing, and speaking vilely.

(ט) אָז תִּקְרָא וַה' יַעֲנֶה

תְּשַׁוַּע וְיֹאמַר הִנֵּנִי

אִם תָּסִיר מִתּוֹכְךָ מוֹטָה

שְׁלַח אֶצְבַּע וְדַבֶּר אָוֶן:

10) Your soul should go out to the hungry,

the soul of the afflicted you will satisfy,

and then your light will shine in the darkness,

your gloom will be like midday.

(י) וְתָפֵק לָרָעֵב נַפְשֶׁךָ

וְנֶפֶשׁ נַעֲנָה תַּשְׂבִּיעַ

וְזָרַח בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אוֹרֶךָ

וַאֲפֵלָתְךָ כַּצָּהֳרָיִם:

11) Hashem will guide you always,

satisfy your soul in drought,

and give vitality to your bones.

You will be like a watered garden,

like a source of water,

whose waters never fail.

(יא) וְנָחֲךָ ה' תָּמִיד

וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ

וְעַצְמֹתֶיךָ יַחֲלִיץ

וְהָיִיתָ כְּגַן רָוֶה

וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם

אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו:

12) From you, the destroyed places shall be rebuilt,

institutions of generations shall be founded;

you will be called, the fencer of breaches,

restorer of roads of return.

(יב) וּבָנוּ מִמְּךָ חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם

מוֹסְדֵי דוֹר וָדוֹר תְּקוֹמֵם

וְקֹרָא לְךָ גֹּדֵר פֶּרֶץ

מְשֹׁבֵב נְתִיבוֹת לָשָׁבֶת:

Shabbat also should be focused on the holiness and honor of Hashem, and not on trying to get away with as much as possible while going through the paces. G-d gave it to us as a gift, a delight, to help us reach the highest levels possible for human beings on Earth.

13) If you turn your feet from Shabbat,

from pursuing your own business on My holy day,

and call Shabbat, "a delight,

to Hashem the Holy and Honored,"

and honor it by not doing what you tend to do,

not seeking your own business and planning your things;

(יג) אִם תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ

עֲשׂוֹת חֲפָצֶיךָ בְּיוֹם קָדְשִׁי

וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג

לִקְדוֹשׁ ה' מְכֻבָּד

וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ

מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר:

14) Then,

you will have delight in Hashem,

He will place you on the highest reaches on Earth,

and sustain you with the inheritance of your father Yaakov,

for thus Hashem has spoken.

(יד) אָז

תִּתְעַנַּג עַל ה'

וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ

וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ

כִּי פִּי ה' דִּבֵּר: ס

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

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